Former curious rat now sleepy and lethargic

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sapphicpyro

New Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2020
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0
Location
Stockton, California
Hi,
My rat Luna is a female about 2-3 years of age and she used to be a curious rat up until last week. She loved exploring and interacting with people and sometimes she will get bored of a new place after she’s gotten used to it. So what will happen is I would introduce her to a new room or I’d give her a little cage time to change the scenery and she would become interested again. She doesn’t want to eat her grains, but she’s always been picky. She eats sunflower seeds and mainly foods I’ve been feeding her from home as I checked they are safe like rolled oats, rice cereal, and rat salads, treats here and there like a yogi cheesy yogurt bite or a blue berry. She has also enjoyed snacking on the critter pops made out of rice and corn. When I bring her homemade rat meals she will eat them will delight and is quick to show interest. So that hasn’t changed. It’s also been warm and I’ve tried setting her fur a bit and using a fan and the ac runs usually. She is less eager to come out of her cage and I don’t really know what’s wrong or if she’s just old now and is less active? What do you guys think? Also I think she’s been getting enough water but she hates her water bottle and drinks out of small bowls now. I had to move because of corona virus and her old bottle got lost and I replaced it but she seems to hate it. My roommate found the old bottle and I am going to retrieve it once I have the funds to make a 4 hour trip to my old residence. Do you guys have any advice or maybe some insight to what’s happening? I’ve spent about 2 months in my new residence and she didn’t have lots of issues here until last week. She poops and pees everywhere when she’s out and about and never did that before too. She used to just go to her cage by herself. Please let me know what is happening. Thanks.
 
It sounds like you take her out a lot, can it be that she's just tired? If I take my rats out for a certain amount of time and play with them a lot then the next day they sleep a lot, but after awhile become energetic again.
 
It sounds like you take her out a lot, can it be that she's just tired? If I take my rats out for a certain amount of time and play with them a lot then the next day they sleep a lot, but after awhile become energetic again.
Ever since I owned her I’d take her out and she would nap in a dark place in my apartment and make a nest and it didn’t seem to bother her then but maybe you’re right. She usually hates being in her cage atleast when she had energy
 
Ever since I owned her I’d take her out and she would nap in a dark place in my apartment and make a nest and it didn’t seem to bother her then but maybe you’re right. She usually hates being in her cage atleast when she had energy
This is a new place and even though she seemed to be find napping in places for weeks she might just be exhuasted?
 
a lot can happen within the range of 2-3 years of age. Slowing down naturally is just one of them.

Lets rule out more serious things first though.
Can she still sit up and hold/eat a small light treat in her front paws?
 
No issues with grasping at all? Good.
Ok you next need to hold her sides to your ears (rat phone) and listen to her breathing.
The gently examine her all over for lumps esp in abdomen.
 
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