# My rat is making weird noises anyone elses?



## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

I am worried my rat has started making weird noises today. I was wondering if anyone elses had or had any tips. I think it maybe a respritory problem.


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## madeittothemoon (Nov 1, 2007)

What does the noise sound like?


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

it does it when it is breathing in and out and it sounds like wheezing. I tried giving her a bath, i got rid of the pine stuff (that stuff is evil), I gave her a steam bath and let her sit on the side of the bath with a napkin.


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

How do you get a picture of your rat in replacement of the head with a question mark? Just wondering.


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## madeittothemoon (Nov 1, 2007)

If she was on pine, then it probably is an upper respiritory (sp?) infection. She'll need to go to the vet for that so she can get some medicine. Are the other rats that she's in the cage with wheezing as well?

To change your avatar, click on your profile. On the left hand side of the screen, there will be a box with a bunch of links (named "My account tools"). Click on "my avatar", which is under the "personal" heading.


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

My rats have seperate cages otherwise they will fight  i wish they would get along together.

Is there any other way to help besides going to the vet?


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

my naked rat, winkie doesn't weeze and she was on pine.


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

I found something online that can help if your rat has respritory problems get a asthma inhaler and squirt it in the way the rat is facing. It works! Thank you for helping me!


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## madeittothemoon (Nov 1, 2007)

Pine is AWFUL for rats... if you want wood shavings, the only one that is okay for rats is Aspen. Carefresh, aspen, Yesterday's News, and fleece are all MUCH, MUCH better. Please understand that the pine can actually kill your rats.

You will need to take your rat to the vet. If she's been on pine, it's probably pretty serious. In the future, you may want to place a humidifier by the cage (my girls have breathing problems, but it's all environmental, since I live in a very old house- the humidifier works wonders).

Also, your girls need to be in a cage with at least one other girl. Rats are extremly social animals and need another rat around. How bad were their fights getting? The key is basically "no blood, no foul". Rats "fight" a lot to establish dominance, but it is typically just fine.


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## AlxBlack17 (Dec 3, 2007)

pooky said:


> I found something online that can help if your rat has respritory problems get a asthma inhaler and squirt it in the way the rat is facing. It works! Thank you for helping me!


There is no way you should be medicating a rat with albuterol. They already have a very fast heart rate and the albuterol is a stimulant that will speed up her heart rate even further. She will get high and it could cause a heart attack. You have no way of measuring how much medication the rat would be inhaling and she could easily overdose.


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## madeittothemoon (Nov 1, 2007)

Whoa... we posted at the same time and I didn't even realize it. Alx is right, an inhaler would be HORRIBLE. Inhalers make my heart race... imagine what it would do to something that small?


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## Messerschmitt (Nov 28, 2007)

My borther uses and inhaler, and he's nearly 6'4" tall! I know nothing about rat meds (or ANY meds for that matter) but I know using an inhaler on a rat would be a very bad idea.
(Your icon is kinda huge. Could you make it a bit smaller? Sorry if I sound cranky ><)


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

i think i have a humidigier. My rats will fight with eachother that is why they are in seperate cages. can someone help me introduce eachother?


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

pookie has stopped making the noises. i transfered her into winkies cage after i cleaned it and put newspaper in instead. The rats are not fighting . i am planning on leaving them the way they are over night please suggest more things to me.


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

now they are displaying dominance.


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## Darksong17 (Feb 11, 2007)

pooky you need to take Pookie to the vet. The fact that she's stopped making noises does not mean she's well again. Please have her looked at. Do you have a good rat vet?

Dominance displays and rough housing are all normal. The general rule with rats is "no blood no foul". If they aren't drawing blood on each other they are probably fine and just dominance fighting.


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## AlexzRose (Aug 15, 2007)

Definitely take her to the vet. Time is of the essence when it comes to sick ratties.


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

i just started a vaporizer for the room. i hope it helps.


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## Darksong17 (Feb 11, 2007)

pooky said:


> i just started a vaporizer for the room. i hope it helps.


Regardless of whether it helps with the symptoms it will _not_ eliminate the problem. Please be a responsible pet owner and take your rat to the vet.


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

i have convinced my dad that i need to take pooky to the vet. we will be going there this weekend on saturday. thank you all very much and one more thing do you know any good vets in the austin,texas area? I heard lakeline was a good vet for dogs and cats.


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## Darksong17 (Feb 11, 2007)

Good to hear. Here's some recommended rat vet lists:
http://www.petinfopackets.com/rats/rathealth.html#vetlists

You can see if any are near you.


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

alright thanks darksong.


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

i need more noledge... when i went to the website you gave me it is really helpful but i don't know what baby food my rat can have.


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## Darksong17 (Feb 11, 2007)

Just jarred baby food, Pooky. Vegetable baby food, fruit baby food, whatever. Is she loosing weight and not eating? If not then the baby food is a good treat but not really necessary. Did you find a vet on those lists?


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

i just got back from the vet with medicine for her and i mixed it up with pear baby food. Tomorro i am going to get her new food and bedding.


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

pooky is healthy i just need to give her 1ml of the stuff twice a day. she won't eat from a spoon so i have to feed her with my fingers. why won't she eat from a spoon?


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

the lakeline vet was THE best. i heard about it from a worker at petsmart when i was looking for a new vet for my dog. the lady there was SO nice pooky fell asleep while the lady was stroking her. but i kinda feel bad because pooky peed on the pregnant veternarian. X[


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## Darksong17 (Feb 11, 2007)

Please stop replying to your own post with your comments repeatedly. If you make a comment and forget that you wanted to say something more you can go back and edit that comment to add to it.

What medication were you given and how long is she on it for?

Instead of offering the baby food with the medicine mixed in it on a finger or with a spoon you can try putting it in a small dish or on a small plate and let her lick it up from there.


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## pooky (Dec 10, 2007)

she is on it for two weeks it is called Baytril Suspension. should i take pookie's cage mate out or not?
*post edited


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