First I want to point out that I have a vet app for next monday, My trusted and brilliant vet is currently away and I don't want to see anyone else unless it's 100% neccessary.

But in my years of owning rats I have never experienced anything like this.

Bella is currently 20 months old, the bouncy, bossy madam of the cage and unfortunately this years been nasty for her, she got a lump back in January which myself and the vet decided to leave as we don't believe she would survive the op. Then she got a sprained wrist which has now cleared up but that's all normal issues compaired to this.

I noticed at the beginning of the month she had a swelling on her jaw, about the size of a lentil, booked the vets, the day we were going it had gone. Vet checked her over and gave her the all clear. Then a week later the side of her muzzle got swollen, gave the vet a call and she said to wait a few days and see what happened, within 24 hours it was gone. I went away for a while so was unable to keep an eye on her (though my mum was looking after them) when I got back I gave them some treats and Bella seemed to struglle holding it in her mouth, I got her out to check her teeth and all seemed fine, I thought I'd jumped to conclusions after the swellings.
Then yesterday I noticed the swelling was back, so got her out to look and found a white lump in the side of her mouth, at first i thought it was a biscuit that had gotten stuck but when I looked closer I saw that it seemed to be attatched to her and was all the way up the back of her mouth.
She's eating and drinking fine and still has clear bright eyes and is her normal self, she's even picking things up normally again now.

The nurse I spoke to said it should be ok to wait for the vets return but I'm keeping an eye in case it gets worse, then I'll rush her in for anybody at the surgery.

I was just wondering if anyone else had come across this with their own rats or even heard of it. I've scanned the web but can't seem to find anything. And I guess if someone knows what it is and that it's nasty I can rush her in asap.

Sorry for the long post, Thanks anyway.

It sounds like abscesses in her mouth/cheek. They swell up then open up and deflate. Could be tooth issues, so yeah she needs a good vet to look inside her mouth.

Have you checked her teeth? Is there a rotten smell inside her mouth?

Thanks for the quick reply.

I checked for any smell but there doesn't seem to be anything abnormal.
The lumps textured and broken up, may sound like a weird description but it looks like crushed almonds.

I had a feeling it could be something like an abcess as that's all I could really find to fit although it doesn't explain the texture.

Her teeth seem fine, and at the last vet appointment she checked them out and couldn't find anything wrong.

It's annoying right now, I have 3 vets I trust but one's on maternity leave, and the other two are away on leave, they all return this weekend.