Helpp, whats wrong with my pet rat?

Question

I think hes better now but last night..

He was acting really strange. He kept opening his mouth, and it sounded like he was sneezing. I looked like my cat when she has a hairball.. he kept doing that for about 20 minutes, but that time i was in bed already. Today he looks fine, hes really sketchy though. He sneezed twice when i looked in his cage.

I got him about three weeks ago from Petmart.

What wrong with him! I felt so helpless just watching him like that last night, i didn't know what to do! :'(

Answer 1

Pet rats are prone to upper respiratory infections. This is often exacerbated by the use of pine or cedar bedding.

To ease sneezing, use a dust-free, non-pine, non-cedar bedding. Make sure the rat cage is away from any drafts, keep dry air humid with a humidifier and keep the ambient temperature comfortable.

I have a pet rat and they get sick really easily!!!

Answer 2

If he is opening his mouth he is having trouble breathing. In my experience with rats over the past 20 years, rats in respiratory distress do not gasp for air via the mouth unless they are very very sick. Fur standing on end and a hunched position is another indicator. Rats, like many animals, will try to conceal illness or weakness.

It is very likely that your rat has a respiratory infection, as that is the most common cause of respiratory distress. Rats are prone to these. This is especially likely as you very recently got him. Rats from these kinds of pet stores almost always have some respiratory illness that emerges under the stress of moving.

Regardless whether he appears better today, I would recommend that you take him to the vet as soon as possible. You sound like a new rat parent so you may not recognize the more subtle symptoms.

If you do not already have a vet who knows how to treat rats, you will want to call around. Ask if the vet treats rats but be aware that some vets assume that rats are like small dogs and cats and that they can treat them. When I move and have to find a new vet, I ask to speak with the vet and then ask if they can spay your rat. (This is a very common procedure for rats.) Then (and this is the important part), ask them how long your rat will need to fast before the surgery.

If they say 12 hours, keep looking. Rats are unique in that they have no gag reflex and do not need to fast before surgery. In fact, fasting before surgery can cause hypothermia and can kill your rat. That will let you weed out people who really don't know enough about your little guy to treat him.

Do NOT give your rat a little bit of children's Tylenol or any other medication. These illnesses are very much treatable in rats if you do not wait too long and vets are very familiar with the possible treatments. The usual antibiotic used to treat respiratory infections is rats in a Baytril /Doxycycline cocktail. Your vet may also prescribe a nebulising solution to aid breathing. Vets with whom I have a long relationship generally will mix up an antibiotic for me without an office visit (dose based on weight) for flare ups.

Trying to treat it at home is likely to end with the death of your rat. While poor bedding can exacerbate respiratory problems, changing bedding and reducing drafts will not cure your little guy. He needs vetrinary care.

Good luck with your little rattie!

Here are a couple of useful sources for you:

http://www.cavyrescue.co.uk/rat-article2...

http://ratballs.com/RatTails/Tails077.ht...

http://www.ratballs.com/RatTails/Tails09...

Answer 3

he has a cold, put him on a blanket with a hot water bottle/thermos underneath. (they sell special ones for animals in petstores) dont worry its common

Answer 4

Rats are very vulnerable to respiratory problems. The first thing I would do is make sure the bedding you are using is not cedar...nothing scented. Try a hypoallergenic bedding.

Answer 5

i don't really don't know much about rats but he might be sick. Might be a disease, food, or allergic to something in his environment. Check his cage thoroughly. Hope this helped!

Answer 6

He has a cold, but the vet can't do much 4 small animals like that, just try to keep him healthly and take him oyt of drafts and he might get better. :)

Answer 7

i never had a pet rat but the only thing that can really think of is send him/her 2 an animal doctor.I hope this helps and i hope your pet rat will be okay.

Answer 8

Rats are vermon and can carry human germs

he has a cold

it might kill him

take him to the vet or back to pet mart

Answer 9

I used to have rats stuwart,any how look at your rats eyes, if they're watery then he or she has a cold. You can give her/ him a little bit of baby tylenol or maybe it's the bedding, do you you cedar chips?sometimes the smell of it makes hard for them to breathe, you have to get the natural stuff at petland. The samething happened to my rat. hope i was helpful