Cuts on back

Question
QUESTION: Hello,
I'm writing just for some advice, I have 2 pet rats around 10 months old, they don't like to be handled much but the other day I picked Basil up and noticed she had lots of cuts along her. I though it might have been the other one scratching where they have been fighting so I separated them at night. They are back in together now and although they have the usual dominance fights they are still sleeping together which suggests to me its not territorial. I have consulted my rat book and have looked at mange, although this says it comes with loss of hair and cuts behind the ears too possibly. Basil has not really lost any hair but I have noticed she is scratching more and a slight loss of weight.
Do you thin this could be mange?
I would be grateful for any response
Amy


ANSWER:
It doesnt really sound like mange to be honest. Often believe it or not itching and scabs can be from the diet that may be too high in protein.

Can you tell me what their diet consists of?

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

QUESTION: I feed them the normal rat nuggets and when giving them treats I give them little bits off egg or chicken

Amy

ANSWER: Your email never got to me till now.  Sorry!!

How are things going? Can you tell me what the protein content is in the rat nuggets?


What you can do is try to add some olive oil to the diet by putting some on a cracker. Sometimes even dry skin can cause this to happen, esp in winter.

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

QUESTION: Hello,
The protein levels of the rat nuggets is 16.5%.
I have been away for a couple of days and over that time Basil has lost a small patch of hair. Also now Billy is starting to get sores on her back.

I'm really grateful for all the time you've put in to this

Thanks

Amy


Answer
The protein sounds ok too.....I am wondering if they dont have ectoparasites of some sort.  Can you look at them really closely and use a magnifying lens to look at their fur and skin?  last month, a rat of mine that hates to be held had a bad case of rat lice and I did not know it. He wasnt scratching or anything. I took him out to check something on his foot I wanted to examine and when I put him back, my skin felt like it was crawling. I couldnt see a thing and so I grabbed my lens and sure enough, these ugly almost transparent type oval shaped bugs were all over and I mean ALL over my arm where the rat was laying.

ICK!!!!!!


I used revolution on both he and another male that is in another cage just to be safe. His fur didnt even feel funny or anything so that kind of threw me for a loop, coming out of nowhere.

let me know what you may see!