Lily not using leg

[julztoni97]

Hey!  I just put the babies in their new Martins cage! Yay!  But I just checked on them and now Lily is not using her rear leg.  I took her out and bent it and checked her hip and it seems ok.  There is no swelling or bruising.  Do you think maybe she just strained it running around?  They were pretty rambunctious when I first put them in.  All the room and all.  Should I just watch it?  She is still running around and playing, just not using that leg.

[G~Wolf]

I don't know what to tell you... I'm in no way experienced with rats or their injuries.
Hope she feels better, though! Poor girl.
I'd say if she's not using it by tomorrow call the vet...

[Vibrissa]

I have had one rat totally break her leg (was hanging on the side of a martin's--accidentally got her heel thru and then the pads before her toes went in and caught the entire foot, twisted around to try to drop down to the floor, and twisted and broke her entire leg and hung there with just the tips of her front toes on the floor, screaming.  I ran in and had a terrible time getting it out, but the damage was already done and terrible.  After 6-8 weeks of setting and casting, it didn't grow back together and had to be amputated.  The very next day, her sister caught her foot in a Martin's (different cage) the same way--and what saved her was she fell backwards into a hammock and I finally got her foot back through with only bruising (I got all bit up as she was terrified and in pain and was certain I was causing it all).  She got her foot caught another time, and Undot has gotten hers caught once in the side (I was there to assist quickly) and once on the top of the cage (and I was there and she somehow managed to get it out before totally breaking it).  I have bought and cut apart this plastic 1/2" x 1/2" mesh (like the floors of the Martin's cages, but plastic) from the hardware store and threaded each strip all the way around the sides of most of the cages (one cage took about 3-4 hours).  Since Undot had never gotten hers caught, her feet were a bit different size, I thought her cage for her was safe--until this week.  Now I just don't let them on the top of the cages anymore, and I still need to thread strips of this stuff through Undot's.  After my last two of 8 and almost three loving years with ratties, I won't have ratties after this (I love them too much, am now working full time, they live too short of lives, and our rat vet is in another state yet we are there at LEAST several times a month), BUT if I was going to, I would CERTAINLY ask Martin's if they could make cages all from the 1/2" X 1/2" cage material from now on. 
And another thought:-- How old is your rattie?  Around 2 and after, they can develop arthritis in the lower spine and cause them to not be able to use their back legs--often one first and then sometimes eventually both.  They just drag behind.  Thelma, my ancient over 3 year old who has passed now, had that--I just adapted her cage for her (made wider ramps with railings (much like turning the Martin's ramps upside down except I made the railings a bit higher) and hanging hammocks from every possible place to fall, and she lived on happily and busily and safely. 
Now, Scruffy (the one with the amputated leg--the vet amputated it at the knees and then built some padding between the floor and her leg in her tummy area) has developed the back leg paralysis and runs around much like a sea lion and does just fine  (what troopers these little creatures are!).  Now, my baby of the bunch, Undot (now 2.5+ years) has develped one back leg paralysis.  She just had to have surgery to have her uterus removed (had a uterine infection) and two tumors removed--and was so depressed after it that I thought she wasn't going to bounce back.  She has now and is as frisky and busy and happy as ever (whew, thank God).  So, anyway, the rear end paralysis could be developing in your rattie, too--OR she/he got caught and managed to get the foot loose.  Those are just suggestions from my experiences.  Good luck to you and the little one!  Sherry

[julztoni97]

She's only about 6 weeks old.  She does not act in pain at all but not using the leg still.  It still isn't swollen or bruised.  Running all over still too.  Climbing the cage and everything.  I'm going to keep an eye on it.

[redgingerkisses]

I would just keep an eye on her. I am sure she is fine I have had a few do that but after a couple days you never would have known. They can pull a muscle just as fast as we can but its usually nothing. If she didnt get antsy when you messed with it she probably just stubbed it or something minor. Maybe let her run around in a ball or in a playground for a while and see if it gets better. You know how we are, hurt your ankle and walk through the pain then its better faster. Just a thought.

[Vibrissa]

Okay--at 6 weeks, she is much too little to get her tiny feet caught in the sides--I don't know about the floors and ramps.  Hoping for you both!  

[Cigar]

Remmy randomly stopped using one of his hind legs once. I imagine he fell and hurt it but in 2 days he was back to his normal self.

[julztoni97]

Hi all     Lily is starting to let her leg down now and putting a little weight on it.  I think she must have just strained it or something.  It never swelled and now that she is using it ( a little) hopefully it will get better quick!

[Cigar]

Phew, that's good news! Sometimes I wish I could stick a little video camera in their cage to see what really goes on. Then I'd know where the booboo's come from.