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Sneezing?

Brizzle

Brizzle

Craziness
My rats are just pets, but I thought I could ask this here. Since it seems like there are a few people on this site who own and breed rats.
The question I have is about them sneezing all the time. If they're sneezing all the time, but have no other symptoms of a respiratory infection, should I still worry? They seem healthy, fat, and active. I clean their cage once a week. Should I do it more? I'm just hoping it's just sneezing. Nothing else. Their eyes and nose are clear and they eat fine. Anyone else have rats that tend to sneeze a lot? I'm hoping nothing is going on with them, because it'll be hard to come up with money for vet bills.
 
It may be what you are using for bedding...Ceder and pine(sometimes) seem are not the best to use! Aspen seems to be the best choice.. Or Carefresh...
Sometimes if the bedding is really dusty that can cause problems... Can you hear them breathing all the time? That could mean a respiratory infection...
Ryan-Valley Pets
 
I use carefresh bedding. I don't hear any wheezing or anything in them either. They occasionally squeak, but I think that's just them being rats. But I've held them up to me and listened, and their breathing sounds fine. I give them food boxes whenever I'm done with them for them to play with. Maybe that could cause something?
 
Carefresh is good stuff, no dust... Mine sneeze everyonce an a while.. Nothing big... Same as us I guess?!
Keep an eye on them if they keep doing it over and over again then you may have a problem..
Ryan-Valley Pets
 
Carefresh does certainly NOT have no dust. A lot of rats have problems on carefresh, as it is QUITE dusty. Try aspen and see if that helps.

Rat respiratory problems are quite common and if they are always sneezing then they probably need decent antibiotics. If they're pets, I'd take them to the vet.
 
Aspen seems like that'd be uncomfortable for the rats. But I guess maybe not since they sleep in their hammocks 90% of the time.
I'll try the aspen before taking them to the vet. I don't think it's very serious because everything is clear and they're eating just fine. Probably just the carefresh. Hopefully. Although the rat breeder I bought them from told me carefresh was the best to use.
Thank you for the advice and opinions! :)
 
mine sneeze too... they actually do it more when I give them a treat LOL. Their breathing sounds fine also. :shrugs:
 
By the time it seems serious, it may be too late to treat. Rats hide their symptoms until they are REALLY sick. They're prey animals, it's a survival mechanism.
If they are constantly sneezing, it should probaby be medicated.

If you don't want to go to a vet, you can get baytil , doxycucline and amoxicillin online at racing pigeon supply sites, just make sure you look up the proper dosage. usually around 2-5 mg twuce daily depending on their weight.

Knowing which ones to use is the hard part. If it's mycoplasma, baytril and doxy, if it's some other bacterial infection, amoxicillin may work.
 
Flagg said:
By the time it seems serious, it may be too late to treat. Rats hide their symptoms until they are REALLY sick. They're prey animals, it's a survival mechanism.
If they are constantly sneezing, it should probaby be medicated.

If you don't want to go to a vet, you can get baytil , doxycucline and amoxicillin online at racing pigeon supply sites, just make sure you look up the proper dosage. usually around 2-5 mg twuce daily depending on their weight.

Knowing which ones to use is the hard part. If it's mycoplasma, baytril and doxy, if it's some other bacterial infection, amoxicillin may work.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info.
Since I'm too worried I'd hurt my rats by doing something myself, I'll most likely take them to the vet. I emailed the breeder I bought them from asking her which vet she uses. I guess I can't worry about money because if I had kids and they were sick, I know I would worry more about their health than their medical bills. And my pets are pretty much my kids. Once the breeder gets back to me it's vet time. Better be safe than sorry.
 
Have you had them very long? A lot of times rats get sneezy when you first bring them home, the stress of the new environment and all. That should only last a few days though.

It could just be the carefresh, some rats get sneezy from the dust in carefresh.

If you check pet rat sites there is a ton of information on rat respiratory problems. Unfortunately it is all too common in pet rats.
 
I've had them since December. It's been going on for a little bit now and I've noticed it's been getting worse. That's why I'm worried. At first I just thought it was them, and didn't think anything of it. Their cage is one of those stacked cages though, so the bottom only has the carefresh. They're usually always at the top sleeping in their hammocks. Would the carefresh still affect them if they're hardly ever at the bottom?
 
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