2 questions about my rats!?how come they never use their wheel? and red stuff around ones eye? thanks?

i got them a wheel but the only thing they do is sleep on it.


also when i had my rats out last night i noticed howie had a little red around his eye...is he ok? whats wrong? and how should i fix it?


thanks!2 questions about my rats!?how come they never use their wheel? and red stuff around ones eye? thanks?
hiya, rats do use wheels. its usually the girlies though. dont use the wheels with the bars in which their tails can get stuck. get a ';wodent wheel'; these are made for rats and their long tails! and so the sizes are good.


i guess you have to introduce them at a young age and not all rats are runners. howie sounds like a boy. and boys are lazy. saying that 2/3 of my boys run. and it took them weeks before they learnt how to use it. same for my mouse.


the rats used to sleep in the wheel until one would try climb out and the wheel would turn!haha


just give them time and a bit of ';assistance';


as for the red, just wipe it :-)2 questions about my rats!?how come they never use their wheel? and red stuff around ones eye? thanks?
Some rats use wheels some dont...


of my 5 only 1 of the females uses the wheel, but to her its the best thing in the world so i cant bring myself to take it out of the cage.


however the wheel MUST be big enough to they will simply use it for sleeping in.


Wodent wheels are the best for rats, and its usually only the females or babies that use them (males tend to be ';lazy'; lol)





as for the red stuff, the lubricant (much like when our eyes water) is red/pink tinged in rats, so a little is NORMAL, if its alot however its likely due to stress or illness, and if its crusty it needs to be checked by a vet.


older rats are ore prone to ';watery eyes'; and crustyness but many rats will produce more if they are stressed, or sick or sometimes even if the bedding is too dusty.





if its just a little bit of red liquid around the eyse i wouldnt worry, if its crusty clean with warm water and watch closely, if it comes back head to the vet for a checkup.
Rats don't use wheels for running because they can't bend their necks at the angle needed to keep from hitting their noses on the wheel





As for the red stuff just wipe it off with a damp washcloth and keep an eye on him, if it keeps showing up or he gets any around his mouth/nose area take him to the vet
I have two rats and my rats are kept in a big tank, so they get exercise on their own. and the red stuff around the eyes its probably just like the same thing like if u sleep a lot you cry in your sleep then that stuff forms over night
Some rats use wheels, some don't. It's usually the girls though.


As for wheels you need to have a pretty decent size wheel, and it needs to have a solid bottom too so it's tail or legs don't get caught and break. I have a Wodent wheel and my girls LOVE it.





The red stuff sometimes seen around a rat's eyes and nose is called porphyrin. It is produced by a gland behind the eyeball and helps lubricate the eye. Porphyrin naturally drains from the eye down into the nose through a small tear duct. Small amounts of porphyrin seen every now and then are normal.





However, when a rat is stressed, it may overproduce porphyrin, which may overflow the eyelids and form a red crust around the eye. Porphyrin may also overflow the nose, creating a red crust around the nostrils. This condition is called chromodacryorrhea and is a sign of illness or stress.
1. Rats don't use wheels, it kind of a hamster thing. They will exercise by running around there cage. So that is nothing to worry about





2. I had to rats which had red stuff around there eyes and nose. Normally it is a sign of stress like if they have been the vets, or if something in there cage is upsetting them. Everyday try and wipe around there eyes with a damp wet cold cloth. If they won't let you do that i would take them to the vet.


Hope this helps
I've never watched a rat that actually liked the wheels.. (and their tails can get jammed in them as well.. ) It's better to give them time outside of their cage.. (when it was not possible to let him run loose, I used to use one of those guinea pig balls.. )
i've owned 10 rats in my life and i have similar problems! About the wheel- my present rat doesnt like them either - i've asked a vet and she said some animals just dont like that typ of excersize. Have you tried an excersize ball? in any good pet shop - they do them for hamsters and rats. As for the red stuff (which my rats sometimes used to get too) it's just from sleeping and the liquid in their eyes. It can also be from stress or depression! thats what my vet said. good luck! x