| "Buck grease"? Was: Red scabs -- Mites or excess protein?? - CLICK HERE for the Pet Manual Forum Home Page |
| Heidi Sjursen |
[From: elegy <elegy@shattering.org>
>
> honestly it sounds to me like buck grease, especially the part about
....
> buck grease is extremely common, especially in older boys.
> some have it more than others.
Does anyone know the reason why some boys get this excess dandruff/grease,
and some get none? Does it have anything to do with the rats cleaning
themselves? In that case the grease should be reduced, or disappear,
if the rat is bathed, but to my experience this is not the cause.
I also do not believe it has anything to do with excess protein - I feed
young (growing) rats more protein than full-grown rats, and use lab blocks
as a basis food. I didn't see more grease or dandruff before I started
using lab blocks.
Can it have something to do with who's more dominant? I know my dominant
males sometimes get this musky scent from excretion a substance, it
spreads over their hind thighs or hips, if they are put in a foreign
place. But I am not sure if this coincides with the occurrence of buck
grease... I do not think so.
I would very much appreciate hearing other people's experiences on this
matter!
Heidi Sjursen
--
http://www.sofar.dk
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| J&S Bouchard |
"Heidi Sjursen" <heidi@thelabrat.com> wrote in message
news:bh8d25$573$1@readme.uio.no...
> [From: elegy <elegy@shattering.org>
> >
> > honestly it sounds to me like buck grease, especially the part about
> ...
> > buck grease is extremely common, especially in older boys.
> > some have it more than others.
>
> Does anyone know the reason why some boys get this excess dandruff/grease,
> and some get none? Does it have anything to do with the rats cleaning
> themselves? In that case the grease should be reduced, or disappear,
> if the rat is bathed, but to my experience this is not the cause.
> I also do not believe it has anything to do with excess protein - I feed
> young (growing) rats more protein than full-grown rats, and use lab blocks
> as a basis food. I didn't see more grease or dandruff before I started
> using lab blocks.
> Can it have something to do with who's more dominant? I know my dominant
> males sometimes get this musky scent from excretion a substance, it
> spreads over their hind thighs or hips, if they are put in a foreign
> place. But I am not sure if this coincides with the occurrence of buck
> grease... I do not think so.
> I would very much appreciate hearing other people's experiences on this
> matter!
>
> Heidi Sjursen
>
> --
> http://www.sofar.dk
With my bunch of 15 rats... I have quite a few that developed the
"dandruff". I noticed it at first when my rats became older, over 12 months.
I don't believe it is a form of dominance because they all have it. I notice
it to be worse in the summer warm dry months. I bought a young male (3
months) from a Petsmart and he was "clear" until a few weeks in my home. I'm
looking into getting a small dehumidifier to put near their cage to see if
the dry air could be the cause. I don't bathe my boys because it really
stresses them out. But I may start with my younger ones.
--
Joanne
Mom to 15 rats
http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70
j-s.b@nospamsympatico.ca
remove "no spam"
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| Dave Ryman |
"J&S Bouchard" <j-s.b@nospamsympatico.ca> wrote in
news:J5PZa.4072$Z03.221705@news20.bellglobal.com:
>
> "Heidi Sjursen" <heidi@thelabrat.com> wrote in message
> news:bh8d25$573$1@readme.uio.no...
>> [From: elegy <elegy@shattering.org>
>> >
>> > honestly it sounds to me like buck grease, especially the part
>> > about
>> ...
>> > buck grease is extremely common, especially in older boys.
>> > some have it more than others.
>>
>> Does anyone know the reason why some boys get this excess
>> dandruff/grease, and some get none? Does it have anything to do with
>> the rats cleaning themselves? In that case the grease should be
>> reduced, or disappear, if the rat is bathed, but to my experience
>> this is not the cause. I also do not believe it has anything to do
>> with excess protein - I feed young (growing) rats more protein than
>> full-grown rats, and use lab blocks as a basis food. I didn't see
>> more grease or dandruff before I started using lab blocks.
>> Can it have something to do with who's more dominant? I know my
>> dominant males sometimes get this musky scent from excretion a
>> substance, it spreads over their hind thighs or hips, if they are put
>> in a foreign place. But I am not sure if this coincides with the
>> occurrence of buck grease... I do not think so.
