# It's getting worse, what's wrong with my rat?



## kitcatcodi (Jan 8, 2012)

Okay as all know I purchased Sully a little less than a month ago. He is getting to be a big boy but he's still my baby . When I brought him home he had the new ratty sneezes and I waited a few days for it to settle down. That didn't happen. He ended up being sick with a ''URI'', so the vet said. Personally I think my veterinarian that I went to had no idea what he was doing. He gave me Doxy for his URI, but Doxy is meant for Myco. Am I wrong? I could be wrong. Anyways, this was two weeks ago. I'm pretty sure. My mind is scrambled like eggs, sheesh. My ratty seemed fine on the medicine, he wouldn't sneeze, he was eating, drinking, playing and doing everything a ratty should. I took him off the medication because it was meant for a week only. He was fine for an entire day, the next day but the next it all went downhill. Let me refresh everyones memory: he was in woodshavings when I took him in. I've given him fresh fruits, vegetables, his lab blocks and a mixture of a basic diet including fresh water. I put a heating pad underneath one side of the cage, draped a towel over the front and top and kept it free of urine and feces. His litter box stays clean! He has a baby blanket made up of flannel in the bottom of the cage. The room stays clean so no dust. It's rat safe and everything is perfect. Just here recently he began acting funny and by funny I mean attacking me. If I'm attempting to clean his cage or simply fix something he jumps and latches himself onto my arm and nips. I'm thinking this is simply him being territorial because he's going through that stage and he's alone. (I'm working on getting another ratty once he's all better.) His fur is becoming puffy when he sleeps and is kind of oily in a way. One night I saw red around his nose but remembered it wasn't blood, I cannot think of the proper term for it as of right now but this was once and this was while he was being medicated. Anyway, he isn't playful anymore. He nips and sleeps all day. Now when I take him out for free time he hops onto my arm and moves fast, nipping and scratching me everywhere. I know it's just hormones and I should have him neutered but I cannot afford it seeing that my mother refuses to pay. He just isn't the same anymore  can someone tip me on this behavior? Is it because of his health? Because he is lonely? I cannot put another ratty in there if he is sick again and his hormones are wacky! I'm a first time rat owner so I'm at loss for a solution.


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## 1a1a (May 6, 2011)

How old is he? Hormones come into play somewhere between 4 and 10 month.

The puffy coat suggests a possible relapse, the change in behaviour could be because he's feeling off colour but don't quote me on that. Doxy is a good med to use for a URI, could be worthwhile using it in combination with baytril. 

Is he still lively? Or really floppy and lethargic?


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## kitcatcodi (Jan 8, 2012)

I was told by another ratty owner that the Doxy was for Myco? Hm, they may have been wrong! Good to know. Should I continue the medication? I think I'll continue the rest of what is left of it/keep doing what I'm doing and see where to go from there. He is lively at times, he gets these sudden bursts of energy out of no where but then he's just lethargic and looks lonely. I'm hoping he is better by next Saturday, I planned to travel to Columbia, SC to adopt a ratty friend. Do the whole quarantine thing for three weeks in a separate room and hopefully everything goes well. Should I ask my vet for Baytril? To be honest, I'm not sure how old he is because when I got him he was alone in an aquarium tank with wood shavings. Hence the reason why he is alone now. I'll include a video that I had previously recorded for another thread today in this thread. Do you think estimate his age through that? ???


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## kitcatcodi (Jan 8, 2012)




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## RainbowLove19 (Jan 24, 2012)

Seems like you have the all living things cage I hate that cage. Its small and not well made my rat who is living in it is being moved to Super Pet My First Cage For Exotics can be found on amazon.com and with free shipping. Also the bars are small babies cannot escape =).


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## 1a1a (May 6, 2011)

URIs are typically thought to be caused by myco, people use the two terms interchangably 

He looks in good nick in that video, is he still energetic like that? Doesn't look too old either. Closer to young adult than middle aged by my guessing.

He probably should go back on the antibiotics and stay on them for a longer period, as far as I know, one week will help symptoms subside but will not get rid of the problem.

Once we get the all clear on ratty health from your vet, we can tackle the behavioural things. In the mean time, I suggest, putting the cage on a table (or your bed) and sitting yourself at that table (or on the bed) with a book or some other form of entertainment and opening the door to the cage so Sully can come out of his own volition. If the nipping is a territorial thing, this should fix it. If he's become hormonal, he might do things like trying to dominate your hand. Anyway, the prime objective is to get some interaction with him, outside of his cage. Having some tasty (liquidy) treats on spoons handy can't go astray (just don't mix baytril and dairy if when you get some as the dairy deactivates the baytril).


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## kitcatcodi (Jan 8, 2012)

I actually like the all things living cage, to me it seems much bigger than what most ratty owners have  and its easy to clean! The doors are great and so easy to open. Perhaps later on down the line I will invest in another or perhaps not. He has all the room a little ratty needs. Its much more spacier when you take out a shelf, ramp and what not.  I'm going Thursday to have Sully checked up on the vet and head to the shelter to get another ratty. I figured while the other ratty is busy quarantined Sully will be fine. It's my only opportunity to get another rat seeing that its two hours away and I won't be able to find another excuse to head over there. Thanks you guys.


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## CarrieD (Nov 20, 2011)

Here is a very good article regarding respiratory infections in rats. 

As for the ALT cage, I have one myself, it's now on it's third group of rats, and I couldn't be happier with it.


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