A tumour on my rat...?

[TammyJ]

What's this on my female rat? I have noted it growing bigger over the past three/four weeks and now it's really huge. Don't have the camera to take a picture but it is a growth of some kind, a round tumour-type growth right on her underbelly near her hind leg. It's soft to the touch and baggy-like. And I think that she is pregnant too. She is in with another pregnant female.

Haloed Satan? Any advice?

[ophiophilia]

I believe that tumors are common with rats. I know my one female had gotten a tumor in her head. My cousin's rat had also gotten a tumor. They lived long lives regardless. I really don't have any advice to give, sorry :(

[AbsoluteApril]

Sounds like a mammary tumor... what no pic? just kidding! I'm not a vet, so don't take my opinion as fact of course. Here's some reading about it: Rat & Mouse Gazette: Tumors in Rats Probably best to retire her from breeding and either euthanize her or keep as a pet until the tumor grows too big or get it removed. Good luck with her!

[HaloedSatan]

Originally Posted by TammyJ

What's this on my female rat? I have noted it growing bigger over the past three/four weeks and now it's really huge. Don't have the camera to take a picture but it is a growth of some kind, a round tumour-type growth right on her underbelly near her hind leg. It's soft to the touch and baggy-like. And I think that she is pregnant too. She is in with another pregnant female.

Haloed Satan? Any advice?

Yup.
It happens a lot. I've had it happen a few times this year. It wont affect her breeding at all.
I just put down the latest female with a tumor. I had let it go for some time because it didnt affect her breeding at all. I figured I'd let her live with the tumor then the alternative (gas chamber). Anyway, it got to the size of a golf ball and she was having some trouble walking around. Now that it was affecting her, I couldnt just watch her drag it around (or worse, have it explode).This was about a month or two ago. I gassed her and disposed of her.
I dont know if the tumor would hurt a snake if I were to feed it to a boa, but it wasnt worth the risk. When you think about it, it's worth it to play it safe and not feed the tumored rat.

So yeah, there it is.

It happens, but it's really not a big deal. If youre running a small rat breeding operation, start growing a female to replace her. When it gets to the point where you cant stand to look at it-- thank her for all the babies she's given you, then just put her down and dispose of her.

[speerbeer]

Agreed!!

Tumors are common in rats. It probably won't hurt a snake to eat a rat with a tumor. As tumors are common place in rats we probably sometimes feed them to our snakes without even knowing that the rat had tumors. But as you know this one has a tumor why take the chance! Either keep her and have it removed or gas/kill and dispose.

[HaloedSatan]

Speerbeer is right when he said that it probably wouldnt hurt the snake. We're also both right when we agree not to take the risk. I mean, feeding a 600g rat with a 100g tumor isnt my idea of a healthy meal. I wouldnt worry as much about the snake getting sick as I would be of the snake regurgitating because of all the fluid in the tumor. The regurgitation would bother me as some of the digestive fluids can hurt balls/boas if inhaled.