Rats sneezing?

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orangeK

New Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Messages
1
Location
California
At this point their sneezing is mild, but is happening more often. They do it most often at night, in their cage. This makes it hard for me to tell exactly which of my three rats is sneezing, but I can tell it's mostly two of them. Last night, one of them had some noisier breathing for a bit. I was ready to call up the vet today if I had to, but he hasn't done it since so I'm holding off.

Some other things I've noticed about that rat, but not the main point of this post. He also has had a faint whistle in his breath as well (you have to hold him near your ear to hear it) and has had it for a bit, perhaps since I first got him in December but I'm not sure. I'm also not sure if this is just how he breathes or if it's something to be worried about. Other than that, his breathing is normal. I listened to his brothers' breathing as well for comparison and the only difference is his is more whistley. He also doesn't sound anywhere near the videos I saw here - Healthy Squeaks, or Sick Squeaks? - JoinRats

Back to the main point. I've changed up some things in their care recently and I have 3 culprits I think could be the cause of the increased sneezing and want to get an opinion.

1. I've started using Nature's Miracle Cage Cleaner to wipe down their levels about once or twice a day. I saw Shadow the Rat recommend it on her channel, but I think the formula has changed since then because the bottle looks different than in her video. It also says it leaves behind no scent, which is true, but when you first put it down it smells pretty lemony. I'm going to go back to a vinegar and water mix instead unless I learn that this is OK to use.

2. I started washing their hammocks with detergent. I try not to use too much. They use their hammocks a lot and they get very dirty. How do you guys wash your hammocks? I have been rinsing and ringing them out in the sink with hot water to get all the urine out, putting them in the washer with a little detergent, then putting them in the dryer. Before I washed them with dish soap and just put them in the rinse cycle.

3. Their cage was moved into a corner, nearer to two windows. I'm worried in the corner they get less air flow than where they previously were, near the doorway to my room. Also, they are closer to the windows. I'm moving them back today (which requires moving everything in the room as well, but it's something I'm willing to do).

Could it be one or all of these things? Is sneezing automatically a sign of a URI? Should I make all the changes and see if that helps or do you think I should just take them to the vet straight away? Of course, I am completely willing to take them to the vet if necessary. But if this could just be a minor irritation, I think I'd like to see if the changes help first. My area has very few vets that see small animals and they can be surprisingly expensive. I'm sure this is the case in many areas, though.

Also, I have an air purifier. Could adding that to the room help?
 
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