# Whining/crying rat?



## Rob&Beth (Aug 5, 2013)

My 2 yr old male got neutered a few days ago and I let him out for a little roam, he ran under the sofa and wouldn't come out. When I went under to have a look I heard him whining high-pitched, very quietly for a long time, like a little puppy. I offered him a treat and he slowly came towards me, one foot at a time. He is usually a greedy little guy but this time tentatively took the treat and nibbled slowly on it. In the end I had to pull the sofa out to get him. He was obviously very unhappy and it was so sad :-( 

I'm not sure why he is doing this... He could be depressed as his cagemate died a while ago and we got two new babies. He was aggressive hence the neuter but before his surgery we had the cages nearby. For the past couple of days we've had them separate as I didn't want to stress him out after the procedure, maybe he is lonely?

He could be in pain, but the wounds look clean and healthy to me. He has a checkup on Friday but if people think this is the problem then I can get some metacam for him tomorrow. I'm worried because it's really not like him to not grab treats instantly and gobble them up. He had a lot of porphyrin around his nose, but no other respiratory symptoms.

He could just be scared, as we recently got a kitten which he has seen through the bars, but they haven't interacted at all. The kitten couldn't care less but maybe it's an instinctual thing along with new scents, etc.

Finally, he could be jealous of the new kitten, and feeling sorry for himself. Of course I need to take care of the kitten a lot but I've still been getting the rats out and playing with them too, with the kitten in another room. However he's not getting as much free-ranging time as he used to back in the day because I don't want to have them out at the same time. Although, that's been less ever since we got the new rats a few weeks ago and his behaviour has only just changed.

It was heart-wrenching, I've never seen a rat act that sad before. Would appreciate anyones thoughts and advice... thank you!

Beth


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## LeStan82 (Dec 31, 2013)

Does he sit hunched or puffed fur? They didnt send him home with a few days of pain meds?


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## EmilyGPK (Jul 7, 2014)

I also wondered if they gave a few days of pain meds. Some pain for the few days afterwards would be normal.


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## Rob&Beth (Aug 5, 2013)

No, he had it in the morning and then a big dose that day. He's not hunched or puffy but he doesn't want me to pick him up, he plants his belly on the ground so I have to dig my hand under him. And when I lift him up to have a look at the wounds he doesn't like that at all and wriggles.

The vet is very good and has done many a rat neuter, and keeps rats himself. He said if he is looking hunched just come back for more pain meds (which I might do anyway). He didn't have stitches, just surgical glue and the sack is intact so it's not like the area is stretched...it's starting to scab over now.


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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

Poor rattie


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