not barbering, but what?

[pinkies_mama]

Tara, the girl we got last week, has been in isolation. Overall, she seems to be healthy, except she does something I've never seen. She grooms herself a lot, which I have so far related to nerves. However, she also seems to be chewing on one of her hands. Almost every minute she's active she is grooming and really biting on her hand. She's made it raw and red. Her other hand is fine, and I checked her forearm to see if she was barbering, but all her hair in intact.
Any idea what this is, and what I should do?

 

[jorats]

That is barbering due to stress. There's not much you can do.
Has she been treated for buggies?

 

[pinkies_mama]

Oh poor thing. She was put in a cage with a snake as food and was without food and water for two days. Think this is residual stress or that she is stressed from the move? She is also alone. I hope it goes away once she is settled in the colony.
She has not been treated for bugs because I haven't seen any. We were going to wait to bathe her.... should we do this then do a treatment of frontline?

 

[ryelle]

frontline is a no go for rats.
you need Ivermectin or.... forgot the name of the other one you guys get

 

[Moon]

Revolution

 

[pinkies_mama]

We use frontline, we just get a small squirt on our hand and rub it on them. We've used it on everyone, including Izzie, who has neurological issues, and they were all fine.

 

[jorats]

It could very well be the stress of her past. Poor little thing.

 

[pinkies_mama]

It could very well be the stress of her past. Poor little thing.

That's what we thought initially. Before we bring her over we will bathe her and treat her as a precaution. Hopefully the behavior will reduce. She has grown leaps and bounds in the last week and a half. She seems to be settling. :heart: