# My rat is 'shivering' or 'shaking' ... or something (video attached)



## Lynnthered (Aug 19, 2012)

Hi rat-lovers

I'm worried about my fluffy baby, Nathaniel. She is about a year old (ish) and was recently at the vets because her sister, Superfly, has the snuffles. The vet said that Nathaniel has a little tiny bit of infection so she is on baytril in her water for a little while. She is eating, running about and happy enough in herself but I noticed tonight that she is doing this strange shaking... or shivering or something. It's hard to describe.



She was sitting on her little ledge and having a scratch and sniff of the air and stuff, and she just started pulling her head back a little and shaking. The way her head moves it was like she was going to sneeze like a human does, but then she just shivered and seemed to be fine for a few moments, then did it again. 
If you distract her she stops doing it. If she is out and about roaming around she doesn't seem to be doing it. It is only when she stops and sits still that she does this.

I took a video because I can't seem to decide if this is hiccups, respy (there's no noises at all from her when she does it), that she's in heat, she's having a mild seizure, she's cold (though the room we're in is quite toasty warm) or what.

Can anyone help? I can bring her back to the vet on Monday if needs be but I don't want to rush in to the vet in a panic if this is something normal and healthy! 

Thanks guys ???


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

She may have been in heat...when her friend bumped her she did a bounce and spin. Next time she does it scratch over her hips and see if she reacts like she's in heat.

As for the sick girl, its really not a good idea to give baytril in their water. Its a very old-school method that vets don't use much anymore. Antibiotic dosages are carefully calculated depending on a rat's weight, the concentration of the antibiotic and the reccomended dosage.

For eg. Your girl weighs 325 grams, your baytril is 25 mg/ml and the recc. dosage is 10 mg/kg = her dose would be .13 cc's twice a day. Putting it in water spoils their water source and there's no way to guarantee they get their 20mg/kg each day.


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