# Worried abouttwo of my rats constantly sneezing



## kaleidoscope_eyes (Feb 17, 2014)

Both Tilly and Chevy have been sneezing for months. The vet said it's probably hayfever/allergies and nothing they could do (because they also had scabs from scratching) and gave them a injection to help with it.
It's still happening. It doesn't seem to stop them doing anything, and aside from Tilly being weirdly feral (maybe because she's mad about the mite spray/injection?) they seem to be acting really normal. Their appetites are the same, they're still moving about and climbing and chewing things. Aside from the sneezing I see nothing unusual about either of them.

Can it just be an allergy problem and just be causing sneezing with no other effect or is there something worse going on/going to happy?


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## LeStan82 (Dec 31, 2013)

All the rats that I have had sneeze several times a day, every day especially when sniffing things or the air. I use all fleece, but I do have other pets. And they show no symptoms at all other than sneezes. I cant figure it out either. So I just pay close attention,if I hear wet sneezes or hear congestion, puffy coat, slight lethargy or more porphrin then I start anitbiotics.if you figure out what the cause is, I would be interested in knowing what it is you find out.


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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

My girls seem to take turns on who will sneeze each day. They all do it randomly on and off.


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## kaleidoscope_eyes (Feb 17, 2014)

I hope its just sneezing from things in the air/felt in their cage. I will keep comment on here if it ends up being any thing else.


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## Perocore (Jan 6, 2014)

My boys started sneezing a lot shortly after I brought them home (have had them for a month now). I was worried so we brought them into the vet, who listened very closely to their lungs for a while, only to determine that they're fine- not congested or anything. In fact they don't even have nasal discharge/etc. I've continued listening to breathing and still no problems with that. I have noticed that mixing honey into their water really cuts down on the sneezing. It's an awful lot of sugar, but it does have medicinal properties and as long as they're healthy and muscular (not fat) I don't worry. I did remove their carefresh bedding though, since that seemed to make it worse, and since then the sneezing isn't so consistent. 

I would just keep an eye and listen to their breathing carefully, if it ever sounds snotty/wheezing/congested/rattling then I would bring them back to the vet. So long as it sound clear I wouldn't be too worried. I have a rabbit (different species, I know) who has been constantly sneezing, everyday, all the time, for the past 5 years. With her I just have to watch the hay and food I give her, since it seems to be a dust allergy, but all around she's perfectly healthy. It seems some animals (and people, haha) are just chronic sneezers.


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## kaleidoscope_eyes (Feb 17, 2014)

I have bad allergies so I know what its like with the constant sneezing. I will keep an eye on them and their breathing but it looks like it may just be regular sneezing. Fingers crossed anyway.
Thanks for the comment, I'll try the honey thing (how much honey would you say?)


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## Perocore (Jan 6, 2014)

Per 1 cup of water I use about 1 teaspoon of honey. Then I stir it up and the water becomes a sort of opaque amber color, and the rats love it. It keeps them drinking and helps with the sneezing (not sure about the science behind it, but this has been my observation so far). It just has to be cleaned out/refilled everyday (which should be done anyways). It also works better in a cup instead of a bottle. I use the cups meant for birds/bird cages since they hook onto the cage and work well.


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## LeStan82 (Dec 31, 2013)

What kind of honey, just regular?


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Raw honey is best for rats, and is best served to them as rats can distrust odd-tasting water and dehydrate themselves. 


Rats get allergies and can also be affected by overt dry or wet air. Especially in the winter, me and the rats are walking around with sniffles for a few hours after waking up.


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## kaleidoscope_eyes (Feb 17, 2014)

We're still in hard summer here so I don't think it's the winter sniffles. I'll see how they go and watch their breathing and try the honey thing and hopefully my babies will be ok.


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## ahrat (Aug 12, 2013)

Local honey can help with allergies in humans, since it contains nectar from the local flowers, which helps build antihistamines/immunity. It might work with the same for the ratties?


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## Jackie (Jan 31, 2013)

I am totally in the same boat. Mine sneeze and I don't know how much is too much! Nothing sounds weird when I do the rat phone technique, but I am really worried and I do know how to dose baytril so I'm wondering if I should give Cami some because she seems to sneeze the most.

I am going to start off with tea and raw honey and if Cami is still sneezing I will give her some baytril with the tea and honey.


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## Jackie (Jan 31, 2013)

And of course Fontina took that as "time to splash around in the tea bowl." hahahahah


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## kaleidoscope_eyes (Feb 17, 2014)

I bought some natural honey from some Bee guy here. Have put it in their water. So far Eddie thinks its great, the other two don't seem so bothered.

What kind of tea do you guys use? I'd love to give them extra things to drink, specially in summer.


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## Ratbag (Nov 30, 2013)

My boys have had some sneezes recently also have been putting garlic oil (from a capsule) in one of their water bottles. They don't like sweet stuff much though I managed to trick them into eating honey yesterday by smothering some peas in it but the garlic water goes down well with them. It smelled pretty strong but it didn't put them off - they chose the garlic water over the bottle with plain water anyway.

I got a bit sick of the smell of garlic myself so cleaned the bottle out and gave them just fresh water yesterday but will probably resume the garlic water on and off.

I also put fresh oregano in their fresh food bowl yesterday - I have read here that oregano oil is good for rats, but I can't get hold of any locally so thought the fresh oregano might be as beneficial.


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