Higher body temperature?

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S

SoA

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2007
Messages
306
Location
Michigan
What's the normal body temperature for a rat? How do you measure their body temp?

All of my rats feel about the same when I pick them up - slightly warm but nothing too spectacular. On the other hand, my Encephalon has always been much, much warmer. I compared her to a few other rats tonight, and the difference is extremely apparent. When I pick up one of the other rats, it takes a few seconds before I feel their warmth, and at that it's just a little warm. With Ensie, she practically radiates heat, it's strange. :p She's always been like this, so she doesn't have a fever or anything.
 
My formulary has rats temperatures listed as the following:
35.9 - 37.5C or 96.6 - 99.5F
That is a pretty large range for 'normal' temperatures.
If a rat has a higher metabolism, their temperature will be higher. I find that my hairless boys feel extremely warm all the time, and I don't know if that is because their higher metabolisms make them literally warmer, or that I just can't feel the same level of warmth through the fur of my other rats.
Looking at the other rodents listed in my formulary, rats have the lowest temperatures of all the rodents they include.
Just for an fyi...
Guinea pig temperatures are listed as the following:
37.2 - 39.5C or 99.0 - 103.1F
That is high, but the guinea pigs that I have held never seem to be that warm.
 
And to add to Vanessa's bit... I was under the impression that Hairless rats are usually quite warm to the touch... I'm sure someone who knows why exactly will be along shortly.
 
I ordered my formuarly online, from Amazon.com, a couple of years ago. They should really be purchased every year or so because the information does change. I primarily bought it for drug dosage information for drugs not normally given to rats like Diazepam (Valium) and information on OTC drugs like aspirin. It has heart meds listed, it covers LRS amounts, gas levels for anethesia, probiotic information, the works!
For the rodents, the sections are broken down into:
Antimicrobial and antifungal agents - Baytril etc.
Antiparasitic agents - Ivermectin, Selemectin etc.
Chemical restraint/anesthetic agents - Diazepam, Isoflurane etc.
Analgesics - Acetaminophen (Tylenol Syrup), Ibuprofen, Metacam etc.
Emergency drugs - Dexamethasone, Furosemide (Lasix) etc.
Miscellaneous agents - Aminophylline, Digoxin, Lactobacilli (probiotic), vitamins and minerals, etc.
Each section for each drugs has a 'comment' section that would include things like dangers and sometimes the side affects.
Plus, it contains all their physical information, weight, temperature, heart rate, breath rate, age.
It is awesome.

It is the following:

Third Edition - 2005
James W. Carpenter
Exotic Animal Formulary
0-7216-0180-4
It doesn't have the cost listed anywhere on the book itself. Here is the link to the newest edition on Amazon (which happens to be the third edition still, so I guess there isn't a more recent version after all):
Here
It's not cheap, but over the last couple of years I have referred to it a number of times for myself, and even more for other people. If you have the spare cash, I would say it would be a good buy. If you buy it through their 'used' sections, all the better.
The section on rats is very small, and is grouped together under 'rodents'. The main portion of the book deals with birds. Other animals covered include...
Fish
Amphibians
Reptiles
Birds
Sugar Gliders
Hedgehogs
Rodents (rats, mice, gerbil, hamster, Guinea pig, chinchilla, prairie dog)
Rabbits
Ferrets
Miniature Pigs
Primates
Wildlife (various) - great information on rehab and orphaned baby animals.
It is really worth it.
Of course, if anyone wants any information that it might contain, before going into your vet or whatnot, please always feel free to ask me to check it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
From what I have researched you go buy how hot or how cold their tail is. A rat with a fever will have very hot tail. With my girls their bodies feel warm but their tails are cooler than their bodies feel. When Flower has a belly ache her tail usually feels warmer than usual. I think I read this at ratfanclub.org.
 
**HIJACK***

Hey Vanessa. I have an african clawed frog that has what I believe to be a bacterial infection on one of his hind legs. Right now I am treating the entire tank with an over the counter anti-bacterial fizzy fish treatment. I am finished with that treatment tomorrow and was wondering if your book had any recommendations on what to do next, or what would be better since I haven't seen much improvement. Your reference book help is appreciated!

Sam
 
I'm sorry, but it doesn't give recommendations. All it provides are a listing of different drugs, the appropriate dosages for each animal, and any comments about for what species or how to administer.
It is basically a drug dosage book.
 
I learned that an adult rats body temperature is 37 - 38 C. Usually there are variations of animals normal body temperatures in every textbook you read, and depending on who you talk to though.

You can take their temperature the same as you would in a dog/cat... using a rectal thermometer and lots of lubricant. :)
 
Oh yea. Duh. I guess that's what a medication reference book does. Sometimes I don't know where my brain is..... Thanks for getting back to me :)
 

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