# New Rat, New Noises



## Antistata (Sep 30, 2012)

So, I've posted some picture in the Meet My Rat board of her, now I have to ask about all the weird noises she makes! She isn't the first rat I've had, but she's the first I've heard make so much noise. Especially this kind of noise. I'm used to the sound of grinding teeth, but not a rat sounding comparable to a dove. (It's the only thing we can think of.) She trills, makes the noise before sneezing, and will goes on with it while exploring sometimes. I don't know that there's any connection to the sneezing, it seems more like how a person might make a vocal noise before sneezing/during sneezing. 

I'm wondering how much sense this makes. 

I wanna sit here and think the sounds are cute, but I wanted to be sure it was a good sound before I gushed over how adorable she is in all ways. If it's needed, I'll try to capture and upload a video of her doing it. I have a video on my phone, but I have a lot of difficulties getting anything uploaded off of it. If I do manage to pull it off, I'll update this thread with it ASAP.

Thank you all for any and all help you may provide.


----------



## PurpleGirl (Oct 12, 2012)

Unusual breathing sounds are often a sign that the rat may be unwell, most likely a respiratory infection, it's a bit harder to advise without an audio clip so it'd be good if you can manage to let us hear. I had a blue rat who 'chirped' like a bird at random her whole life and wasn't sick, her lungs were clear as a bell, her nose wasn't congested, she mainly seemed to do it when she really wanted attention or when she was exploring. She did develop pneumonia in later life, so there may have been a connection all along, although I think that was the result of a weakened immune system after a pregnancy gone wrong. Sneezing often isn't really something that should go unchecked; if you're concerned at all about her health, I'd recommend a trip to the vet for a professional opinion. When in doubt, get the vet.


----------



## Antistata (Sep 30, 2012)

Well, I just got her yesterday. If there's any obvious health problems, I can take her back to where I got her. I'm not ignoring the sneezing or the noise - in fact I told my bf to pay attention, too. (Not that he does, lol.) 

I'll try to get a video of her weird noise as soon as possible.


----------



## Antistata (Sep 30, 2012)

Okay, so I'm really sorry this video has so much background noise, but you can still hear the noise she's making. http://youtu.be/NJb4LPKhsEU


----------



## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

Hmmm... it does sound related to the sneezing so I'd get that checked out, though I honestly have never heard that particular noise before so I'm not really sure what it is. The sneezing is probably just new home sneezes if you just got her yesterday, but if the sneezing is always accompanied by those sounds there could be a bigger issue going on. Have you held her up to your hear to listen to her lungs?
Also, the chattering teeth is either a sign of extreme happiness or stress. If she's doing it when she seems otherwise happy it's a very good sign, but if she's huddled in the corner chattering her teeth you want to make sure you're spending as much time with her as possible and getting her out of her shell.  Does she have a friend to keep her company?


----------



## PurpleGirl (Oct 12, 2012)

I didn't mean to sound like I meant you were ignoring the sounds. That's not like the chirping my rat did, that does sound more like a respiratory thing, especially if she's sneezing a lot; as Rumy says though, sniffles and sneezes when a rat comes into a new home are normal, it is possible she's just adjusting to the new smells etc. If you have any air freshener blocks/plug-in smelly things near her cage, I'd move them away, or if you're in the habit of spraying the room she's in with perfume or air freshener, try to do that in another room. If either you or your boyfriend smoke, try to do that in another room too. What kind of litter are you using in her cage? Some types are quite dusty which can aggrivate little rattie noses, others are unsuitable because they contain pine or cedar, which is bad for rats. We had to stop using Carefresh as it seemed to be getting dustier than ever before and it was making both me and my rats sniffly. If none of these things are a factor, I'd give it a week or so to see if it settles down, new home sniffles don't normally last long; if not, then I'd take it up with the place you got her from or the vet.


----------



## Antistata (Sep 30, 2012)

PurpleGirl: I didn't mean to seem like I thought you were being rude. D: I apologize. I am trying really hard to listen to her and watch how she acts. Doubling this as an answer for Rumy, she isn't always making those noises when she sneezes. However, having shared the video on a rat group, I was informed it sounded like a shallow URI. She otherwise is very active and playful, she has a playmate - our eldest rat. It doesn't sound as squeaky as when Mousie had a URI, though. It also doesn't sound like she whistles or weezes when she stickers her nose in my ear. (I've tried holding her to my ear, but she doesn't sit still long enough.) We have a lot of airflow up here, and the room is pretty large. If it seems like she's getting worse at all within the week, I'll rush her to get treated so it doesn't stand to become a huge problem. I'll also post more updates here so you wonderful folks can tell me what your experiences tell you.

I am seriously crossing fingers it's just her own noise, but I'm doubting it as well. :/

*Edit:* I don't use sprays or anything, either. All my candles and incense I use are in the next room. I also use "Clean & Cozy" because, as was stated, CareFresh got WAY too dusty.


----------



## ratclaws (Nov 11, 2012)

My girlfriend's rat Milly always makes noises like this but she's never ill... She makes them when she wants attention and usually at night. We know these noises are coming from her vocal cords and not her nose cause we watch her sniffing as she's doing it, and always stops making the noises when we pick her up and stroke her (if she wasn't in control of the noises she would continue even when being picked up, and wouldn't only make them when she's seeking attention or at night). Get her checked out just in case but you may just have a vocal rat. Milly has never been ill and she makes a very similar noise; she has since the age of 2 months and she's about 10 months old now.


----------



## Antistata (Sep 30, 2012)

ratclaws said:


> My girlfriend's rat Milly always makes noises like this but she's never ill... She makes them when she wants attention and usually at night. We know these noises are coming from her vocal cords and not her nose cause we watch her sniffing as she's doing it, and always stops making the noises when we pick her up and stroke her (if she wasn't in control of the noises she would continue even when being picked up, and wouldn't only make them when she's seeking attention or at night). Get her checked out just in case but you may just have a vocal rat. Milly has never been ill and she makes a very similar noise; she has since the age of 2 months and she's about 10 months old now.


I'll keep that in mind. She doesn't actually make the noise often, and honestly she doesn't sneeze that much when she does it - not anymore than she does normally. Actually, I haven't heard her sneeze much at all today... granted I spent half the day in the bathroom (yay, sick). I'll play with her again tonight and see how it goes, what noises she makes and such.


----------



## Moonferret (Apr 13, 2013)

If she's new to your house she may be sneezing because she's stressed, if its too often for comfort best see a vet but it doesnt sound like it's bothering you, maybe she got some dust up her nose, my boy Manuel is forever doing that when he gets excited and sticks his nose in something. The noise is similar to something one of my guys does when he's dozing and you scratch his ears and it just means he's enjoying it he hasn't got any medical problems but it is unusual for this sound to be audible to humans. You mentioned she's exploring when she makes the noise, maybe she's excited by the new environment?


----------



## Antistata (Sep 30, 2012)

Moonferret said:


> You mentioned she's exploring when she makes the noise, maybe she's excited by the new environment?


That's what I'm hoping for. She also made the noise while playing with Jane.


----------



## Moonferret (Apr 13, 2013)

It does sound very familiar to my guys happy noise and its at times when excitement is expected so I wouldn't worry too much


----------



## Antistata (Sep 30, 2012)

So, after paying close attention all night and playing with her after my bf got home from work this morning, I've noticed she isn't really sneezing that much. I'll be continuing to monitor her, though.


----------