>> I would very much appreciate hearing other people's experiences on
>> this matter!
>>
>> Heidi Sjursen
>>
>> --
>> http://www.sofar.dk
>
> With my bunch of 15 rats... I have quite a few that developed the
> "dandruff". I noticed it at first when my rats became older, over 12
> months. I don't believe it is a form of dominance because they all
> have it. I notice it to be worse in the summer warm dry months. I
> bought a young male (3 months) from a Petsmart and he was "clear"
> until a few weeks in my home. I'm looking into getting a small
> dehumidifier to put near their cage to see if the dry air could be the
> cause. I don't bathe my boys because it really stresses them out. But
> I may start with my younger ones.
That almost has to be a local problem. I wonder if it is similar to human
dandruff - very often a fungal thing. How will a dehumidifier help with
dry air? That will only make it drier still.
I would be inclined to take a "sample" rat to your vet - maybe the answer
is simple. If it's not, then maybe he can find a flea or fungal infection
there.
Good luck!
--
Regards,
Dave
dave_ryman@hotmailNOSPAM.com
http://welcome.to/daves.website
http://travel.to/formula.one
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| J&S Bouchard |
Oh shoot... I meant a "humidifier".
--
Joanne
Mom to 15 rats
http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70
j-s.b@nospamsympatico.ca
remove "no spam"
"Dave Ryman" <dave_rymanNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns93D4E85D92B03daverymanhotmail@130.133.1.4...
> "J&S Bouchard" <j-s.b@nospamsympatico.ca> wrote in
> news:J5PZa.4072$Z03.221705@news20.bellglobal.com:
>
> >
> > "Heidi Sjursen" <heidi@thelabrat.com> wrote in message
> > news:bh8d25$573$1@readme.uio.no...
> >> [From: elegy <elegy@shattering.org>
> >> >
> >> > honestly it sounds to me like buck grease, especially the part
> >> > about
> >> ...
> >> > buck grease is extremely common, especially in older boys.
> >> > some have it more than others.
> >>
> >> Does anyone know the reason why some boys get this excess
> >> dandruff/grease, and some get none? Does it have anything to do with
> >> the rats cleaning themselves? In that case the grease should be
> >> reduced, or disappear, if the rat is bathed, but to my experience
> >> this is not the cause. I also do not believe it has anything to do
> >> with excess protein - I feed young (growing) rats more protein than
> >> full-grown rats, and use lab blocks as a basis food. I didn't see
> >> more grease or dandruff before I started using lab blocks.
> >> Can it have something to do with who's more dominant? I know my
> >> dominant males sometimes get this musky scent from excretion a
> >> substance, it spreads over their hind thighs or hips, if they are put
> >> in a foreign place. But I am not sure if this coincides with the
> >> occurrence of buck grease... I do not think so.
> >> I would very much appreciate hearing other people's experiences on
> >> this matter!
> >>
> >> Heidi Sjursen
> >>
> >> --
> >> http://www.sofar.dk
> >
> > With my bunch of 15 rats... I have quite a few that developed the
> > "dandruff". I noticed it at first when my rats became older, over 12
> > months. I don't believe it is a form of dominance because they all
> > have it. I notice it to be worse in the summer warm dry months. I
> > bought a young male (3 months) from a Petsmart and he was "clear"
> > until a few weeks in my home. I'm looking into getting a small
> > dehumidifier to put near their cage to see if the dry air could be the
> > cause. I don't bathe my boys because it really stresses them out. But
> > I may start with my younger ones.
>
> That almost has to be a local problem. I wonder if it is similar to human
> dandruff - very often a fungal thing. How will a dehumidifier help with
> dry air? That will only make it drier still.
>
> I would be inclined to take a "sample" rat to your vet - maybe the answer
> is simple. If it's not, then maybe he can find a flea or fungal infection
> there.
>
> Good luck!
>
> --
> Regards,
> Dave
>
> dave_ryman@hotmailNOSPAM.com
> http://welcome.to/daves.website
> http://travel.to/formula.one
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