Signs of Illness In Your Rat
85
|
Rats: Complete Care Guide
Price: $5.83
List Price: $9.95 |
|
RATS! (Fun & Care)
Price: $8.81
List Price: $16.95 |
|
My Rat and Me
Price: $0.47
List Price: $6.95 |
|
The Rat: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet
Price: $0.98
List Price: $12.95 |
Signs of Illness in Fancy Rats
Pet rats are cute, furry, smart, and social. No one wants anything to be wrong with their pet, not even a pet rat. Typically, they are very hardy pets. When they get sick, they generally don't show any signs of illness until it's further into the illness, which is why it's important to be alert with your pet rat, watching for any differences in behavior, sleep patterns, and appetite.
Here are some signs of illness in rats.
SKIN PROBLEMS:
Hair loss, Scratching, Rubbing, Chewing, Swelling, Redness, Scaly, Sores,Dry fur
ABDOMINAL PROBLEMS:
Diarrhea, Weight loss, Poor appetite, Bloating, Discharge, Lethargy, Infertility, Excessive water consumption, Excessive Urination
MUSCLE/ BONE PROBLEMS:
Limping, Holding up a paw, Abnormal angles to limbs
NERVOUS SYSTEM PROBLEMS:
Incoordination, Trembling, Seizures, Paralysis, Depression
OTHER PROBLEMS:
Discharge from eyes/nose, Wheezing, Labored breathing, Hunched posture, Change in awake/sleep cycle, Increased aggression, Curled position, Rigid standing, Stiff gait, Slow chewing/lack thereof, Drooling
Upper Respiratory Infection
A common rat illnesses is upper respiratory infection. Surprisingly, or not, rats have sensitive respiratory symptoms and can acquire resperiatory infection rather easily. Unsanitary living conditions, improper nutrition, excess dust, stress, and many other causes can bring about respiratory problems.
The symptoms you want to look for include Swaggering gait, Reddish brown staining around eyes or nose, Face rubbing, Wheezing, Labored breathing, Poor appetite, Weight loss, Hunched posture, Chattering, and Lethargy.
Rat Info
- Housing Pet Rats
Finding the perfect cage is a must for pet rats. Make sure you know what you're looking for in a cage and accessories. - Rats Vs. Mice
When deciding upon a pet rodent, make the proper decision between rats and mice. Make sure to know the true differences. - Games and Toys for Pet Rats
Find fun games for you and your pet rat(s). - Rat Munchies
Proper treats for your rat(s). - Homemade Rat Diets
Make a healthy, homemade rat diet for your favorit pet. Find out about proper nutrition. What you can and can't feed your rats. - Homemade Rat Recipes
Find out more fun and yummy recipes that you can make for your pet rat(s). - Homemade Rat Treats
Make yummy homemade treats for your beloved pet rat(s). - How to Train Pet Rats
Tips for training your pet rat.
Veterinarian
If you notice any signs of illness in your pet rat, you should go to the vet as soon as you can. A vet can diagnose the symptoms and prescribe the proper medicines. Do not try to self-diagnose any symptoms that you may be seeing, because you could be wrong, and you never want to put your pet in any danger by self-medicating or self-prescribing something that may harm your rat. And, NEVER get medicine ideas from the internet. There are so many sites out there that contain mis-information. You do not want to take advise from a website that may be completely inaccurate. You could end up poisoning or overdosing your pet.
If you cannot make it to the vet right away, you CAN help your rat by disenfecting the cage, adding a little pedialyte to the water bottle, and putting fresh fruits and vegetables in the cages. The fresh produce will help boost nutrition levels, and hopefully boost immunity levels. But, take your pet to the vet as soon as your can. These will not cure any illness, just hopefully help boost the rat's immunity.
Disclaimer: Please be aware that the advice in this article should in no way replace that of a licensed veterinarian. The methods outlined above may or may not work for your pet. If you have any concerns, you should consult a specialized reptile veterinarian.
PrintShare it! — Rate it: up down flag this hub
Comments
My rats are constantly makinf noises like a "nifff" but they show no other signs of resp. problems. What should I do?
I think it might just be you're rats way of talking. Or, maybe he/she is allergic to the bedding. I'd try getting a new, dust-free bedding and see if that works.
=]
NEWRATLUVR: You may want to try a dust free bedding such as carefresh or aspen. But, more than likely they could have upper respiratory, which is similar to a cold in humans. You may want to take a visit to a vet, just in case. Sometimes they can recover on their own, but sometimes, depending on their size and age, they may need a little help with the symptoms via an antibiotic. Clavamox can be prescribed by your vet, and it is pretty good with upper respiratory conditions. Many times pet store rats can get upper respiratory infection because of their housing at the petstore; usually the cages are over crowded and dirty. Sometimes, changing of environment, may spark a little illness. I would just keep watch on them, but do not wait too late if you feel they need to go to the vet, do so.
LUVDARATS: Your rats are probably just excited and happy. Just keep a watch on them. Watch for sneezing, lethargy, and other signs of illness that I have mentioned above.
Thank you so much! It's been two weeks since I got my rats, and they seem much better. I tried a new bedding which seemed to work wonders.
Thank you for the advie!
My rat keeps sneezing and he wheezes sometimes- not like every day but just sometimes when he's sleeping. But it goes on for a long time, maybe like 10 minutes. He only does it when he's sleeping and he doesn't seem to be struggling to breathe, or anything, but it's just the noise. He also has a skin rash just behind his ears that spreads to his neck. His hair is not falling out but he keeps scratching at it and I can tell its really itchy. Does this sound like an allergic reaction or something more serious?
I got my rat a month ago and i tamed her already.for the past week she seems agressive and frequently tries to bite me. what is wrong with her and what should I do?
If she's normally been friendly and social, and all of a sudden grouchy and whatnot, she may not be feeling well. Is she eating and drinking ok?
shes ok but now she started scratching at 1 spot and snapping at anything that came her way. she was back 2 normal but cut my thumb after i picked her up again. she wakes up and scratches herself too.
hi iv got three sisters. i keep seeing which looks like blood on them today i noticed blood on 1 rats paw it also has bloody stains on its nose, it eating playing cleaning, but keeps rubbing its nose can some 1 give me some help i know alot about rats as i worked in a pet shop but would like some help please as im really upset thanks
RATLOVE, they could be playing a little too rough, which could be what the blood is from. Check them for scabs and wounds. If the blood is coming from their nose, you need to go to the vet ASAP!!!! A bloddy discharge from the nose and eyes is can be a sign of illness.
