Questions?

[sarah A chapman]

I have had my rat for about 4 days now and I have noticed he has hard time breathing and has red mucus near his nose and he rattles when he breathes. I have read a little bit but I'm looking for more information on what's wrong. Also how do I go about getting him medicine does the vet actually have to see him and approximately how much will it cost to get him the help he needs?

 

[Kye]

I have had my rat for about 4 days now and I have noticed he has hard time breathing and has red mucus near his nose and he rattles when he breathes. I have read a little bit but I'm looking for more information on what's wrong. Also how do I go about getting him medicine does the vet actually have to see him and approximately how much will it cost to get him the help he needs?

He needs a vet.. Most likely a respiratory infection and will need proper medication. Can you get a video of him breathing ? it may help with figuring out everything..

 

[ViciousCurse]

How old is your rat?
The red mucus is called porphyrin. While rats normally secrete it and (depending on their age) groom it away before it builds up, an excess such as you're describing indicates a serious medical issue. As Kye suggested, please seek a vet with rat knowledge. It'll be expensive just to walk in the door, much less be examined, and we're not even including the medicine. However, I can't really say a price because it can vary from vet to vet, especially depending on how much they give you.