ear infection???

Question
QUESTION: my baby rat is about 3 months old and I just noticed today that she has some
wax in one ear and has some signs of scratching at it.  she is not tilting or
anything and none of the others have this.  I do have antibiotics on hand for
another of my rats in another cage that is dealing with respiratory infection
but I am wondering if this is an ear infection or just a dirty ear as she has no
signs of anything else and she climb just fine.

ANSWER: Hi Jody

I would hold off on the antibiotics right now. It sounds simply like she has some excessive wax production and its causing her to itch a bit.
You can gently wipe it off using a q-tip (I just saw about a thousand people frown on that one!  LOL) It is safe to do as long as you dont put it in her ear canal. I use my pinky finger nail sometimes if I see some wax in my rats ears!!   If you have any saline solution handy, you can dilute it with water and add just a drop or two into her ear using a dropper or syringe (minus the needle of course) This will loosen up impacted ear wax if there is any.
As long as she is eating, drinking, energetic like baby rats usually are, doesnt hold her head tipped a certain way and isnt dizzy such as walking in circles or spinning around in circles, I would just wait and watch. Be sure there is  not an odor to her ears though. Let me know if there is...



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

QUESTION: there is no odor she is just holding both her ears back unlike the rest of the girls
in the tank and seems more skittish than the others but has always been this
way.  I have only had them for 3 weeks now.  Could she possibly be deaf?  Her
climbing ability is fine whoever.

ANSWER: How many rats do you have and what size cage do you have?
You said she climbs good so I assume they have a pretty decent cage.



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

QUESTION: it is a 35 gallon tank with rocks and wood chew things for them to climb on.  
I am slowly getting more stuff and I get more money to do so.  I was not
planning on getting 3 more rats when I did.  I have 3 females in it.  I will be
moving them in to a larger cage once they get bigger but right now they can
get through the bars of it.  I take them out alot and let the climb on stuff so
and me so I see how well they climb on the furniture and pillows and my bed
and how well the hang on to my shoulder.

Answer
Nobody ever plans on getting more rats when they do. LOL!
I once had 23 rats in 12 different cages.  I rescued two females that were both pregnant much to my surprise so my rat colony went from 8 to
23 and that was AFTER I found homes from 10 of the babies!!!!

I usually dont keep more than 3 males in one cage and no more than 4 to 6 females even if the cage is massive because they do get frustrated living in an enclosure with too many of each other. A 35 gal. isnt a bad  size tank for now but I am glad your getting a cage.  The little buggers can slink through anything when they are that small.  I have on my website a good idea on how to contain smaller rats if you have a cage with wider spacing by using something called hardware cloth.  Check it out here:
http://www.freewebs.com/crittercity/gettingstarted.htm

I have had alot of readers send me in some really good ideas that I also put up as well, esp for toys and play time!!