This is what one vet says:
"Rat tears are brown-red in color, so if your rat has a “bloody discharge” from the nose and eyes, it is most likely the porphyrin secretion from the Harderian Gland that helps to lubricate the eye. An increase in tear secretions can be due to stress, illness, allergies, lesions of the eye, tumor of the tear duct, or a plugged nasal-lacrimal duct. Under normal circumstances, most rats do not have a nasal discharge, although Dr. Booth has seen many older disease free rats that frequently have a slight eye discharge. If an animal has a plugged nasal-lacrimal duct (drains from the eye to the nose), your veterinarian can check the patency by placing fluorescein stain in the eye. If the duct is not clogged, a small amount will drain out the nose. A clogged nasal-lacrimal duct is very uncommon in rats, and most that have a nasal or ocular discharge have a respiratory or viral infection. Karen Robbins & Carmen Jane Booth, D.V.M."
I find that healthy rats do not have the bloody dischage from the nose or eyes.
Otherwise, I don't know what the deal is. I would say take them to the vet.
My rat has been walking and standing leaning to the left and if you pick her up and tilt her to the right she freaks out and spins to the left. i am really worried. and just resently she has been having red discharge from her nose... please eamil me at happy_bunni_rox@msn.com i would really like to know if anyone has any clue what is going on with her... i can;t take her to the vet right now because we don't have much money. so any help would be much appreciated. thank you and sorry for any spelling errors
We just purchased a darling dumbo rat 2 weeks ago. She seems to be very healthy, eating well and very active. We are noticing little reddish brown spots on our shirts after we hold her. It appears that it may be coming from her face. She does have a scratch on her (I think from playing rough with her cage mate) It appears it could be maybe from her right eye or her nose or mouth. Can you give me ideas on this. Is it worth it to take her to our vet and see if she needs an antibiotic?
Christa- I would see a vet just in case. It could be rough housing, stress, or something more serious.
Do rats have a tendancy to sound like mini dogs when they're sniffing things?? Like when they're smelling it's kinda snorty, and then when they finish sniffing something, they'll push the air out of their nose quickly.. and then quietly go about their business afterward?? My rat kinda reminds me of a scaled down Boxer or Pug.
I've never heard of rats being referred to as dogs when sniffing. They can sniff loudly, but I've never thought about it as a dog.
my rat has been standing in one place and is inactive. She is also shaking a little bit
when she tries to walk. She also huddles up srunches herself together What disease is it and what should i do?
thanks
You should take her to the vet. Not a cat/dog vet but one who will be able to treat small animals. Some cat/dog vets will, you'll just need to make a few calls. It sounds pretty serious, but I cannot diagnose the illness for you. It may not be a disease, but some other type of illness. Only a vet can diagnost it.
HI
i need help i ahve two brothers which adore each ohter but now my hyper rat [monty] is not himself he is eating and drinking and i love my rats to bits what should i do with monty.
With what you've described, I can't really help you diagnose the problem. How old are they? Remember their average lifespan is 3-5 years.
they are yong not even a year he is sleepy and amke hervy beathing sounds im keeping him. warm.All monty wants to do is sleep which im letting im do but its just no my rat
I'd definitely suggest a vet then. Sounds like a respiratory concern, that you'll need meds for.
Is there anything I can do for monty while ea it for the vets?
thanks for helping me I LOVE MONTY AND RIO WITH ALL MY HEART I DO NOT WANT TO SEE THEM SUFFER
SO THANKS SO MUCH
Just make him comfortable. If he's still eating and drinking, that's 2 things you've already got a step up on. Just watch his breathing.
HE HAS NOW GOT A PLOB ROUND THE CONER OF HIS EYE IT IS BROWN.
That's another sign of a respiratory illness. You really need to take him to the vet tomorrow first thing.
i hsve taken monty to the vet he is on meds he really did not like the vet but he is on the mend.thanks for all your help and support
THANK-YOU
That's great. What was wrong with him? I hope he gets better.
the vet just sed that respirtaory problem was coming on but we caught juat in time .Monty now is becoming his hyper self.Also sorry another question should i ever clip monty and rios claws because the are becoming quite lond and sharp.?
That's good. I wish him and you luck. Some people clip them some people don't. I have tried but my girls are everywhere and never stay still long enough for me to try. You can use baby baby clippers or regular ones. Just be careful.
OK.What is the best method dor giving monty his meds because it is a liquid his has to have it though this tube?not sure how we gonna get him open his mouth.
Use a syringe. You should be able to just slip a small syringe in the side of his mouth. You may have to raise the sides of his mouth, but you shouldn't have a problem with a small syringe, as the tip is pretty thin.
Monty has finshed alll his meds and he is fully cure.thanks for your help
monty and rio say thankyou to
That's great!
My husbad is pretty fancy and sometimes he's a rat....would this apply to him?? teasing, he's a doll. ahem, that's just in case he reads this. LOL
good hub, we had rats in my class room, and some were four-legged!! Marisue
my rat (pepper) has been having some discharge from the eyes and nose, recently it seemes to have stopped a little. But instead she is now feeling colder than usual and is sneezing alot. Is this allergies or a cold or something worse?
Sounds like it may be a respiratory concern. You'll need to see a vet for a diagnosis and possible meds.
my rat has bubbles around her mouth this morning, she has never showed any sympton of illness before today, she is about 1 year old and I have had her since August, what could this be?
Sounds like respiratory. You need to see a vet.
hi, i've had bartleby (my fancy rat) for about a year. he's really been worrying me lately cus anytime you touch his left hind leg his whole body jerks. this happens every time you put pressure on it. i've noticed recently that he's not missing hair in said spot. the next day i get off i'm definitely taking him to the vet, but i was hoping someone could help me in the mean time because it's really stressing me out. i'd really appreciate anything you could tell me.
Have you considered mites or some external parasite for the hair loss. I'm not sure about the muscle spasms, but definitely go to the vet.
thanks so much!
hi... I just got our first pet rat on Friday night; he's a baby and he is a hairless rat. He's still small and I don't know enough about him or rats in general yet to be sure, but he sleeps a lot and seems a little lethargic. He was sneezing a little bit yesterday and a couple of times today but not all the time. He is eating well and drinking. It's just how much he is sleepin that is concerning me - he is adorable and snuggles up to me and my son, but I am hoping he's alright. Is this normal? thanks!
