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Feeding

21 17:48:58

Question
My rat is now around 3 months.  I started out feeding him pellets.  I started giving him veggies and he became addicted to peas.  I try switching his foods around by giving him pellets and veggies, but he won't eat anything but peas.  He has developed scabs under his chin and I read that it is because he is getting too much protein.  Hes not acting any different or anything.  He is still very active and himself.  I'm just worried about the side effects.  Is there anything I can try new with him to get rid of the scabs?

Answer
I would stop feeding him vegetables for the moment and make sure he is eating the pellets.  He won't let himself starve, he will eat the pellets if he is hungry.  After a few days to a week, give him veggies again but only for a short period of time then take away whatever he hasn't eaten after that time.  Start with a short period such as 10 minutes and if he is still eating his pellet food regularly you can up it to an hour or longer.

Scabs can be caused by many different things.  I would recommend you treat him for parasites, which often cannot be seen very well with the naked eye.  Buy some Advantage or Frontline from your veterinarian, the puppy/kitten kind, just one tube, and apply one single drop to the back of his neck (you will need a syringe or eyedropper to suck it out).  You will then have to do another application two weeks later and in the meantime clean out his cage really well.  Certain beddings are notorious for bringing in mites and lice and it is always a good idea to freeze all bedding used for 24-72 hours before use.  Even if your rat doesn't have parasites, this treatment will not hurt him.

If he goes back onto his diet and has the parasite treatment and he still has the scabs after a week or two and they aren't getting better I would recommend taking him to the vet for an exam.  It could be an allergy or he could be scratching himself as a psychological disorder.

Good luck!