[Cookie and Mischief]

Hello!
My 1 year and 16 day old female that I've had since she was born has been avoiding interaction lately. I've handled her a lot since birth and she's always been shy and timid, but she is running away from my hand when it's time for her to get handled. I've never done anything to hurt her (or any of my rats). Why is she avoiding me all of a sudden?

Thanks!

 

[Isamurat]

She may have been spooked by something, this can be a noise outside of our audio range, maybe a new smell (particularly preditor like cat or ferret) or just something we cant pick up on. I would treat her normally and ignore her being freaked out, if you are overly gentle and cautious you can actually reinforce the fearful behaviour. I tend to just pick them up and get them out as normal, even if they act all jumpy / frozen. They quickly settle down when back to normal routine.

 

[Cookie and Mischief]

I don't have any new cats or ferrets. The newest creatures I have gotten were from a couple months ago, and they're fish. I don't think that we've changed anything in our house for awhile.

Cuppy seems to be losing weight too. She used to be thin, but then she got to a healthy weight, now she is thin again.

 

[Cookie and Mischief]

I was listening to her breathing just a second ago. Her breath has always been short and quick. But she makes this sort of squeak noise every couple seconds, sort of like a honky-squeak.

 

[Cookie and Mischief]

It sounds like a rat hiccup.

 

[Gribouilli]

Rat hiccups are usually silent. If it last more than a few minutes, it could be an URI and a vet visit would be a good idea.

 

[Cookie and Mischief]

It's a little scarcer than a few seconds, but it has lasted about 10+ minutes.

Are there any at-home remedies for URI? The roads are supposed to snow and freeze tomorrow. How much would a Vet Visit for rats cost? I'm a tad low on funds right now :T

 

[Gribouilli]

Rat vet care will vary greatly depending on where you leave. Around $30-50 for a visit. To that you will have to add the cost of the medicine and potential x-rays.

You could apply for a creditcare account. It is a credit card but only for medical expenses i cluding vet care. It has no interest rates if you pay within the promotional petiod. I use that to pay for my last vet visit.

You could try a small piece dark chocolate 60-80%, and warm mist like holding your rat in the bathroom with your shower on. Make sure the room temperature is at least 70F, and keep the temperature as constant as possible.

I always have amoxycillin on hand for emergency like that. You would normally need a prescription, but it can be bought on the web at fish supply websites. If it is pneumonia you will another antibiotic like doxycycline and/or baytril. All of them can be bought online but I would recommend a vet visit to be sure what's going on with your rats.

 

[Cookie and Mischief]

I'll try to look into the creditcare thing.

I'll do the mist thing tonight, but we don't have any dark chocolate on hand. When my rat was dying from Mycho (I don't think that's spelled right), someone said Honey would help along with the Dark Chocolate and warm mist. Does Honey help for URI too?

 

[Gribouilli]

That person might have refered to the New Zealand Manuka honey. It is believed to have some antibiotic properties...I have some home but never gave any to my rats so I don't know. It wouldn't hurt but won't be enough.

 

[Gribouilli]

That is where I got my amoxycillin from:http://www.fishmoxfishflex.com/index.php/fish-mox-amoxicillin-30-count.html

but again a vet visit would be quicker if you can afford it. If it is myco other antobiotics will be necessary. However a URI will usually kill a rat faster than myco that takes longer to be deadly, that is why it is always good to have some amo on hands.

 

[Cookie and Mischief]

Boy, I hope I'm overreacting on her situation.

Should I quarantine her?

 

[Gribouilli]

Has she been making those sounds since last time? Make sure she eats and drinks. Does she have porphyrin around eyes and nose?

 

[Cookie and Mischief]

Last time?

And she has a little around her nose, but isn't that normal?

I fed her a bit of kale a bit ago, which she chomped a little piece of.

 

[Gribouilli]

It is too late to quarantine her now. Plus it will stress her even more making things worse. You only quarantine new rats usually.

I meant was it the only time she made those noises? Although rat hiccups are usually silent, sometimes they might not. If she has done those noises only once it could be hiccups.

If she shows other signs like not eating (or eating less), not drinking, squinting eyes, hunched back...she is most likely sick.

A little Porphyrin around eyes/nose when a rat FIRST wake up is usually believed to be normal. However if you see porphyrin after that, it is likely a sign of disease.

Make sure her cage is very clean, especially her favorite sleeping spot. Bacteria in the urine turn urea into ammonia that will scar their lungs and make URI very likely.

 

[Cookie and Mischief]

I think she just woke up, yeah.

I can't really tell if her back is hunched, or if she hasn't been eating or drinking. She did eat the Kale though, so she is eating at least that.

 

[Cookie and Mischief]

And I don't recall her making this noise before.

 

[Gribouilli]

Keep a close eye on her and if she is making more weird noises or breathing using her mouth go see a vet right away as it means she is very sick. Put your rat against your ears (rat phoning) and listen to her heart/lungs. Do you only hear her heart or congestion in her lungs too?

 

[Gribouilli]

Healthy vs. Sick rat sounds:http://www.joinrats.com/RatHealth/SOUNDS/HealthyOrSickSqueaks/

 

[Cookie and Mischief]

I listened to the first video, Rose's Noise, and when I phone Cuppy she sounds a lot like that. There's a sort of clicking sound coming from inside of her, though.