Hold old is he? Because he's a hairless rat, you need to make sure that the cage is away from drafts, and that the general temperature in the room where the cage is is not cool. Hairless rats get cold much faster than regular rats. Sneezing could be a sign of a respiratory concerns. I would suggest that you get the rat a friend, as they do so much better in pairs or small groups. They are very social and need that rat-rat enteraction. But you don't want to get another rat until you rule out any health concerns with this one.
My dumbo rat has sores on his face. He loves banana's. Could this be from too much potasiun?
That I can't answer. But you really shouldn't feed too much bananas
Hi,
One of my previous rats, Blossom, got a tumor under her leg. I took her to the vet, she had a big operation but never really recovered from the surgery. She was very sick she could not balance or even stand without falling over, she ran into things and she had blood on her eyes and nose. She ended up passing away.
My 2 girls after that, singe and daisy, both got blood on their eyes and nose and got very sick but the vet did not know what was wrong and they ended up passing too.
This morning when i got my beautiful boy i have now, Sinister, out for a cuddle I noticed blood on his nose and around his eyes and he is doing the loud sniffling noise like my others did.
I dont want to lose him the same way, does anyone know what this is??
It sounds like respiratory, but I'm not sure. I want to say I've heard of this before, but can't remember what the cause was. I'm leaning toward a parasite, but that could be wrong. It could be a stress thing. Typically when a rat had the red discharge on the nose and eyes, the illness is pretty severe.
My rat had an operation to remove a tumour...She is so quiet now and dosent move much,climb or walk around alot...she doesnt have alot of strength in her limbs and seems to being going blind or cant sence where things are... Could this be an age thing (born jan 06) eating and drinking is ok.
So she's about 2 and a half give or take? It could be old age, but it's not impossible for rats to live 5 years. Because she had the tumor operation, she may have a lowered immune system, just keep watch on her. I'd consult your vet just in case though.
My rat recently died, and Im on the hunt to figure out what happened. For a while she made little "put put" noises when she sniffed, and I was assured it was normal. She was friendly and not avoidant, she slept in cloth-based bedding, had vitadrops, etc. Every precaution was taken. However. A few days later she crawled into her food dish and did not move. I went to pick her up, and she did not approach my hand. I took her from the cage and over to the bed, but she would not LEAVE my hand, so I set her down. She attempted to walk, but fell over instantly, then tried again, and fell to her side. Her legs were twitching occasionally, and she just sort of squinted, and kept opening her mouth and closing it. A few minutes later, her breathing came to a stop, and she passed on.
What happened to my baby? :[
I'm sorry to hear about your loss. It sounds like a respiratory infection. Typically the sounds that you heard initially was the beginning, and a trip the vet could have confirmed any illnesses. The vet probably would have treated the rat with respiratory meds, and she would have been fine. When she was opening her mouth, she was gasping for air. I have had this occur in a very young rat that I adopted, but because she was very young and een though I brought her to the vet as soon as I noticed the symptoms, she did not make it.
Oh, man, Waterrocks, I started crying when I read your post, your poor, poor, baby! I don't know what happened, but I am so sorry for your loss. Thank-you so much Whitney05, I've had my fancy for a little more than a couple of months now and so far, so good, there's been no sign of problems, though my daughter has picked up a terrible eye infection and everyone in the family has blamed the rat. I make her wash her hands before and after handling him & he appears to be in very good health, so I doubt it was anything he did.
I REALLY need help. I had two brother rats. On began losing weight and then head banging and being really aggitated, he died. His brother this week has started the same symptoms. The cage is open with the paper type bedding. They seem to want OUT of the cage, don't want to be held. They are 2 years old. Any help or ideas?? I have had many pet rats but never had them do this sort of thing.
Sounds like a trip to the vet is in need.
um hi my rats are quite new but i don't know how to train them because they are hard to get active and in the day they are sometimes very active and i just can't hold them still!!!! HELP ME
You will need to slowly work with them. Be patient.
I recently bought two rats from Petco. One dark one white. Eight days after I purchased them - the wite one started to look very sick. Red discharge, losing weight, etc. I decided that evening to take her to see the vet, but it was too late. She ended up passing away before I had the chance to take her.
Due to the Petco guarantee I was able to get another baby rat (Emmy). Its been seven days and she is starting to show some of the same symptoms (sneezing, lethargic, heavy breathing, monkey noises in her chest). We are taking her to the vet tonight but I was wondering if its something I am doing or if they were both sick when I got them. I have a wire cage, feed them KAYTEE Perfect Choice, and use KAYTEE Soft-Sorbant bedding. They also have an ocasional Vitakraft Strawberry Yogurt Drop. =) The dark one (Orsolya) is fine and is showing no symptoms of upper resp. infection.
It's probably Petco. Hopefully you have separated the sick rat from the healthy one, as it is an airborne illness that your other rat can catch.
As for the Kaytee, I'd try to grab a bag of Mazuri instead. If I'm remembering the Kaytee is the seed mix, which is very fatty. You should switch to Mazuri, or better Harland Tekland.
hi! i have two girls about 5 months old, pinky is the 'crazy kid' and taxi is the chilled one, but in the past week i've noticed that pinky has lost her spark a bit... she never used to stop running around but now she prefers to hide away and taxi has taken on the role of the dominant sister. she is still eating but not with as much enthusiasm as before, and i've been filling their drinking bottle more frequently... she also feels a bit 'squishy' and her fur isnt as shiny as it once was... help!! i'm really worried :(
I'm not sure quite what's wrong, but you may want to consider a vet. Especially as there is a lethargy going on. Do they have a plenty big enough cage with things to do?
Hi, I have a pet rat(Lily) I got on Christmas Eve in '07. I got her from a pet store called PetSmart. She was the last one and so I took her because she was soo cute! And recently I got her a campanion(Snoop) which is a beige hooded with dark eyes. Lily was always so active and would run around and explore. Snoop is very shy and gets frightened easily. But now I've noticed that Lily is very inactive, loosing quite a bit of weight, has some blood around her nose and blood crust in her eyes(which I was told was normal for the blood crust in the eyes)she also is breathing differently. I am going to seperate them just in case of Snoop being infected. Also, my mother doesn't really want to take her to the vet because it's a waste of money on a "stupid rat" as she would say. Please email me at russianbabe3@gmail.com. Thanks a bunch(:
That's not normal. I'm guessing upper respiratory infection caused by the second rat not being quaranteened before you put it with the first. You need a vet in order for them both to fully recoup. You can go ahead and separate them, but at this point more than likely they both have it. One is just showing signs worse than the other.
