head tilt in rat

Question
QUESTION: I have a young female rat, about 4 months old. She lives with 4 other females, all who have mild mycoplasma. Tonight i noticed her head is tilted. It isn't too bad, but it is definitely tilted and her balance is slighty off. I know this usually means ear infection, and i plan to start her on baytril to help the infection. What i'm wondering is if her ear infection can spread to the other rats. If it is caused by myco, then they all already have it, but i would like it to stay as just a respiratory infection for the others and not an ear infection as well. Should i separate the girl with the head tilt? Or is it fine to leave her with the others?

ANSWER: Ear infections themselves are not infectious; no.. its usually caused by a virus or bacterium and usually yes the virus can be contagious but, odds are, your other rats already have it if its contagious and would already be showing symptoms. No need to separate her unless the other rats begin picking on her. :)

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QUESTION: thankyou, i am keeping her with the other rats, they seem to be fine together. I have been treating her twice a day with medicine given to me a while ago to help with mycoplasma. She doesn't seem to be getting any better or worse. She seems perfectly fine but her head tilt and ballance problems won't go away. I read somewhere that in some cases the head tilt stays with them for life. If that is true then how will i know when she is better?

I also have another question about one of my boy rats. He is incredibly hyper and spazzy, much more than the rest of his brothers. He has this weird habit of rubbing his side and butt along floors and walls. He sort of leans to one side and uses his hands and feet to push him along. When he goes backwards it almost looks like he's doing the moon walk the way he slides along without lifting his feet! It looks really funny and i don't know why he does it. Is that normal for rats? Is it maybe a type of scent marking? Maybe he just has neuological problems, since he is so incredibly spazzy. Its like he has ADD, if thats possible for rats. He is about four months, the brother of the girl with the ear infection.

ANSWER: She may have a head tilt for life, yes -- you really won't know when she's better other than to continue the meds for as long as the vet has you to (normally 10 to 14 days). If you discontinue the meds and she begins to deteriorate again, she isn't better yet! Luckily rats normally do just fine with chronic wry neck (and head tilts) and compensate very well.

Your boy is being hormonal and marking his territory! It's very common. Just beware he doesn't try to act aggressive at you.. some do.. some never do.. it depends on how testy the boy gets during his puberty hormone/testosterone spurt.




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QUESTION: thankyou for all your help. Tonight Drake (the boy who was doing the hormonal marking) got in a fight with his brother. He bit the other rat on the balls right below the anus. I've heard of times when male rats actually chew off another males balls. Is that true? Should i separate Drake or is this just a one time thing? My boys get in little fights a lot and sometimes draw a little blood but only little nicks and scratches. This is the most extreme bite i've delt with in my boys. Its about a centimeter long and pretty wide when it opens. You can see the muscle tissue, or some sort of tissue underneath when it opens. I put dissinfectant on it to stop an infection.
They aren't fighting right now, but they are baring teeth and pushing eachother down when they get near each other. Luckly the cage is large so they can get away from each other easily. Neither are acting aggressive to me or to their other two brothers. So can i leave them together or is it time for separation?

Answer
I would separate them. When a rat goes for another rats groin, his intention is to kill them; and if you value your males it would be best to separate them now before Drake does even worse. Keep a CLOSE eye on your injured boy to be sure he recovers well.