Lump under my male rats neck.

Question
Well, recently i found a lump under my 12 week old rats neck. It Doesn't Seem to roll under the skin and is very firm.I Cant say when exactly it got there as i thought it was a "double chin" from extra fat. I noticed this "double chin" just a few days ago. It seemed to have gotten larger in just a few days theres no sign of a wound or scab. This is my first time owning rats and I've been doing a lot of research online about lumps on rats. It might either be a tumor or an abscess. He doesn't seem to be in pain he plays and eats and doesn't even seem to notice it. What Might it be, and should he be quarantined from my other ratties?

Answer
Hi


Lets start with your question if he should be quarantined from the other rats and the answer is no.  No need to do that at all. In fact, doing so may stress him  to the point his immune system is compromised and he will be more open to infection than before.

Although tumors do not know no age, still, he seems young to have one already and they are not half as common in  males as it is in females.

I am thinking its an abscess but it hasnt come to a head yet. My rat had one in the same place before.

Try holding a warm compress on the area as much as you can. I know the rattie wont like it unless he is really a chilled out type of rat and this age? I doubt it. He wants to GO! GO! GO! whenever he gets the chance to do it!

Anyhow, try the compress and also you can press around the base of it bit, almost messaging it.   See if it ends up with a crater or hole. If that is the case, its ready to explode and you can write me back and let me know how its all going, esp if it opens up on you.
Now of course this only means something if its an abscess.  If it continues to grow and never ends up opening up, its more than likely a tumor or even a limpoma, which is a fatty tumor.

Let me know how it goes..