Male hairless pulled up testies

Question
QUESTION: My male rat just lost his brother today to an unknown illness when we awoke he was cold and unresponsive we brought him to the vet and he passed away with in a few minutes after having what we believe was a seizure his brother the surviving rat now has started to feel slightly cold to the touch and has since pulled up his testies and is walking funny is he possibly going to meet his brothers fate and should he be seen by a vet please help

ANSWER: Dear Meghan-

Thank you for writing. I am sorry to hear of the passing of your male rat. Sometimes its almost more heartbreaking when our rats die due to unknown causes than from a known illness or injury.

I can understand your concern about your hairless male, having just loss his brother. Most of what you are describing sounds pretty normal as male rats have an open inguinal canal, a small passage that leads through the lower abdominal wall, which is unlike humans or other mammals. This means that male rats can actually draw the testicles up into the cavity to protect them. This is quite normal for rats that are cold or are frightened. Considering that your rat is hairless, it could be the absence of his brother is making him more susceptible to feeling cold (since many hairless rats will snuggle up with their cage mates to keep warm) and perhaps without his brother, he is feeling a bit more nervous. This is purely speculation based on what information I have been given.

I personally would err on the side of caution and have a veterinarian take a look at him only because he was housed with his brother who did pass away, and from what I am getting from your question, your hairless begun showing these odd behaviors following. A veterinarian would be able examine your rat to rule out any possible illness that might have spread and address any concerns you have with your rat's testicular position and gait.  

I do hope I have been of some assistance. Thanks again for your question.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: When should i get him a new cage mate he is depressed

Answer
Dear Meghan-

Getting him a new cagemates is a great idea since rats need other rats for companionship. I would say that you should be able to get him a new cagemate as soon as you are sure there is nothing medically wrong with him. Be sure to quarantine the new addition for a minimum of 2 weeks and to introduce the newcomer in a neutral setting, someplace your male rat has not claimed as "his". A bathtub is a good neutral area to do this.

Hope that helps!