Paralyzed 6 month old rat

Question
Hi,
I hope I am writing the right person. I am having a hard time finding out what is wrong with my 6 month old PEW boy. I have taken him to my vet, which I love by the way, and she has no idea what it could be.
The story:
I got Whiteout in Dec 2008 when someone threw him out of a car window in the dead of winter. I picked him up and brought him home. He was no more than 4 weeks old at this time. He was for sure from Petco, as he was tossed inside this box, marked $ 4.99. Not sure why they did it but I suspect he was either too big for the snake they bought him for or he bit the snake. Either way I brought him home, had him checked by my vet and nursed him back to health. Happy story till Sat the 6th. When I left he got his normal treat, all is well. Once I got home I noticed that he was holding his front left paw up and his paw was in a ball. He had no movement in his little toes. I decided to watch him incase he fell and injured himself. I noticed an improvement in the next two days but still no movement in the toes yet. When I returned home from work Tuesday he was using it a bit more but now his back leg on the same side was also being affected in the same manor. A day or two passes as I wait for my scheduled vet appointment and now it has affected all his limbs. He has very little grip in any of his feet now. My vet does not have a clue what's wrong with him but she is sure that it is neurological. We went through the gammits of what it could not be and still are at a loss. She is going to consult some other vets and also do more research and call me tomorrow but I was hoping you could give me some insight on what his problem could be.
Have you ever heard of this happening in a rat so young??  Could it be poor genetics that's the culprit??
Please if there is any ideas you could give me or my vet I would be forever greatful. I am not willing to put him to sleep as long as there is no pain and his quality of life is still good. I'm just so upset at the thought but as it progresses, he will lose the ability to be able to eat or walk.
PLEASE HELP!!!!
Thank you so much for your time
Marie  

Answer

Has your vet put him on any medications such as steroids or metacam for inflammation?  Antibiotics in case he has meningitis?  I have seen meningitis cause this type of weakness and or paralysis and sometimes the rat recovers although he may still have problems with palsy-like movements.  It could be a pituitary tumor too, though, which comes on sometimes suddenly, and although its more common in older females past menopause age, males are not totally exempt from developing them too.

You can help him eat by allowing him to lick baby foods from you. You can encourage his range of motion but letting him on the bare cage floor and he can propel around on his belly. Rats do adjust to what seems like the most impossible situations and often prevail. They are strong and are such an inspiration to us when we realize how hard they try to overcome something like this, which is why we hate to put them to sleep when they are trying hard to live.  As long as he is not suffering and is able to even eat the foods you help him eat, I agree not to put him down   If he should have a tumor on the base of his brain, this will claim his life eventually but you will know when he is ready to go. He will let you know.  He sounds like a survivor.  I would suggest to the vet to try steroids or metacam.  One at a time to see what works of course, metacam first with an injection of steroids, see how that works out for him.