Why Is My Pet Rat's Hair Falling Out?

With rats becoming a more common pet, knowledge about their health is growing. One of the common health issues a rat owner will come across is hair loss. A pet rat's hair falling out can be caused be a number of illnesses, but is one of the easiest health conditions to handle. Hair loss can be treated with simple antibiotics or just a change in the rat's environment.

  1. Mite, Flea and/or Lice Infestation

    • One of the first things to look for when your pet rat's hair starts falling out is a mite, flea or lice infestation. Fleas and their eggs will be visible to the human eye, and mites look like orange flecks on the rat's skin. Your vet can prescribe treatment for all three conditions. It also will be necessary to replace or wash all your rat's bedding and toys. If you have more than one rat, ask for a prescription for all of them, as infestations are easily transferable between rats.

    Barbering

    • "Power grooming" is used by the alpha rat to show dominance over the other rats in the cage, which can cause minor hair loss, known as barbering. If this is the case, you will most likely notice hair loss around the ears, face and back. There is no cure for this and it doesn't hurt your rat but if you notice that the alpha rat is too aggressive, it may by time to separate it.

    Ring Worm

    • Ring worm is a fungal infection that affects both rats and humans. You will see dry, scaly skin in the areas where the rat is losing hair. Your vet can prescribe something to treat the infection. If only one rat is affected, separate the rat and replace or clean all bedding and toys. Be extra careful while handling your rats as well, as ring worm is one of the few diseases that can be passed from rats to humans.

    Diet

    • Another cause of hair loss is a high protein diet. Adult rats don't need that much protein, and too much can cause dry skin and scabs on the face and neck. This in turn causes hair loss when the rat starts scratching the area. To treat, give your rat a low protein diet, such as lab blocks or more fresh fruit and vegetables.

    Allergies

    • Occasionally a rat can have skin allergies that will cause hair loss. These are usually topical allergies to bedding, but food allergies can occur. Switch out your rat's bedding if you suspect a skin allergy.