Why is my old rat biting his neck and shoulders? No fleas!

It sounds indeed like your rats may be suffering from a mite or louse infection. Treatment usually consists of applying an avermectin such as Revolution or ivermectin available either in pet shops, your vet or over the internet. You can use the Revolution for dogs up to 5 lbs, at a dosage of 0.1 ml/lb of rat (you will need a 1ml syringe to measure out the dose correctly. Of course it would be easier to have the treatment done by your vet after he or she verifies whether this is indeed a mite infection/louse infection. Make sure you remove and destroy all bedding and disinfect all cages and toys.

Thanks for reaching out about Mike. Mites often cause scratching to the point of dermal scabs, often found around the shoulder area. Mites are more common in newly acquired pets. Being hyperactive is not necessarily a sign of illness, maybe being stimulated by smell or sounds. If the problem persists and you are concerned, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

Hi there! Pablo does look pretty itchy by those pictures. Mites are usually microscopic, so if you can see the bug it may be something different. I have seen many rats with lice. Lice are species specific so they are not likely to affect you. You can bathe him and buy a tiny comb to start picking out the bugs and eggs, but he will also likely need to see a veterinarian for medication to get rid of the infestation. Thorough cleaning of the cage and daily bedding changes will also need to be done. I hope he heals quickly!

In such a young rat the most common reason for hair loss is parasites, I would trear him for them anyway as they can be hard to see. If that doesnt help then I would consider allergy, dust free bedfing can help and good quality pellet food specifically formulated for rats.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! When I see patients like this the first thing I do is a skin scrape to check for residual parasites like mites (which I suspect here) If none are found, often I will do a culture to make sure no resistant bacteria or fungi (like ringworm-another possibility high in the list) infect the skin, and if so what kind. Thank you for attaching pictures! It is very helpful to us. The "blood" that you are seeing is likely a secretion called porphyrin...it can be released due to stress or illness. I hope this information helps! If you need further assistance or would like a consult please don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks for reaching out about Candler and including photos. This skin lesion could be the result of a mite infestation, bacterial infection, or endocrine disorder, just to name a few. A veterinary visit is recommended for a skin scrape to rule in/rule out mites. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Templeton and including photos. These lesions seem very similar to dermal lesions seen with mites, a type of ectoparasite. A veterinary visit is recommended, it mites both rats needs to be treated. This has a fairly good prognosis for recovery. Good luck.