Defaults rear leg - broken?

Question
I feel very guilty - default was jumping off a blank canvas that was hanging on the wall and right before he jumped the canvas fell off the wall and must have smashed defaults hind leg in the process of hitting the ground.  I feel horrible - it looks like she just doesn't use the foot - almost as if it is just hanging on useless? but i dont know but i feel so horrible evey time I walk past her cage - do I put her down? put myself down? please help... =(

Answer
Hey Paul;
Don't beat yourself up... ratties hurt themselves, just like kids, and sometimes its unpredictable. The good news is, a rattie broken leg is really "no big deal". Seriously. I've had rats with a broken hip and they've been just fine. You have two options.

1) Limit movement until it heals on its own, which will be in about three weeks for an entirely healed leg (although bones begin to mend in about two days). Keep playtime to the ground floor and lower the ramps in her cage to keep her from jumping or climbing strenuously for awhile.

2) Take her to the vet and have the vet look at it, tell you he can't do much or attempt to splint it (which she'll just chew off and harrass), and have him tell you the exact same thing I just did: limit movement.

Odds are, she'll be fine.

Now, the exception to this is if the leg itself is twisting in the skin (if you see her skin twist, if the leg dangles and twists at odd angles (like backwards), or if she begins to chew and harrass her leg. THEN you need to go to a vet and have them do something about it.

Let me know what happens; Good luck!

Janell