# What does a choking rat look like?



## therathugger (Feb 9, 2012)

I had my rat sherlock eating his normal lab blcoks but he ate it very fast. I just want to know what choking looks like and how to prevent it just in case if one of my rats begins to choke.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

http://www.ratballs.com/RatTails/Tails098.html

This page has some helpful info. 

I also have to stress how important it is to just leave them alone if they are having a choking episode UNLESS they are obviously having trouble breathing or their toes, lips, or tail start to turn blue (lack of oxygen). Messing with them can stress them out and trying to do something like a heimlich could make it worse.

I have only witnessed a choking episode once with Bernard. He was laying flat on his stomach, making occasional retching movements, and foaming heavily at the mouth. He cleared the obstruction in about 30 minutes, without assistance.


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## JessyGene (Feb 27, 2012)

One of my rats also experienced partial choking (it was pretty scary). She could obviously still breathe, but she was foaming a bit and it took her about half an hour to clear it out herself. If this happens to your rat, don't stare at her too closely because she might pretend that she is fine and stop working it out. Don't leave the rat alone, but give her a bit of space and don't stare or do anything to stress her out. I would only do the rat sling or heimlich if the airway is completely blocked.


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## A.ngelF.eathers (Jul 6, 2011)

Kalabar has been through this three times. The very first time I came here in a panic with my heart floating in my stomach. Each episode lasted about half an hour.
They will generally lay flat and drag themselves around while 'drooling'. 
I laid paper towels down for him and he rubbed his mouth along them to help pull out the lubricant he was producing. 
He was choking on pizza crust, if anyone's interested, thin and crispy from pizza hut to be exact. Each and every time. Neither of my boys will ever be allowed it again.

It's best not to move them or not even look at them. Glance back often to make sure they're still moving and seem responsive, but don't act unless your rat is unable to breathe. 

Cassius went through it once with a chicken bone. I was under the impression rats could have them... but he had trouble and I could see a look of panic cross his face when it happened. I didn't know about this forum at the time and I didn't know what to do, so I gave him a bowl of water and tried to encourage him to drink. He did drink a little and managed to get the obstruction down. It was very clear he was stunned after his ordeal and I think his air was possibly cut off for the short amount of time it went on -which was about 20 seconds. Longest 20 seconds ever .-.


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## katkandy (Mar 3, 2012)

yep, same happened with my boy, Anakin. he choked on a piece of rice that was inadvertently stuck to a piece of egg (from a dish of fried rice!) He foamed a lot at the mouth too and poked his tongue out a lot. i took him into the bedrom with me, turned out the lights and let him do his own thing. he climbed around, pooped etc...all the while me FREAKING out. eventually he was fine and a big lesson was learned...always check for rice bits!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

There are certain things that are more choking hazzards than others, unthinned peanut butter, potato, bread, rice, anything that feels sticky and gummy in your mouth will be so much worse for your rats as they are greedy guts and will gobble anything.

Most chokes look like the rat is standing there rigid, and braced, they put their head down, pull their ears and eyes back and look like they are wretching. Occasinally you will see saliva, produced to facilitate the movement of the stuck food item. The rat just needs to be watched but left alone.

More severe chokes are when the rat actually does a big open mouth gasp in between all of this, and they may do short panicked runs, they will drool a lot and even foam. These take longer and are MUCH more frirghtening to watch. But almost all of them clear on their own.If you rat

If your rat becomes unconcious or stops breathing, then you can do the Rat Fling...but ONLY in these circumstances...if a rat is working things out normally, they can breathe, and doign the Fling could move the stuck item into a worse place and cut off airflow...and the rat will die. This is ONLY a last resort.


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## therathugger (Feb 9, 2012)

Thanks so much guys this information potentially will save my rats lives. I am going to try to avoid the common choking hazards and do as told here. Like I said thank you!


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

Yeah what everyone described sounds normal Clarice choked on a fish cracker she stole from my niece it was scary but it wasn't as bad as some she gagged and stuck her tongue out then acted as if nothing happened.


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