By the way the red crusty is not blood, but it is one of the more severe signs of illness in many cases.
Hi there, I have 2 rats that I got back in January. One of my rats got the red eye, red nose sickness, also her back foot was kind of balled up, and limping. I took her to the Dr. at the first sign of this. She got sicker and sicker for about a week, then she seems to be ok. Even her back foot is better. Very strange, anyway she was with her cagemate the whole time and she hasn't ever showed signs of sickness. The question is about a month before my ratty got sick we got a new little sister who turned out to be pregnant so we had her and her babies seperated before and the whole time my rat was sick. Now it's time to separate the boys and girls. Do you think it is safe to have my other rats with her? How long would you suggest keeping them apart? My sick rat has been better for a week or 10 days. What do you think? Thankyou so much.
I would leave them separate for more than 10 days. Try another week or so. But you should go ahead and separate the males and females before you end up with another problem. :-)
my rat is old but healthy I noticed last night that he is VERY bloated so bad I m affraid to handle him what would cause this?
I'm not sure what would cause the bloating, but still give yoru rat the care he deserves even if he is old. You just want to make sure that he's ok. You may want to consider a vet, as well.
My 2 year old red eye white rat is kind of lethargic and not eating her treats, his eyes are half open and there is a lot of redness around his nose, paws and nose. Please tell me what can I do, its late and vets are close until tomorrow.
It sounds like your rat is dying, and I'm sorry to tell you that. I would go to the vet as soon as you can. It may be a sign of old age, but it could be another health concern.
I own a fancy rat and she's about 3-4 years old. She hasn't been eating so she's gotten extremely thin and now I've noticed a large lump on her face. It protruding her skin. Like... she has no skin where the lump is, it's just a large fleshy lump. She also wobbles around alot.
She isn't Lathargic, but she doesn't do as mush as she used to and I'm assuming this is because her bad diet.
I don't know what to do and my parents won't take her to the vet. Please help...
I would check out a vet, but at 3-4 years old that's pretty old for a rat. The average is about 2-3 typically. Rats are also prone to cancer, which could be what the lump is, but only a vet could diagnose that properly for you.
Hi there, I have two ratty boys. The one I'm concerned about is an albino male. He pees a lot, but also drinks a lot. He's also lean, not to the point of skinniness, but with the amount of food they get, and comparing to his brother, who is ginger, should be much fatter. The ginger is overweight, but the albino is the alpha male, because his brother was born with short-jaw and as such, had to have his front teeth removed to stop them from going through the roof of his mouth, meaning he can only have soft foods, or small bites that he can fit into his mouth.Yet, even though he can't eat as fast, and the albino should be getting more food because he's alpha, the albino is lean. Could he have diabetes?
I don't know about diabetes per say. How old are they? THe color of the rat isn't going to affect the eating habits. Sometimes they are just smaller. I have one large female and one thinner one. They both eat the same. I guess it's like people. But if you're too worried definitely consult a qualified vet before it's too late.
They're both about 18 months old.
Hm.. I'm not sure. I would watch the albino, and consult a vet if he starts too lose weight.
I have two rats. One is a brown one and the other is a white and brown one. The brown is very active and fat while my white and brown is skinny and losing hair and isnt very active. I dont know what to do. If im suggest take it to the vet my dad wont let me but i dont want to lose my rat. Can someone help me out here.
If they are both eating and drinking and acting fine, don't worry about it. No signs of illness then there probably aren't any. It's like how people are all different. But, if the vet is the only option and your dad won't consider it, then don't have a pet or be able to afford the vet on your own.
iv a male dumbo rat that has red spots on his tail that look like bites and white lumps on his ears that look like a kind of growth pls help
ty
Hmm... I'm not sure what exactly to tell you other than consult a vet. If the rat isn't being housed with another rat, then he must be chewing it himself. Check for external parasites, such as fleas and mites. I'm not sure about the white lumps either. I would guess though a parasite, but that's just from your description.
i been looking on the Internet and found that rats have warts on the tails like the spots on his tail and the ones on his ears are small white lumps sticking out of the rim of his ear. (hes a lone rat no others yet lol) i fount the out about the warts of http://members.madasafish.com/~cj_whitehound/Rats_
ty
Hm.. I'm not sure. It'd be interesting to see a picture of the warts and a picture of what your rat is experiencing. I would definitely keep an eye out and watch to make sure that it doesn't get worse.
I'm trying to find some information about my rats issue, but I'm not having much luck. I have had rats in the past and am aware that they offten get tumors. We rescued this rat about 2 years ago from a friend who bought her the feed to his snake, but the rat was to big! So we took her in. over the last week or so we noticed that her tummy has become much bigger but she seems to be lossing weight, by that I mean you can feel all of the bones on her back. There is nothing but a boney back no fat or anything. But shes moving around and and still eating, so she doesn't seem to be feeling bad. I'm worried that she has a tumor in her tummy... can anyone give me a clue as to what the problem might be?
how can i send u the pics, and the warts are clearing up thay drop of it sed on that web page i posted 2 u.
sarah, at 2+ years old, the rat is getting old. It could be tumor, but only a vet can diagnose that. Consider a vet.
nuty, you can upload them to an online hosting website and post a link here.
Looks weird. If they're going away then that's good to hear.
the warts on his tail are going away but the things on his ears are still ther and i still cant find enny thing about them on the web but thay dont look 2 bad.and i foun out hes got flys yesterday so bad news
Hm.. Kind of odd. Flies can be bad? How did you get flies? They typically don't hang around a cage unless the cage is dirty and smells.
soz spelling err he has fleas
Remember that was one of my first guess, mites or fleas. At least you know the cause now.
ya we got him some flea killer last week. he looking better 2 cos the things on his ears ar gowing slowly
ty so mutch
nuty
That is good to hear.
Hi everyone,
I just bought my rat Delilah yesterday and she is making this wierd chattering noise. Please can anyone tell me what is wrong or if I am just overacting!
Please note this is my first rat.
