Marsh Rice Rat Poop Help!

[Lulu2010]

Not sure who all remembers the Marsh Rice Rat I raised months ago and we didn't know what she was at the time, but someone finally figured it out. Well, she has not had a single problem....until now. I have her on the same diet I have had her on since she started eating solid foods and got off of formula. This has been quite a few months or so now. She gets assorted fruits and veggies (ie: collard greens, mustard greens, kale, bok choy, butternut squash, tomato, grape, apple, acorn squash, yellow squash, etc.) every morning. I just buy a variety and use what I have until I buy more. So, not changing too often. She gets rodent blocks, a pinch of seed mix for rats from petsmart, some kind of treat, freeze dried chicken or dried mealworms. Every Friday night I do major cleaning on everyones cages but they are wiped out daily to keep them clean. Nothing has changed. Squeaker now has major runny fool on liquid poop. She can't control it when she goes, its like a faucet. Normally she likes to play attack me when I mess with stuff in her cage and today she is kind of lethargic. She runs if I try to pick her up but nothing when she is just sitting in her cage. Should I take her veggies? Should I give her a teaspoon of banana yogurt by yobaby? I am freaking out because it's Sunday and there's no one to see her and I am afraid of her getting dehydrated and losing her. Please help!

[Best Life]

**BUMP**

[Best Life]

Wish I could help, but am not familiar with diarrhea in rats. I would not see this as "Non Life Threatening", she can dehydrate and go downhill very quickly. Are you giving her any oral rehydrating solution? She might enjoy that.

I'm trying to find info while you're waiting for someone with experience to come on and help you. Do you think it can be treated just like you would with squirrels? It would make sense, but I really don't know.

These are informative sites:

http://www.petrats.org/pro.html#Care

http://ratfanclub.org/helpinfo.html

http://ratguide.com/health/basics/advanced_health_check.php

[CritterMom]

I know nothing at all specifically about rats but diarrhea is diarrhea. Take the veggies and do you think she will take hydration from a syringe? Mix up some hydration fluid:
1 quart water
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Heat to formula warmth and try to syringe it to her - she may like it because it is both sweet and salty. I would give her just this for the next couple hours. Do rats like yogurt? If so, the Yobaby is a good next step but do just hydration for a couple hours first. Note what is going on with her poop and let us know. And send a PM to Pierre - she is very knowledgable about rats.

[Lulu2010]

Thanks best life and crittermom!

She got snotty with me a few minutes ago. Hoping thats a good sign bc thats how she normally is. Poop is still dripping and soupy. she was eating her veggies when I put her up. I will go ahead and pull veggies and start rehydrating. I will give her some yogurt in a bit. If any one has any other ideas, please share. I love this little (really quite big) rat.

[Lolie]

I have lots of rats...theyre domestic tho. Mine get it when they are fed too much fruit or veggies..and its aweful..and aweful smelling. Try giving her some toast, that helps my guys. I also hate hate hate seed mix for rats..its not right. I use mazuri lab block or Harlan Teklad also known as native earth(best) and I give them wild bird seed every now and then. My rats diet is a fruits of some sort(blueberry, strawberry, or raspberry or banana(I dont like to feed mine apples),then veggies (brocolli, carrots, cooked corn, peas, green beans, or a leafy green of some sort), and then cereal(multi grain, plain, or honey nut cheerios, rice puffs, or total) and then a yogurt mixed in, I also give them shredded chicken AND the bone.

U can also buy this stuff called Green Mush, Its supposed to be really good for them..and you lol

[Lulu2010]

Thanks. Forgot to add that she does get a few cheerios also. Was kind of rushing and didnt think it all through. I rotate blocks too. The seeds are maybe 5 a day of either sunflower, watermelon, or pumpkin. I will take her off seeds if they are not good for her.

I will try some toast and see if it helps. Thanks!

[Lolie]

Seeds are fine, just not seed mixes from petstores, they have too much crap in them...and alphalfa pellets...which rats cant even digest. I go to Tractor Supply n get their wild bird seed mix tho.

[Lulu2010]

Can benebac be given to her? Forgot I have that. Bought it and have given half away and never used it.

[Lolie]

Do you have facebook? Join the Rat Fan Club...lots of people who know about rats there.

I dont know much about the meds, I havent had a sick rat in a long time. Most problems I deal with in rats are breathing issues.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/121059647917190/?id=251979174825236&notif_t=like

[Lulu2010]

That's great. I will check that out. I have other fancy rats and same here, only breathing related problems. Haven't had a rat with runny poop before. None of my other rats have been sick in quite some time, but I have all I need to treat for respiratory problems in the event that the vet is closed.

[Lolie]

Its always my males that get the gross poop...never my females, I dunno why. Theyre gross slobs I guess lol.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/291954_248649825166398_155411297823585_835972_4779 707_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/262913_248651228499591_155411297823585_835982_2178 308_n.jpg

https://s-hphotos-sjc1.fbcdn.net/254052_213093872055327_155411297823585_705212_3504 252_n.jpg

[island rehabber]

Pumpkin will cause the runs in just about anything so stop that for now. Try a teeny tiny drop of Kaopectate -- it won't cure whatever is causing the poops but it will stop them for a time so you can rehydrate her! :thumbsup

[Lulu2010]

Lolie, your rats are gorgeous. :thumbsup I joined the facebook group. Maybe I will learn some new things about rats I didn't already know. Thanks!

IR- :thankyou

I am going to go ahead and give her a dab of benebac. Her energy level is increasing, but she still lets me handle her longer than normal. She is normally quite jumpy all the time except when she is being pet. Then, she will calm down and just gaze while frozen in position. I think she will be ok. I will hold back on the veggies and treats until it is cleared up. I will give her a dab more yogurt in the morning too. If I get worried, I will be back.