rat mites

Question
QUESTION: okay i have a white rat and it has alot of flaky brown things all over its back , & i was wondering if they are mites?

ANSWER: Hi Jodie


Are they moving?  Are they stuck to the hair shaft?
Is your rat itchy and scratching alot?
You referred to your rat as "it" so I didnt know if it is a male or female.
Do you know how old your rat is and about what he or she weighs?

Let me know so I can tell you how to treat it, if it is indeed a parasite.


Hang in there

Sandra

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

QUESTION: no there not moving , and he is scratching some but not alot , and it is a "He" & he doesn't look very old and it might weigh about 3-4 pounds maybe not even hes pretty tiny. , I was kind of  thinking they might be some sort of egg but they are only all over his back , its a brownish goldish colour

ANSWER: Hi Jodie

If he is tiny he probably weighs under a pound. My biggest rat that takes two hands to hold him weighs about 660 grams and that is just about a pound and a half for the little moose.

I have a few more things to ask...are these spots on the skin and do they appear to be waxy?

Sorry to ask so much stuff, but again since I have no way to see him in person I have to ask 101 questions!

Hang in there!

Sandra

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

QUESTION: okayy

there on the skin and there on top of his fur just sitting there , again they don't move and no there not waxy they are really hard to see but when you have him in bright light you can see a bunch . I'm kind of thinking because of them  not moving , they could just be things from the shavings in his cage , but then again they would also be on his stomach but there not, there just all over his back.

Answer
Sounds like he just has some dry skin that is flaking off.  Have you tried to brush him? You can use a soft bristle baby brush and gently brush him...see if that comes off. Also, add some olive oil to his diet. This helps dry skin.  You can put some on a salt free cracker (just enough to soak part of the cracker) and do this once a week to see how his skin clears up.
Do you notice any sores or scabs on him and does he scratch alot? Parasites cause itching and drive the rats nuts with scratching to the point they get scabs on them.  If you have not seen anything like this, he probably doesnt have any parasites.  Your taking good care of him by checking him out so well.. good job!