Could be normal, but could be respiratory. i would consult a vet just to make sure. Many rats from pet stores will have upper respiratory illnesses which can be fatal if not treated, but at the same time some rats will recover without problems and without medication.
lol ABBEY shes chundering cose she is happy
Thank you Whitney that info was very helpful. I think what is wrong is that the aspen bedding that I bought for her, is bothering her allergies. Is there any other bedding I could use? Also the bedding I bought is not the same name brand thst I normally buy. They were out of the Kay-tee so I had to but the cheaper brand. It says on the back that there maybe other woods mixed in! What should I do?
nuty, in some cases the noise can be respiratory. It all depends on what exactly the rat is doing.
Abbey, you can try carefresh or a recycled bedding.
What about corncob bedding? Would you recommend that?
Abbey
We have decided to take her back to the pet store. She is very sick and I do not want to risk getting my parakeet sick too.
Thank you for all the advice and I will inform you when I get another rat.This time it will be from a breeder not a pet store!
You were really helpful Whitney. I am really sorry that you lost your rat to this horrible thing.
Take care,
Abbey
I would stick with aspen for any future rats. I'm sorry that you've decided to return her. Breeders are typically your better choice, unless you carefully select a rat from a pet store.
Hi,
I have a 6 Month old female rat that isnt doing too well. She is very depressed but is still eating and drinking. There are a few unusual things with her behavior. She seems to be swaying a bit after she runs around and she has had a bit of blood blotching from her genitals. Her cage mate, who is a 8 month old male) wont leave her side.
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks, Jess
OK. Thank you! You have been a lot of help. I am thinking of going with carolina pink rattery in Charlotte. Here is the web site if you would like to look over it.
www.carolinapinkratttery.com
Jess, Sounds like severe bullying, and a need for a new cage to separate the two rats. You should also consider seeing a vet in case the female needs antibiotics.
Abbey, I believe I've heard of them. That will be a much better option than a pet store. Good luck.
Thanks, I have not seen any bullying. He isnt like attacking er or anything, he just alwasy wants to lay right next to her. If anything she is the bully. I will seperate them and see if there is any improvement.
Thanks Again
Jess
It can be hard to monitor bullying unless yo uare with them all the time. It could also be something underlying tha a vet may need to diagnose.
Hi Whitney,
We decided to keep Delilah and she is doing a lot better. She was sneezing a lot but now very rarely does she sneeze. She is even coming up to the cage door to be let out.
Good Luck,
Abbey
That is good to hear... I would consider a vet to see if she needs any antibiotics.
Hey Whitney,
sad news for me my mom decided that we needed to take Delilah back to the pet store. So we did and it was really hard for me. They did not even care that she was sick, and one guy was really rude to my mom on the phone. We are going to look for another rat today.
Take care,
Abbey
I'm sorry to hear that. I would choose carefully, and remember that it most cases, it is better to find a nearby breeder than a pet store. If you aren't 100% sure that the rats aren't ill, then wait it out. If you rush, you may end up with another sick rat. Also, remember that respiratory illnesses are airborne, and contagious to other rats, so I would be leary about purchasing a rat from the same pet store.
We just got another rat today. We have not named her yet but are thinking about Ella or Samantha. She is in good health. We bought her from petsmart!
This is the only place I normally buy my animals.
We also went to petco and looked at the rats there. They were sneezing and rubbing their nose. I told my mom that I did not want to risk getting another rat with the same thing. So we bought the girl at petsmart. She is about three months old and is really sweet. She is very healthy and not sneezing.
I am really happy I got her.
That is good to hear. I'm surprised you found a female at petsmart. They typically only sell male small animals (hamsters, mice, rats, guinea pigs, etc.)
nuty gets red hard stuff wen he sleeps is that normal cos he doesnt have it on his nose
thanks onesmore
YH
what exactly do you mean by "red hard stuff"?
like the stuf u get in the corners of ur eyes in the moring
Gotcha... I would watch out for that, as it's typically not a good sign. Usually, ill rats will have the ruddy leakage from the eyes and nose.
do u no wot cause's it
In some cases it can be a sign of illness. My rats only experienced it when they had upper respiratory, which they contracted when I brought home a 4th rat, which had it that I didn't know. Even though the baby rat was in a separate cage, it is air born, and they were mildly ill, but the antibiotics from the vet cleared everything up. I'm not sure what would cause it in a healthy rat.
well hes a lone rat and my last rat had it all her life but she died last year long before we got him so couldit be a natural thing like it sed on that web page i post on hear. hes also plays a lot and seams 2 be fine
It's possible. Just keep an eye out on him.
Hey Whitney,
I toke my rat back beacuase she bit me. She ran out of her house and bit me.
So we went to petco and got two female rats. Their names are Emma and Jane.
We are all doing very well.
That is sad to hear. I'm sure if you had worked with her instead of giving up, you wouldn't have had to give away your pet. Hopefully, you will not do that again. It's sad to give away a pet because one does not want to work with it. Hopefully the two new rats are perfect and without faults for you.
I think my Female Rat Named Del Has an upper respiratory Infection because she breaths really hard ( She looks like she is dry heaving ) chatters alot and does not eat much. She has dust free bedding and the best food I can get. What should I do?! I don't want Del to die! Also how can I find out if there is a vet in my area who treats rats?
You will need to call around ASAP! When the rats start dry heaving it's getting close to the end, as the rat is trying to open its airways to let air in. And by dry heaving you mean extending the neck trying to breath? If so, then definitely call around to all the vets in your are until you find one who can give you antibiotics.
warts are gone i used a wet red match, u rub it on the wart and the sulfur kills it, and his ears are back 2 normal.
so thanks for all ur help
nuty
that's good to hear
I am sorry, but I am not going to have a friends come over and have my rat bite the snot out of them. And your reply is a little snooty and uncalled for. YES, my rats are perfect for me. But like you care! Like my mom said you are only in your twenties and don't know everything like you think you do.
You can socialize and train a rat not to bite. I may be in m 20s, but I have plenty of experience with health, training, and care of rats and many other animals.
I'm new to this and was reading through to see if I could find out what is wrong wth my rat. She is a dumbo curly haired rat and she is the sweetest thng ever, she has been sneezing quite a bit lately and seems to have a little reddish brown discharge from her nose, the pet store gave us some medicine called oxytetracycline to put in her water. we have been doin that for about a week but her nose is still the same. She is still very active, she plays all the time like nothing is wrong with her. They told me that if it doesn't clear up in a week then to double the dose, I'm not sure about doing that it seems a little much. The girl that told me this is just a cashier in there not a vet or anything. Should I take our little bambi to the vet or should I wait until the medicine is gone? Oh and also I just wanted to say to you whitney that people that come on here and ask you questions about their rat then they should be thankful that you take the time to answer them, and not be rude to you. It seems to me that you have a lot of knowlegde and experience wth rats. Thats why I decided to sign up for this site.... because you seem that you know a lot and I respect your opinions and i realize that you are not a vet but you know when you should take your rat to see one..so just for the records IF SOMEONE DOESN'T WANT YOUR OPINION ABOUT THEIR RATS THEN DON'T ASK!! thank you...and i look forward to hearing back
kristina, thank you. You should contact a vet before upping the dosage just to be safe. Plus a vet can properly diagnose the rat versus a pet store employee.
