How to Avoid Common Rat Illnesses

Unfortunately, rats are prone to many common illnesses. But they can be easily prevented. Here's some of the common illnesses and how they can be prevented.

Preventing Bumblefoot
Bumblefoot is an infection on the back padding of a rat's foot. Many other small animals can get bumblefoot too. It can be easily prevented, but is very hard to treat. Bumblefoot is caused when rats constantly walk on hard surfaces, wire floors, or live in dirty conditions. You can prevent bumblefoot by:

~Padding the floor of your rat's cage/levels in the cage with fleece or blankets. You can binder clip fleece to their cage shelves.
~Avoid exposing your rat to wire floors/ramps. You may want to cover cage ramps with towels, fleece, or a small blanket.
~Keep their cage clean. Spot clean their cage floor daily and do a complete cage cleaning 1-2 times a week depending on your cage size and number of rats in the cage.

Preventing Abscesses 
An abscess is an infected sore or puss filled lump. They can appear anywhere on your rat. Abscesses can be easily drained at home (ONLY if you are very experienced with rats or removing abscesses) or a vet can do it. Abscesses are caused when a rat in injured/bitten by another rat or if your rat is cut by a sharp object such as a wood splinter or loose cage wire. Abscesses can be easily prevented by:

~Avoid using plastic or wood houses in your rat's cage. These can become sharp or splinter, causing an abscess. Use beds, hammocks, and houses made of fabric instead.
~NEVER use pine or cedar bedding. Not only are they very dangerous, but they can irritate your rat's skin.
~Properly bond rats. Don't put rats together that haven't been properly bonded. They will fight and injure each other.

Preventing Tumors
Tumors are one of the most common causes of death in rats. Female rats are much more prone to tumors, but males can get them too. Female rats are at high risk of mammary and pituitary tumors. Tumors are not easily treated. Surgery for tumor removal can be quite costly. Spaying and neutering your rats drastically reduces this risk. Depending on where you live and each vet's prices, spaying usually costs between $30 and $65. Neutering typically costs between $20 and $50. I can honestly say that none of my past rats had tumors, and all of them were altered.