AboutSandra Conti-Todd Expertise NOTE:
I am sorry for any long delays in responses. I have been going through some personal issues with my life but things are looking up for me and I am getting my life back on track again and will promise to be here for all rat lovers to help guide you on proper care. Love to all of you!
To request a telephone consultation, please email sandyscrittercity@yahoo.com. in order to schedule a date and time that is feasible for both you and I. There is no time limit on weekends or after 99pm M-F or if your cell phone carrier is Verizon Wireless. There is no charge for a telephone consultation. I offer my advice free of charge since my goal is to simply keep your rats happy and healthy for as long as possible. My reward is knowing that people learning as much as they can on rat care in order to provide the best care possible. Thats all I need to know. You cant put a price tag on love:)
As one of the top experts here at allexperts for 2008, I am happy to be able to help advise others on the proper care of pet rats.
I am a rat care specialist/advisor for area vets and have 20 plus years experience working with rodents.
I can advise you on the most current treatments available to your rat for common and also complicated ailments that seem to affect domestic rats during their life time. I do telephone consults and have even had some wonderful Vets call me to compare notes/stories. I also have training in animal behavior with the main focus being the study of rodent behavior.
I also have experience with wild rats, raising one myself .
Experience My expertise
Includes the following:
1. Education on prevention of tumors, lung and heart disease and disease of the kidneys too.
2. Up to date treatments for tumors in rats,both benign or malignant tumors.
3. The most current treatments used successfully to treat lung and heart disease
4. Prevention and treatment of the mycoplasma organism that our rats are plagued with since the day they are born, among other common ailments that attack our rats, just to name a few.
My job as a rodent consultant is to educate the owner on proper care of the animal but in no way does my advice take the place of seeking professional treatment by a qualified Veterinarian.
However, I will contribute to this site by answering your questions about raising pet rats and any problems that may arise regarding their health, diet, husbandry and over all well being of the rat to **the best of my ability.**
Organizations I maintain my website, Critter City and update it often to keep up with current treatments concerning pet rat health care. Please click the link above to take you there!
Publications My own website of course, and also I have brochures on rat care that are found in various animal clinics in my area.
Education/Credentials
Mentored by highly noted exotic specialists in my area. I am a member of the ASPCA.
Awards and Honors Was honored by being chosen to be one of the top 50 experts of 2008
Past/Present Clients My past clients have been through various animal clinics and I also am mentor to new rat owners that reach me through here and my website too.
Question I have had two male rats for about 8 months now. I bought them from the same pet store at the same time, they shared a cage with 10 others. Ninja was a baby and Gizmo was problem about 3-4 months old. Ninja is very loving but Gizmo has always been difficult. He is shy eventho he is the dominate rat. He is probably the most intelligent rat i have ever owned. He knows his name and usually comes when i call him.
My problem with Gizmo is that he sort of bites me all the time. It dose not hurt, he has never broken the skin, it is like he is lightly touching me with his teeth. He'll just walk up to you and bite you.
He bites my boyfriend more often and a bit harder and but still has never really hurt anyone. He ALWAYS bites my toes. And sometimes he bites me a little harder. That is because i try to separate ninja and him when they get too rough play fighting, and if i tell him "no" for doing some random bad thing. How do i make him stop?
My other question was about sneezing. They have recently began to sneeze. It's not real serious, their isnt any red stuff leaking out of them and they are still as active as they have always been. Is their any medicine I can buy to treat them at home? My local pet store offered some to me once before but they have went out of business.
Thank You
Samantha
Answer Lets start with the sneezing first. If they did not sneeze before and now they are, this means something is up. I would get them checked. Before you know it, they may have a full blown respiratory infection caused by mycoplasmosis and it becomes chronic once this happens.
There are only a few types of antibiotics that work on myco and they can only be obtained by a vet. These medications are made to destroy the cell rather than the cell wall since the myco bacteria contains no cell wall. The drug of choice is baytril and doxycycline used as a booster to the baytril. They should be given for 30 full days to avoid relapse and should they relapse, vets are now finding that putting the rat on lifelong baytril dosing once daily prevents chronic lung disease.
Also, if you need a vet I would be happy to give you some names, no obligation of course.
Next, the biting: It sounds like your rats are using their teeth to communicate with you. They seem to do it when they want attention. Rats do not really understand "no" too much because they tend to only respond to positive responses. If you can first understand what they are trying to get out of biting rather than worry it is a behavior problem, you many notice this is a way of communication. Watch carefully and note when they bite and what the situation is when they bite you. As for toes, forget that one. Rats LOVE toes and also love love and I do mean LOVE feet with socks on. Its just one of those things most rat owners will agree on: their rats go for the feet and toes!
