Ratty Health Checks

It is advisable to check your rat at least once every day for the first signs of illness, and examine them more thoroughly on a weekly basis. Rats can go downhill very fast if veterinary advise isn’t sought soon enough.

Daily Checks

Eyes - check for red staining, weepiness and cloudiness. Eyes should be open, clear and bright. Eye infection can be one of the symptoms of SDA, cloudiness can indicate kidney problems .

Nose - check for red discharge/mucus (porphyrin), listen for wheezy, chirpy or grunting noises, and sneezing.

These can all be signs of respiratory infection and/or stress.

Face – check for scratches and scabs. Mites and dietary problems often show up first in skin problems around the face and under the chin.

Ears – should be clean and with no smell. Crusts on the outer rim of the ear could be sarcoptic (ear) mites. Any foul odour would be indicative of an ear infection and require prompt veterinary treatment.

Lungs – hold your rat up to your ear like a telephone. Listen for any rattling, wheezing noises in the chest. A healthy rat should have no obvious sound.

Body – skin should be free from any scabs and scratches. Check behind the neck for signs of mites and at the bottom of the back/base of tail for lice. Pinching the skin can help determine if your rat is dehydrated; skin should snap back immediately. As rats (and humans) age there skin takes slightly longer to snap back, so this needs to be taken into account.

Feet – check toenails, some rats need theirs trimmed on a regular basis. Long toenails can get caught on fabric bedding etc. and cause injury. Check the underside of back feet for signs of redness or lumps (bumblefoot).

Check front feet for signs of red staining, rats often wipe porphyrin away from their faces but still have it on their hands and inner arms.

Coat – should be smooth and have a healthy sheen, with no bald patches. Coarseness and dullness can indicate that your rat isn’t in the best of health. Rats with recurrent respiratory problems often have dull listless coats. Bald patches can be caused by parasites, fungal infections and skin allergies, all of which should be treated by your vet.

There should be no yellowing of the fur on the stomach. Yellow staining can be caused by inadequate husbandry or urine infections. Rusting (brown fur on a black rat) is sometimes genetic but can also be a symptom of poor nutrition.

Tail – clean and smooth and rounded to the touch. Check for cleanliness, squareness, and lumps and bumps. Lumps etc can be the result of injury. Squareness can be a result of inadequate nutrition and poor general health. Sometimes it is irreversible, so a period of illness where your rat isn't eating properly can permanently affect tail shape. It is worth noting what is normal for each individual rat though.

Regular light brushing (towards the tip) will help keep your rat’s tail clean.

Urine - urine should not be red tinted, contain blood or have any unusual odour. These are all signs of a urinary tract infection and prompt medical treatment will be needed.

Weekly Checks

Mouth – check teeth are properly aligned and not overgrown. Rat teeth are naturally long and grow continually. Rats keep their teeth at the correct length by bruxing (grinding their teeth together) and eating, gnawing etc. Should teeth become misaligned then they do not get worn down naturally and can grow up into the lips and jaws causing severe pain.

Teeth should be yellow or orange in colour. The top incisors are a darker shade than the bottom. White teeth are usually a sign of illness or poor diet.

Body - Run your hands along both sides and underneath your rat to check for any lumps (mammary tumours), paying attention to armpits and the groin area.

Face - Check for any signs of swelling along the jawline and throat. Facial abscesses need aggressive treatment from the vet and lumps around the throat can often be signs of serious infection.

Gait and Tail Carriage - note how your rat walks and runs. Watch for signs of flat footedness, waddling and dragging tails. These can be signs of hind leg degeneration or arthritis.

Monthly Checks

Weight – it’s a good idea to keep a note of your rat’s monthly weight. Weight loss can indicate illness so it is useful to know your rat’s ‘normal’ weight. Digital gram scales are probably the best type of scales to use.

Unusaul weight gain may also indicate a health problem.

General Observation of Behaviour

Please seek prompt advice from your vet should your rat present with any of the below.

Abdominal Pain - Rats tend to stretch and flatten themselves out when they have pain in the stomach area. Slightly different from a normal sleeping position.

Tilted Head - head tilt can be the first outward sign of ear infections, pituitary tumours or stroke.

Grasping - rats with weakened grip in their front paws may have a pituitary tumour.

Weakness on One Side - after a stroke rats may appear to be weaker on one side of their body.

Rapid, Heavy Breathing or Gasping - sign of a respiratory problem.


This list is a basic guide. Rats are complicated creatures, if you are in any way concerned about your rat's health then please see the vet.

Mana Rattery March 2005