specks of blood around eyes

Question
my daughter has three pet rats..one of them was squeeking a lot this morning and when she checked, the nose was warm, and there are small red bumps in the inner corner of the eye..she touched one and it blead a little bit.

(she has described this to me over the phone..) Can you tell me what this might be and what can be done about it?

Thanks, Arlene

Answer
 It's possible that the rat was injured by one of her cagemates; rats often bite around the face when they are fighting.  It's also possible that the bumps and redness are clumps of mucus, which is red colored in rats and can look like blood.  It appears around the eyes and nose in times of stress or illness.

 For now if the rat is acting normal and any bleeding has stopped she will probably heal on her own, but if she is showing any other symptoms or the sores on her eye don't show any sign of improvement within 24 hours it's probably a good idea to get her to a vet.  Only a vet will be able to tell for sure what it is and what the treatment options are.

 If she's able to send a picture of it to me I may be able to help further identify the problem but from your description I can't be too certain.  My email is info@evergreenrattery.com if she would like to do that.

 Well I hope her rat feels better soon!