Rat keeps sneezing?

Question

My rat sneezes but doesnt have any other issues. He seems to sneeze more when i hold him than when he is in his cage. He acts perfectly normal and eats/drinks like its his job. I held him up to my ear to listen to his breathing and i cant hear anything other than a heart beat and his teeth. Could it be his bedding? I am using aspen bedding and try to keep it clean. Any help would be wonderful.

Answer 1

How long have you had him??
In my experience, rats tend to sneeze for a while when they get to a new home..I''ve had some sneeze for a month when I go them home...
Look at his nose...if his nose looks like it's bleeding, change the bedding, and keep and eye on it, if it happends again on clean bedding, then you may want to get him looked at by a small animal vet... ( by the way, the red stuff is NOT blood...it's their boogers... )

It's NOT your bedding...ASPEN is the safest bedding for small animals..it doesn't have toxins and isn't dusty...it absorbs odor and urine...but like all beddings, needs to be changed about once a week...
To help keep the bedding clean you should consider potty training, this way they go in one area that can easily be cleaned out every day or so, keeping the bedding cleaner...

PLEASE DO NOT PUT YOUR RAT ON HAY!!!! Timothy hay is a food substitute for rabbits and guinea pigs, it should never be used as a bedding...EVER!!!!
Stick with aspen and give him a while...

I hope this helps...GOOD LUCK!!!

Answer 2

Aspen bedding is good. I had one rat that was allergic when he was small, so I used fleece on the floor of the cage and for sleeping in. He outgrew his allergy, but fleece is good to use, you take it up when you clean the cage, put a new one down, shake the poops and uneaten food into the trash and wash the fleece.

If he is young he may sneeze more out of the cage, because of sniffing around exploring. Rats use their sense of smell more than vision.

He could be sick with Myco, but probably isn't or he would have more severe symtoms. A check up wouldn't hurt though.

I use fleece hammocks. I now use newspaper on the bottom floor, with shreeded newspaper. The ink is soy based. Also hemp bedding is good, in my experience.

If you only have one ratty I suggest you get him a buddy ofg the same gender. Rats live in social groups. If he is full grown it may take time to introduce a youngster to him, if he is still young, not so long.

Answer 3

It sounds like your rat is having myco flare ups. All rats have this disease. Myco causes your rat's respritory tract and immune system to weaken, leaving it vulnerable to outside infections.

Only a strong round of antibiotics will help keep the sneezing down. You should take your rat to the vet and have them prescribe you some ab's for your rat to take. Changing the bedding might help, as some rats are allergic to certain beddings. Avoid dusty beddings.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Aspen is fine and non toxic. Don't use pine or cedar. Rats are very prone to upper respiratory problems, and many will sneeze. As long as he is happy and eating well, I wouldn't be overly concerned. If he has nay discharge or acts sick, he would need antibiotics. It can be very difficult to totally get rid of "colds" in rats. Feed him rodent block--best most balanced diet for rats.

Answer 5

One of my rats does exactly the same. I took him to the vet who said it is normal for a rat to sneeze. If he does it a lot though and his breathing changes he will need antibiotics. I use vitamin drops, specially prepared for rodents, to help keep him healthy.

Answer 6

It sounds that at least part of the problem is his bedding. I recommend a corn-cob sort of bedding. But if you can get your hands on it, I recommend AlphaDri above all else. Unfortunately, its hard to come by. You can get it at http://www.theratshop.com/shop.php?cat=10, but its expensive to ship it. Call around your local stores to see if someone has it.

As for sneezing when he's out of the cage, he may be allergic to something you use, like perfume, soap or shampoo.

Answer 7

DON'T WORRY!!! My 2 rats do it all the time and i have a friend with a rat and she dose it to. He is just fine.
Wood bedding isn't the best for rats. Pine can cause breathing problems. I would suggest changing the beding to carefresh. Thats what i use.

Answer 8

call your vet and ask they could have a flare up or if to procure them from the puppy save a respiration an infection you have gotten to attend 2 weeks to verify if its inflammation and that it will circulate down yet while it does not and that they provide up eating or do no longer consume as plenty and in the event that they do no longer drink as plenty if there sound asleep ALOT extra then they in many situations do in case you hear them at night on a wheel and chewing and comprehend that there no longer any further get them to a vet success the meds are in many situations in common terms 20 greenbacks Ask your vet additionally in the event that they positioned them on meds attempt to ask for amoxicillin it is the main secure for rat maximum vets do no longer prescribe it because of the fact it may kill hamsters in case you rat continues to be growing to be Baytril or Enroflaxin, it may stunt his improve. and in case your vet is powerful do no longer positioned ANY element IN HIS WATER many vets do no longer ask you to try this cuz if the rats word there waters distinctive they gained't drink and could replace into deathly sick from dehydration are additionally you effective it replaced into blood men do combat if the rats have faith you sufficient ask somebody to hold them and supply them a solid rubdown attempt to sense each the place on there dermis for any cuts or bites they could desire to heal on there own and you may even sparkling them to help of it may desire to be boogers belive it or no longer the rats boogers and tears are purple

Answer 9

I reccomend Critter care bedding. Pine beddings can cause infections. Critter Care does not contain inks,solvents, or dyes. It encourages burrowing, and it will not harm your rat.

Answer 10

CHANGE THE BEDDING! Wood bedding, no matter what kind is harmful to small creatures, epecially Rats,Hamsters,Gerbils, and Mice. Get non-toxic bedding. No wood. It can cause nonse-bleeds; which is the most common side effect. My Hamster died of toxic bedding. Sadly, I had no idea what was wrong. His liver shut down. I looked up all the possibilities, and he had symptoms of a reaction to wood bedding. Maybe he has a cold? But change the bedding! Take him to your vet, maybe he is alergic to something.