Help: rat keeps screaming and grooming tail

[ArdenLovesMischief]

Hi everyone,
I am in dire need of adivce.
Quirites is a 5 month old buck. He has always been very social with rats and especially with humans. He loves to climb on me and curl up in my hoodies.
I have been recently introducing my main 4 boys (of which quiri is part) two the new two babies.
Everything went well, I even got to move them to the big cage.
I was absent one weekend and my partner informed me that quiri and jasper (one of the babies) had been fighting to a dangerous point (hissing and co) so I told them to intervene and to separate them into the two original groups.
Since then he has been on edge.

A day ago he started screaming at me when I come in near proximity (he never did, he is not skittish at all).
I cannot figure what is wrong as he does not react much in the daily health check (I pick them all up daily and check for injuries and move parts and gently push, check for lumps and co).
He has been grooming his tail often, but he does not react specifically when i touch it in any way.
He also has been screaming when anyone (even his brother or friends) come into proximity.

I am very worried and will be bringing him to the vet tomorrow.

Internet did not give any results.

Has anyone an idea of what it could be?
Any suggestions for how to behave in the meantime?

I am thankful for any advice.

Arden

 

[lilspaz68]

So sorry I missed this yesterday but it sounds like your boy may have tweaked his back. The nerves run down the spinal column and down the tail so when he moves a certain way the nerve/pain zings and it's the tail he feels it in which is why he is licking it. When you manipulate th tail he won't react because the actual injury is in his back. I've seen shrieking and even running backward/backward in a circle when the pain hits then the frantic tail licking after. He is scared of someone bumping him and the pain.

Best course of action is pain and swelling relief. Metacam (meloxicam is best as it's given once a day and is very effective). But in a pinch you can give infant liquid ibuprofen (also an NSAID like metacam) but it must be given every 4-6 hours initially. A day or so of this should bring the inflammation down and he will heal quickly

 

[ArdenLovesMischief]

Wanted to come back and thank you! It worked and he has been feeling better, he is still in my medium cage with his best friend as he has issues with the rat that we suspect caused the accident. He is still a bit unsure and will probably need to get his confidence back, but he is active, eating and playing.
Thank you again

 

[lilspaz68]

Wonderful news!!