Question for Rat Lovers

Blueberry is one of my daughter's rats. She's maybe two years old. She has a small growth under one arm and another near her belly area. One of our previous rats Cupcake had a similar problem with a tumor under her arm that eventually grew to the point she could barely walk. We had her euthanized.

The vet said tumors are common in rats as they get older. My daughter is special needs so doesn't understand even the most basic medical issues and I care for her pets. Would we be wiser to have perhaps gerbils for her eventually? The other kids all had gerbils at different times and they seem to just pass on from old age, not disfiguring tumors.

I don't know it just makes me sad trying to explain why her little friends have started walking strangely. Thoughts?

Is there anyway you could introduce another rat that looks similar, to me it sounds as though she has a tumour and will not last much longer, the kindest thing would be to take her to a vet as soon as possible, maybe when your daughter is at school perhaps

I'm considering that. There's a local pet shop that raises them as reptile chow...I can find a clone and be doing a good deed as well.

I also had rats that this happened to. My vet told me it's more Conan in female rats and I'm sure we talked as bout neutering the rat to reduce the chances? Tbh, I don't suggest gerbils there are very cuddely pets. How about a guinea pig? There are that much bigger than a rat or even a deagu. (Not sure that's the right spelling) but it's like a bigger gerbil and they are easier to handle. X

Now the pig might be a thought eventually. When Blueberry, the one with the problem now, goes...we still have her buddy Jupiter. She is amazingly healthy. Just incredibly fat. Picture a furry white softball with head and tail n' little feeties stuck in there

Sorry about my spelling mistakes, was walking and typing and my phone likes to predict what I write. �� I personally am not a judge fan of Guinness pigs but my boys school have some and they tell me they make great pets. Hope blueberry isn't in any pain. And hopefully Jupiter will go on for quite a while longer and your be able to research a bit more best of luck