Educational reference only - these are stabilising steps while you get to a vet, not treatment. Choking: rats cannot vomit, so a blocked airway is serious. A choking rat may paw at the mouth, gag, drool, or breathe with difficulty. Hold them upright and support the body; some keepers use gentle downward sweeps of the body to help gravity. Do not put your fingers deep into the mouth. Get to a vet immediately. Prevention matters more: thin-smear sticky foods, avoid whole nuts and large dry chunks for small rats. Tail injuries: tails degloving (skin stripped off) or breaking usually happen when a tail is grabbed or caught. Never pick up a rat by the tail. Keep the area clean, stop bleeding with gentle pressure on clean gauze, and see a vet - degloved tails often need partial amputation and pain relief. Bites and wounds: rat-on-rat wounds are common during introductions. Clean with warm saline (a teaspoon of salt in 500ml cooled boiled water). Puncture wounds seal over and abscess, so watch for swelling and heat over the next few days. Any bite from a cat or dog needs a vet the same day because of infection risk, no matter how small it looks. Human bites from a rat: wash thoroughly, encourage bleeding, disinfect, and see a doctor if it swells, reddens or you are unsure of your tetanus cover. Do not give human painkillers. Do not apply antiseptic creams containing tea tree or strong essential oils. Keep saline, sterile gauze, a small carrier and your vet's out-of-hours number where you can grab them in the dark.