My one year old female is two weeks pregnant and not doing well. I'm noticing porphyrin secretions from only her right eye, and her genital area is constantly secreting some sort of fluid that is occasionaly laced with blood. She is lethargic, and her scat is unusually light colored. She could be stressed, because we moved houses last weekend. This is her second pregnancy, the first was very successful. Do you know what the problem might be? Veterinary care is not an option for me because of where I live. Without help, euthanasia may be my only option.
You should really consider a vet, and please don't breed her again. Typically if the rat is over 6 months and is being bred for the first time, you can experience major complications. In most cases, they can't deliver the pups bc their pelvis has closed too tight.
I was wondering if im going to have to take my rats to the vet, i got them only a day ago.. and they've been sneezing since i got them back (not sure if they were when i picked them up and on the way home).. but after some forced socialization (cause one wanted to bite me before) they dont mind being picked up and seem quite happy (they were crawling around on me in my hoodie lol)... ANYWAYS
I picked them up to checkem out and only symptom i noticed is discharge from the nose.. its not much but it looks similiar to our snot.. and they clean them selves right away..
Think its anything bad? or something that they could get over on their own with a proper place to stay?
I don't want to have to pay for a vet (college student).. but if it comes down to it I guess would ( as im already fond of them ). How much would that cost?
Also, They dont seem to have labored breathing and sleep just fine. P.S. is there a way to help my rats drink more? one of them ive seen drink.. the other i have not =/ maybe shes did it while im gone.. i have a water bottle one.. and a small water bowl just in case.
Is it a reddish colored discharge? If so that is potentially a bad sign if it continues. The aggression could be caused by illness; kind of like when you don't feel good you get grouchy, it's the same scenario. They're probably drinking when you're not around; otherwise I'm not really sure what to tell you.
I have 5 rats all female. One of them is Flower and she's one of the older ones and today my husband and I noticed that she has been sitting on top of her house hunched over and breathing fast and heavy. I'm not sure on her age because we got her and her sister for free at a Petco about a month ago. I know she's at most a few months old. They were put up for adoption but nobody wanted them so they gave them to us. All the others are acting normal so this worries me, I'm scared to attempt to pick her up...any ideas?
Sounds like upper respiratory, and a need for a vet. Be careful, as this is contagious, which is why new rats need to be quarantined before placing with existing rats.
my rat has some hairloss and little scabs all over her back and on the backof her neck i thort is was because she was figghting with my other rat but thier now in seperate cages and thier getting worse
help
Try an antiobiotic spray. You may need to consider a vet. Keep the area clean.
Hey thanks for you tips on this site. Our little guy got a repository infection last monday. We took him to the vet that night and he got a shot and some oxygen. We then took him to another vet on wed. They gave him some antibiotics (Baytril). He is has not gotten any better over the past 5 days he is getting skinnier and seems to have a total loss of apatite. He is also getting diarrhea and is barely drinking. The little little guy has barely and energy. Any tips or advice- different meds? Thanks.
Hi...I had two female rats whom I love dearly...one just passed away yesterday I think of a respitory illness she was only a year old...the other one is fine at the moment...do you think the one still living will also get the illness and die? I am sooo worried about it happening again...broke my heart :'(
Jeremy, I'm sorry to hear about your rat. Has the rat been on constance antibiotics or just that one dose? You may need a different med. I have used clavimox before. The meds really help clear the symptoms so that the immune system can beat the actual bug, but without the meds sometimes the body cannot beat the illness.
Dana, if it was a respiratory illness, it is possible that your other rat could contract it, as it's airborne. I would just watch for the first signs, which typically are breathing issues and redness around the eyes.
I have had my male rat, Mr. Miagi, for almost two years. His cagemate Splinter passed away about six months ago from a neurological disorder. We got two more young male rats, quarantined them and introduced them. However, they both passed away as well within two months (a few months ago). We did not get any other rats, because Mr. Miagi seems happiest by himself.
He has always been a fatter rat, but seems to be losing a bit of weight lately. This seems healthy, and I think it is because he cannot eat everyone else's food. I also added some Vita-Plus to his regular Forti-Diet. These are my concerns:
-He does not appear to be drinking much water at all.
-He occasionally sits in his house (a cereal box with cloth inside) and makes a light cooing sound. It almost sounds like light regurgitation, but he is not showing any signs of trying to breathe, and he makes the noise without opening his mouth. I can hear it lightly from about ten feet away.
-His sniffing seems louder.
Mr. Miagi has never made any sort of sounds in the two years I have had him. I am using the same Carefresh bedding I have always used. After the two young rats died (thanks in part, I am sure, of the amazing quality of PetCo), Miagi seemed weaker. In the last month, he has seemed to be getting stronger, more active again, and still eats like a pig. His hair is thinning a bit, but I attributed that to age. Also, when I was feeding him a cracker on my lap the other day (food is still the only way to get him to sit with me) I thought that the tip of his tail seemed different. Almost a little "plastic" just at the end, and a little pinker.
Sorry for rambling, I just wanted to make sure I gave all the information.
How old is the rat? It could possibly be old age getting to him.
Dear rat loving friends, six months ago I adopted two brother rats. Yesterday one of them died. Now I am concerned that the surviving brother will be lonely. Does anyone have any advice on introducing a new rat into the family? I assume it would be unwise to pick up a new rat at the pet shop and simply drop him into the cage. How should I introduce them to each other? And, will the surviving brother need time to grieve or is he better off having a new companion as soon as possible?
You should find out why the first one died. If it's a contagious matter, then introducing another rat will infect that one as well.
As for intructions, you'll need another cage. Set it away from the other rat so they have NO interactions not in cage or out for at least 2-3 weeks to make sure that the new rat is heathy. Then set it next to the main one so they can sniff each other and get use to each other. Next allow short out of cage playtime between the two. Then lengthen that time. Then short incage playtime and slowly lengthen the time. There may be issues since the new rat isn't related and a stranger, especially being that you have a male.
