Rat Scratches

[rattietatties]

So I have one hairless rat within my group of three and since one of them is still pretty young (He's around 5 months while the others are nearing a year) he's kind of rambunctious and energetic compared to the other two. The younger one has been play wrestling with the hairless one a little bit which has led to quite a few scratches on the guy. They don't seem to bother him and are all scabbed over (I haven't seen any being reopened) and they seem to be healing fine. I was wondering if this is fine or if i should put anything on the scratches or separate the group (They get along fine its just that the babies nails are a little sharp).

 

[ViciousCurse]

The baby might be just a little too much energy for the older two, which is why a lot of us recommend bringing a pair of babies/younger rats home, just so they don't harass the older rats. If the wounds aren't deep and aren't being reopened (either from the rambunctious baby or the older rat grooming himself), I wouldn't worry too much. Rats are very fast healers. Just make sure you watch out for infections. Separating the group will solve that problem, but cause another. As you know, rats are super social and don't quite understand why we separate them and this can lead to anxiety and depression for them. Which can then cause a whole other host of problems.

If you're concerned about nail length and sharpness, you can try getting lava ledges or other rough surfaces (like a brick) and put them under water bottles, bowls, and food, that way it can help file down their nails. Alternatively, you can try to clip the baby's nails, but rats often don't take well to getting their nails cut.