Is it the 'New Home Sneezes'?

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KiwiRat

KiwiRat

Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2016
Messages
9
Location
Australia
A few days ago I bought home my new boys. At first they were sneezing quite a lot but as time passed they stopped sneezing as much. They do occasionally still sneeze every now and then so I am wondering if it is just a case of new home sneezes.
They don't have any red discharge around their eyes or nose, well... I haven't realised any.
They sneeze the most when I get them out of their cage and let them run around on the floor in my room for a few ours, is this because they are excited?

- Kiwi
 
I feel that it could still be "new home" sneezes. I would only get concerned if they are still sneezing after a full week of being in the new home, or present with the other signs you mentioned (porphyrin, wheezing, lethargy, weight loss, etc.).

Porphyrin is pretty noticeable on the nose -- if it isn't visible, it means the rat has cleaned himself and is doing okay (since they constantly produce porphyrin and need to groom themselves to take care of it, but they won't feel like doing it if they are unwell). So if you haven't seen any, I wouldn't worry. That being said, you could see it in a healthy rat when they wake up from a nap -- since it accumulated when they were sleeping and they haven't had a chance to wipe it off.

Hope this helps and good luck :)
 
Thankyou for replying so quickly :) The boys were having a nap a while ago and I saw no porphyrin so I guess they wiped it off. Should I start weighing the ratties just to make sure there are no signs of weight loss??
 
NHS are usually dry, sharp and quick sneezes. If they start sounding wet or congested then you might have a respiratory infection but from what you describe it sounds pretty normal.
 
Maybe weigh them today, and then if they are still sneezing after a week, then weigh again to see if they have lost weight since then, or are combined with other symptoms by then? Hopefully they remain just dry sneezes, as LilSpaz says, and disappear within the week. :)
 
Last edited:
Okay. I haven't heard either of the boys sneeze for quite a while now. They are acting normal and eating, drinking and running around. I will weigh them today but I think they are fine for now. I will update this is anything different happens.
 

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