My rat has a little hair loss on his lower back it has a smal scab but it dosnt seem to be bugging him much if its a concern i can take him to the vet first thing toorow
My Male Dumbo Sasha is not moving very well at all, very lethargic, clumsy, has wheezing and sneezes, also won't eat or drink on own. He is 2 years old, maybe 2 1/2. His sister died a couple months ago, just out of the blue, no noticeable illness. I have tried force- feeding him with an eyedropper (water, applesauce). He keeps trying to get away when I try to feed him, but he will swallow eventually. He has the prophyrin from his eyes and nose. I also gave him a albuterol treatment yesterday, he is not wheezing hardly at all now. This has been going on3 days now. No rat vet in community that I live in....any suggestions??
Sarah, does the rat have a cage mate? Could it have scratched itself on something in the cage. Have you noticed the rat scratching a lot? Could be mites, fleas, or just a wound.
T it sounds like old age and maybe a little case of upper respiratory illness, which is contagious. A vet is needed for antibiotics.
I have a grey hooded male rat, he's coming up nearly 3 years old, always been spritely and so loving. in the past week he is kind of not using his back legs and they get caught in his cage, its really weird. he is eating and drinking but isnt as energetic as before, little bit of blood round his nose. I am booking vets tomorrow but would really like to know what back legs situation is all about???
At 3 years old, the rat is a senior rat so he's just slowing down. The back legs could be some kind of paralysis, not sure if that would be attributed to old age or not though. The vet could best diagnose it for you.
Thanks for your help, hopefully it will be good news tomorrow, my twin girls and I are so worried about him!!
Ps - if it is paralysis, is there anything that can be done, sounds a silly question but you never know!
I think it would depend on what caused the paralysis as to whether or not it is treatable. Hopefully he'll be fine, but at his age, he's old. Let me know what happens at the vet.
Hi, took Freddie to the vet on friday last week. vet gave him anti inflam and anti biotics. Said he has injured his self and when he was pressing he squeaked when he pressed bottom of spine. He has got a little brighter with the injections and and carrying on with course of anti biotics. it was a bit of a relief to be able to be told he can be helped, it just depends on how bad the injury is... thanks for your help, xxxxxx
That is good to hear.
ok i have a girl rat and a boy rat i dident know that they could breed because they were brother and sister wellthe girl violet has gained alot off weight and in worryd because shes only 8 weeks old and i think shes pregers so she was building a nest in a box and when i tried to pick her up she bit me and ran out of her cage to my closet well shes useally really sweet and will give me kisses so i was suprised she tried to bite me well i went into the closed to get her and i had to pick her up buy her tail which i am totally against doing butt i was worryed she would hurt herself well when i picked her up she made a horrible noise and started whimpering im worryed i hurt the babies if shes pregnat please help!!!!!
She sounds pregnant to me. Separate the two rats. I would worry as she's too young and too small to have been breed, even though it was an accident. I would strongly consider finding a vet ASAP, as there can be potentially a worldwind of complications letter her have the rat pups at this age.
what could the vet do? like do they have rat abortions or somthin thxs!!!!
I have a hairless rat who suffers a bit from allergies but has been healthy up until a day ago. My brother woke me up around 4AM because he said my 1 year old boy-rat was bleeding from his mouth/nose; I told him it was probably porphyrin, and nothing to worry about, but he insisted and I got up, and Irving indeed was bleeding from his mouth/nose (I can't really tell which). Needless to say I freaked out, he had been acting completely fine, eating/drinking/pooping up until then, and it happened without warning. He bled for a few minutes and then it stopped as soon as it started; he was breathing hard for awhile and seemed tired, but in a little while he was eating and drinking and acting like his old self.
Around 10PM last night, the same thing happened, he was acting completely fine, and then BOOM! He started bleeding again! It lasted a few moments, I cleaned him up, put him back in his cage, and he was fine. Fine until 6 something this morning, he came out, chowed down on some applesauce, seemed to be doing fine, and then BAM! More bleeding! It only lasted for like five minutes, and now he's back in his cage and sleeping again.
I'm at my wit's end! His heart and chest sound completely clear, and other than the bleeding he's acting completely normal! Even while he's bleeding all he wants to do is climb up on my shoulder! No emergency vets around here will see rats, and it's the weekend, so I don't know what to do! Can rats get nosebleeds? Did his allergies burst a vessel in his nose? Please help!
chloe, all animals can have abortions. yes a qualified vet could abort the pregnancy, but if it's too far along then there's probably nothing that can be done. Typically you can tell male rats well before 8 weeks. Good luck, as this could kill the female..
Sydney, that is very odd I have never heard of nose bleeds in rats. I would strongly consider a vet for monday morning. That is definitely not normal.
Hey! Just have to say I love the site, amd q and A. I have rats, 3 2mo old males and a 1 yr old. Had 3 more that passed away over the summer, they were pushing 3 yrs!
Maybe you have advice for me too? one of my babies, I noticed sneezing this morning, but it isn't consistant and no other signs of illness.. his nose is dry. will a tickle cause a sneeze? Also my 1 yr old got pretty depressed when the boys died, and he started makeing soft whilny sounds. I know rats can get depressed. He shows no other signs of illness, he did change his sleep cycle, but sense the new babies have come, i notice he seems to be switching back. My hubby thinks I just need to let him in the cage with the babies. Do small animal vetts just do like a health checkup? I have one, but we only have used for emergency. I just want to make sure my older rat isnt sick or anything b4 I put him in with the babies.
I would wait to introduce him to the babies in case he is ill. You can get a health checkup from a vet who sees rats. I would suggest it. It could be just the change since he's lost his buddy, possibly stressing him out.
Hi, I just recently purchased a hairless dumbo rat, and a cream and white hooded rat, both which are female. The hooded rat started sneezing shortly after I took her home, and rubbing her face after sneezing, but there is no sign of the red discharge I've heard so much about near her eyes or nose. Otherwise she seems extremely healthy, running around her cage and playing. She seems to be eating and drinking well. I'm not sure what to do.
It could be excitement from a new home. Just make it low stress, give them a few days to settle in. It's best to allow 5-7 days leaving them alone. Just keep a close eye for wheezing and any signs of labored breathing. You'll need a vet at that point to treat respiratory illness.
