# VERY worried about rats behaviour after alpha female passed away



## clarry (May 19, 2008)

We had 5 rats in a cage together and our girl Molly was DEFINITLY the alpha female and hes been for well over a year, all the other rats were so close to her, over the last 2 weeks she has suffered with HLD and her back legs have deteriated really quick until today she literally couldnt walk and was panting and wheezing and had porphyrine (sp?) all over her face and she was a state, there was nothing we could do so we took her to the emergency vet and got her put down, now this evening the other 4 are acting really odd, not really doing much just sort of laying around and wont even take there favourite treats! They seem kind of ill, but Im thinking they may be depressed / greiving as Im pretty sure they knew she was ill.
What do you guys think?
I thought about the possibility of them catching something but then we have 2 other rats who are in contact with them (in the intro stage) and they are FINE and bouncy. Im really worried about them and just hope they are just feeling sad. PLEASE let em know what you think.


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## noMoreFaith (Apr 28, 2010)

Probably sad. Rats form strong bonds. I had a young sick rattie, which died two or three weeks after being introduced to my older females. The morning I'd found her they seemed unwilling to move around and looked kinda lost...but after a few hours they got back to normal.


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## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

I would guess they are greiving..did they see the body? I usually show my rats the bodies of those who pass on, so they know where the other went and can say goodbye.

It sounds like they know what happened.. keep an eye on them, listen to their breathing and watch for signs of major illness, and keep an eye on stools, and keep tempting them with food. They need time to grieve. Out time with you wouldn't hurt either.


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## clarry (May 19, 2008)

*Re: VERY worried about rats behaviour after alpha female passed away (URGENT)*

In reply to your message, no they didnt see the body, we dont have the space to bury her so had to have her cremated by the vet. 

Ok, now this has taken a turn for the worse and I really dont know what to do. Last night Edward started breathing very heavily and was being very lethargic, we awoke this morning to find he had passed. He is over 2 and a half, had lived alone most of his life and was then given up for adoption, he has struggled with an RI since we have had him and had become VERY close to Molly, but would he really go that quickly?
And what else is bothering me is that the others are still off their food and one of them seems to be panting. I really dont know what to do for the best and I cant get a vet appointment with someone who know until early evening. The one rat who is panting (Oliver) is young and healthy so I cant see what could be wrong with him other than feeling upset, but I cant see why that would make his breathing funny. 
What could this be?????


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

*Re: VERY worried about rats behaviour after alpha female passed away URGENT*

that's not normal grieving, that sounds rather like a nasty virus just hit your colony.  did you make sure to quarantine your new rats properly, or make sure to wash properly between handling other rats or being in pet stores and so on?

http://ratguide.com/health/viruses/ and more specifically, http://ratguide.com/health/viruses/sendai_virus_sv.php



> Sendai can devastate a pet or breeding colony. It moves quickly and the complications from secondary infections can virtually wipe out a group. Immediate antibiotic treatment is essential. During a Sendai outbreak a strict quarantine must be observed to ensure that the virus runs its course and is eliminated. No rats should enter or leave the group during this time. The only exception being expedited quarantine in a breeding colony. (Expedited quarantine is the removal of litters to another location to enable the infection to run its course without persistent infection from juvenile rats.)


they need to get to a vet asap.


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## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

*Re: VERY worried about rats behaviour after alpha female passed away URGENT*

And THAT is not normal at all. They need a vet. Now. Tonight if that's all you can do but ASAP. Jaguar is right- sendai is bad news.


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## clarry (May 19, 2008)

*Re: VERY worried about rats behaviour after alpha female passed away URGENT*

Been to the vet, she said she didnt think it was the sendai virus but couldnt be sure, they have allhad a shot of metacam, and come home with orally administrative doxy.
I did QT for 5 weeks, in a different house, and changed clothes and washed hands and any where else they had contacted between. Just please all keep your fingers crossed for my boys now. And thank you all so much for your replies.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

*Re: VERY worried about rats behaviour after alpha female passed away URGENT*

yeah, can't be sure, that's exactly it... the testing for it is incredibly expensive, and only something a breeder/rescue/lab/so on would be able to fund to make sure. it's that much more important to them to know... and it also helps tracking for rmca. makes you wonder how common viruses at home really are.

er... and a shot each of metacam... for what reason, exactly? good luck, though. hopefully doxy is enough.


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## clarry (May 19, 2008)

*Re: VERY worried about rats behaviour after alpha female passed away URGENT*



Jaguar said:


> yeah, can't be sure, that's exactly it... the testing for it is incredibly expensive, and only something a breeder/rescue/lab/so on would be able to fund to make sure. it's that much more important to them to know... and it also helps tracking for rmca. makes you wonder how common viruses at home really are.


Don't really understand what you mean by this to be honest. 

The vet said it sounded like they were having respiratory troubles and so she gave them a shot of metacam to reduce any inflammation-whatever the exact reason the advice and meds she gave are working as he has started perking up already, eating again, drinking and washing and moving around the cage. The other 2 are slowly getting better aswell, all 3 are still wheezy but they have another 12 days on meds so hoping that will clear up.

Thanks all for the help.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

If it stops working or the recovery plateaus (levels off, doesn't get better or worse) you will need to add another antibiotic to those rat's medicating regime. Doxy on its own is only really effective on very mild issues. The metacam helps with inflammation and any lingering discomfort.


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