Scratching and biting himself

Question
QUESTION: I've got a one year old Male Blue Dumbo rat, I did have 2 but just after I bought him his friend passed away due to neglect at the store and there aren't any other stores near by that have rats to get him another friend.
He's always had scars on his ear and tail from where his friend would bite at him and sometimes he'll scratch them and make them worse. Sadly over the past few week he's been chewing and scratching to the point he has really scabby ears and has gone bald around his rear to his tail and around his paws. There are afew scabs around his body such as his neck and behind his ears too, I'm starting to worry, I think it's either his diet or lonliness as I started University in october so I'm not around so much. I have tried to give him less protein but that hasn't had any affect and attempts to make his cage more exciting havent worked either. Any idea's how I can stop him scratching would be great?
Also, if he is lonely, can he have friends or would he hate me?
Thanks, Sammy

ANSWER: What is his diet?  It could be too much protein in the diet, but it could be mites, too.  My first guess would be mites. I would get some revolution from the vets. Anything else is a waste of money or possibly dangerous such as any over the counter treatments.  The revolution can be purcahsed in a single vial and all he would need is one drop or .10ccs between the shoulder blades. Mean time,lets go over the diet too and see what he is eating on a daily basis.  I would also purchase some cortisone cream and apply it to the areas that bother him and the raw areas etc.  This will help with those issues too.

Also, rats are super social and love to be with other rats. He probably would be thrilled to have someone to snuggle with. Just be sure you introduce them carefully and not throw them in together. Let their cages sit by each other a few    days and let them get used to the smell of each other.  Good luck!

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

QUESTION: Wow, thanks for replying so fast!!
His diet is normally some rather boring looking food called SUPREME SCIENCE SELECTIVE RAT FOOD, it has the lowest protien I could find but he loves it, he is fed a small bowl of that every day. I reccently started adding some 'Boredom Breaker, Naturals' it has lady's thistle pellets, rose hips, carrots and rose petals, and an 'Vitakraft alfalfa slim' to brighten up his day but that only started a week and a bit ago. He gets varieties of fruits and vege depending on what I have in, reccently it's been apples, carrots, tomatoes, banana and greens etc, nothing very exotic.

He was treated at the vets for lice I think, when I first got him and his friend they were very unwell, the vet said it was very very rare for rats to get lice. He hasnt been back since he was treated though, I have checked his fur and found nothing, no creepy crawlies, I haven't looked at his poo though, I'm not sure what to look for in that area...
Thanks for your help
Sammy

Answer
I wouldnt go back to that vet because it is very common for rats to get both lice and mites.  The lice rats get are not the same as what humans get. They do not have wings and they do not get on humans. They are species specific. Obviously the vet was not a certified exotic vet or he wouldnt have made that statement.

I do see a problem with his diet right now though. Alfalfa.  Rats cannot digest it at all and can have a nasty skin reaction to it as well.
The other stuff sounds interesting though, but I would get rid of the alfalfa and not feed it to him any more.

As for diet, you can find ideas on my webpage and even make your own so you know what your giving him is all good for him. Believe it or not, sometimes the boring food such as harlan teklad rat pellets/blocks are the best food for them and the little stinks spit them out.  LOL

Check out my page about diet, see what you think. Also, there is a page on itching and skin problems.  I would for sure rub some cortisone on his itchy spots though.

http://www.freewebs.com/crittercity/ratsandahealthydiet.htm