Thanks, I took them both to my vet just in case, and they were pretty sure she had a mild URI due to stress,so they are both on low doses of preventative/treatment medication for ten days just in case.
that is good to hear that you got them checked out. good luck
I had a question about the fact my hairless dumbo will bite the smaller cream hooded rat, which she sometimes deserves because she'll pull the other rats tail. Will they grow out of this when they are older, or should I be concerned they may hurt each other?
Is it biting to be mean or biting in play? They may or may not grow out of it. If it's play then probably not, same if it's aggression. Not all rats enjoy company, but generally if you get them together they should be fine. Determine what kind of bite it is. Is the rat biting and not letting go, or is the rat just nipping.
i have a rat named lily and other the past few days i have noticed a large lump on her side which is quite soft this has been there for the past few weeks and i have also noticed that she has been getting redish brown coloured discharge coming from the eyes, lily reached the age of 2 last month is that quite young for a rat or is old ?
lily used to have a sister who passed away a few month ago we dont know how she died but i noticed that she had lost alot of weight and wasnt eating liked she used to do a few week after i noticed her weight loss she sadly passed away :'( so please some advice would really help.
and to be truthful i dont really think lily has long due to the way she has been acting and could this lump be a tumor ?
write back asap x
2 years old is very old for a rat. If the lump is growing, then it's probably a tumor. The discharge is generally not a good sign; it usually marks illness.
Ok i will keep a eye on her.
thankyou for the advice :) x
i have a huge problem. my rat seems to sneeze blood,her fur is getting scrappy,she itches at one spot and its bleeding.
whats wroung
what can i do
will i get sick too.
I'v never owned a rat and to be honest i know nothing about them.
should i find her a new owner?
did i do something to cause it?
How old is the rat? How long have you had it? What are you feeding it? What are you housing it on (aspen, carefresh,etc) Sounds like it needs a vet soon.
My rat (Squiggy) had this thing happen to him at least 3 times. If he did it again, I wasn't around... He does something sort of like shaking, but it's not a seizure. It's more like a twitching... It reminds me of something throbbing... He only does it for a few seconds, and then he just stops and acts like himself again. We don't think he is aware of it happening though. Like when someone has a seizure, they just don't know what's happening and they don't remember it. I'm really worried about Squiggy :( My brother thinks it might be from eating too much plastic, since he's been chewing through a lot of our wires lately.
Tell you the truth I'm not sure. A vet would best be able to diagnose it. The plastic could definitely be a cause. What are you feeding the rat as a staple diet? What bedding are you using? What size enclosure is he in? Does he have a cagemate? Is the whole body twitching or just a certain part?
I do really want to take him to the vet, but my family will probably say no. We feed Squiggy a universal diet made by Hartz... He also eats a little bit of dog food everyday. We use aspen bedding for him inside of a fish tank (Yeah, I know it's not the best kind of cage for him). Honestly, I think his cage is a little too small for him. He doesn't have any cagemates. His whole body twitches.
You want to stop offering dog food and throw out the Hartz food. Use a high quality rat block. You can purchase Mazuri at Petsmart. Otherwise Harland Tekland is really good, but I don't think you c an purchase it in small bags, and you can't get it at most pet stores.
The fish tank is bad. The rat can't get any good exercise in it, and is not able to keep himself mentally capable. With smaller tanks, the acidity can build up because lack of ventilation, so try cleaning the cage twice a week thoroughly. If you're going to use a fish tank, you need a really large tank.
A vet seems necessary, as well as better food and better housing. If you can't provide an appropriate enclosure, diet, and vet care, consider finding a new home for the rat. I know how hard it can be to give up a pet, but sometimes it's for the better well-being of the pet.
I'm not sure what is wrong, as there seems to be a number of factors that could cause the tremors. A vet can best diagnose whether it's the dog food, acidity build-up/lack of ventilation, or plastic that's in the cage.
Remove the plastic, as well. Plastic is not really recommended for small pets that are going to chew. They can swallow the plastic, causing intestinal blockage, as well as scratches on the intestinal wall. Both conditions can be fatal.
I Have two male rats. A few weeks ago one of them became ill so we took him to the vet and she said he had pneumonia. She set him up on antibiotics and some Rx food and vitamin supplement. She also had us separate to the two rats so the other wouldn't get sick. Now that Michaelangelo is feeling better and stronger he has become extremely aggressive has broke skin on my finger, bit my son, and everytime you put anything near him he attacks it! Do you have any idea why he might be doing this and if it will stop. He was very sweet and playful before all this happened and I just don't think I can afford to spend much more money on him.
That is odd for a rat to do that. Try stepping back with him and start over with him. He was ill and was on medications. I can't tell you if he'll stop or if he'll go back to normal. You'll probably have to work with him. I'm not sure why his misbehaving would cause you to have to spend more on him.
I keep noticing brown stains on my rats nose they sneeze now and again but its not concerning. I'm just concerned about the brown staining around their noses! Is this really serious? and could it be due to the fact that the pet shop own had them bedded on shavings before i brought them? I now use carefresh! Also my i think my Rex Dumbo rat is over weight!
Shavings are fine as long as it's aspen, and more than likely that's what the pet store was using. If they're sneezing and have the discharge, it's possibly respiratory illness, which is common among pet store rats.
Hi there, I have just gotten 2 beautiful new rats from a pet shop. They are brothers and are just gorgeous....when we brought them (about 4 weeks ago) The lady at the shop said that they had lost their hair due to bad diet from the breeder but that it would correct itself soon enough. Archer's hair is soft and fluffy now but Paulie is still quite patchy and his furr isnt as soft as Archers...he seems to scratch at it more so than what Archer does too. I feed them the same diet and they are in the cage together. Is there anything I can do for Paulie?? Thanks Casey
Because they lost their hair, it may not grow back exactly the same. The one rat's hair may not grow back as soft as the others. Just make sure to keep a watch for mites, as that could be a factor to the itching. The itching may be caused by hair stubble. Just keep a close eye on them. Generally, you don't want to buy sick animals. The pet store really shouldn't have bought from a "breeder" who didn't care for their animals properly, especially as it takes a lot to loose hair from bad diets. Rats can live on a widely varied diet, they must not have been given any nutrients whatsoever in order to have lost their hair. Personally, that sounds really fishy.
newratluvr says:
2 years ago
My new rats (from pet store) seem to be wheezing alot. I am afraid that they have resp. problems, but they dont show any other signs of resp. problems. Maybe its the bedding I am giving them? The stress from being in a new invironment? I don't want my ratties to die!!