Rat itch, seriously

Yes, I know this is 'Fish are Friends,' but I also love and adore my pet rat, Daisy.

Lately, she's been very itchy and scabby. With a magnifying glass and a borrowed microscope, no sign of fleas or mites. Hmmm?

Well, she's never come into contact with other rats since she was with her brothers and sisters as a baby. She's never come into contact with any other animals other than us 2 legged ones.

Well, I've been doing some research. Turns out, just like fish in an aquarium, she's got too much protein in her diet. Only instead of getting 'bloat', rats get itchy. Go figure. So, we're going to lower the protein level and hopefully that will fix the problem.

She's a very happy rat. She gets a warm water swim in the tub about once a week. She lives in a squeaky clean house. I even buy Italian import corn cob bedding. I'd get her the lovely recycled paper bedding (no dust stuff), but it's just not available here. So, corn cob is the best I can do. Pine is just too dusty and oily.

She sleeps in a variety of old recycled socks which are regularly washed in hot water with non-irritating detergent (same stuff I use for my sensitive skinned Munchkin #2). For certain garments, I use soap from the UK rather than the stuff made in Saudi. The stuff made in Saudi works really well, but the perfume and dyes in it seem to be VERY strong. And I love strong smelling detergents, so that's saying something!

At any rate, Peace to all the critter lovers.