Something is wrong with my 5 week old rat, help?

Question

I have a 5 week old Dumbo baby rat and for the past 2 weeks she has been noticably swollen, kind of blown up to where it looks like she is pregnant but she is not. She's lethargic and her stomach is really squishy but her stomach is so swollen she kind of wobbles around. What could be wrong with her?

Answer 1

Sounds like megacolon. You can find pictures online to confirm it. You'll need to have her put down if it is. If you leave it, she'll die a painful death within a week or so more. Once they wean onto solid food, megacolon becomes quite obvious. BTW, what were you doing with a 3 week old rat? Do you have the whole litter? They shouldn't be removed until 5 weeks.

Good to hear you have all of them. Please read up on late-onset megacolon and advise new owners what to look out for since one of your babies had early onset megacolon. Late megacolon can strike anytime in their life. It is also sometimes attached to a gene that causes white blazes and face markings on rats, so be especially careful about the babies with white blazes on their face.

As for the answer after me, my dog was $85 and she was spayed for $150. I also pay $75 yearly for her vet visits. I've spent several times her cost in vet bills. Isn't that ridiculus? Certainly no more or less idiotic than spending money on a pet rat.

Answer 2

take her to the vet is my suggestion

Answer 3

Maybe its a tumor thats what my rat had