HELP!!!

Fins us on Amazon
Advertise with us
Shop with us on Ebay
The Rat Shack Forum

Help Support The Rat Shack Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
A

ajraver

Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2013
Messages
10
Location
Normal illinois
I just purchased 2 female rats 2 days ago and one of them has started having small sneezing fits and then wiping her face. I have read a lot online about new home sneezing and was not sure if it is this or a more serious condition. The rat that I am concerned about does not have any red around the eyes or the nose and is very active. She eats a ton and drinks a good amount of water. Please help! I am a first time rat owner and am very concerned!!!! Need help ASAP!!
 
It could be new home sneezing, it could be allergies.

How do they sound when you hold them up against your ear and listen to their side. If you are hearing gurgling, or clicking they need to be seen by a vet to have respiratory infections treated.
 
I would wait a few days and see if she gets over it....make sure your bedding is not dusty, no scents in the room where they are kept. Keep an eye on her...
 
I too would wait a few days before getting too worried.
If your bedding is dusty, that could surely do it. Or if there are any fragrances or smoke around the rats.
 
I'm using carefresh bedding, it's the same bedding they used in the pet store I got it from and she was not sneezing when I got her. As far as the noises she makes when breathing she is still a little nervous around me although she is making great progress! I have gotten very close to her and there does not seem to be any gurgling or wheezing in her breathing pattern. She is very active drinks a lot and eats a lot she is such a great little rat! I am also having a hard time with one of them bonding to me! Any suggestions on what to do to help?
 
For bonding put on a sweatshirt/hoodie over your shirt and let them crawl in there as you hold them. Learned that on this site and it definately works.
 
When u r putting the bedding in, u will see the dust if there is any. It seems to clog the air whenever I get some. I always start sneezing if my bedding is dusty that's how I know.
 
Carefresh bedding is good to use. I use it and I never notice it being dusty. I don't use the brown colored one, though, I use the kind that is all pretty pastel colors for my girls. ;p
 
I tried Carefresh once and my rats started to sneeze, I got rid of it right away. Carefresh is dusty and some rats are very sensitive to it.
To see if it is the carefresh, remove it and just use newspaper for now, if the sneezing stops, then you know it was the carefresh.
 
brown carefresh is very dusty, the petstore uses it because it is what corporate makes them use, not because it is a good bedding. The white or colored is less dusty if you want to stick with a carefresh.

Bonding sacks or ratoobs can be great for getting them used to you, you can also search trust training rats and try some methods found.

Also if you think it is just the bedding you can try torn up paper towels for a few days and change them daily to see if the sneezing subsides.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top