# Home Remedies for possible URI?



## missdarkmonster (Aug 5, 2013)

I have since found a vet that I can get to some counties away but he doesn't treat pet rats until they are around the 6 month mark. I have three ratties. Two of which I've already posted about some time ago which are doing great now. The vets where I live do not treat rats but told me to look into home remedies and also provided me with syringes that would make dosages easier. So I'm out of luck for a vet until my babies age a bit looks like. I live in quite a 'in the middle of nowhere' country area. Ahh. 

Ok, so my youngest female is 5 weeks today. She was housed on dusty carefresh bedding when I got her and she didn't start sneezing until I brought her home. She's in a quarantine cage but she's next to my pair and I've noticed recently that they've started little sneezes. I've rat phoned my ratties and haven't heard any rattling or abnormal breathing. No porphyn or discharge what so ever in any of them. All of them are wide eyed and eating/drinking/playing just fine. 

I've also noticed that when I have my youngest out that she doesn't hardly make any sneezing when I'm holding her and socializing with her. It's only when she's alone. So I'm wondering maybe is she showing stress signs from being alone? I tried introducing her to my pair but they would have NONE of it. Actually bolted from their cage which was quite the hassle. So.. anyways. 

I've been told that antibiotics are bad for pet rats this young.. and I wouldn't have a way to get ahold of antibiotics unless I bought it for birds and got the correct dosage for pet rats.. but right now I need home remedies until my pet rats age. 

I've heard of black tea leaves/raw honey, garlic? and how it's cleared up early infections.

Has anyone here had this luck with their ratties?

Should I adopt a fourth rat friend for my youngest? I was just afraid to add because shes sneezing and would hate to affect another if she's sick.. but I have reason to believe maybe it's from lonliness and stress?

Also sometimes she 'twitches' and popcorns around the cage much like a rabbit and the twitches scare me a bit.. Is she just trying to play? too much energy because she's a baby?

Telling me to go to a vet is not an option at the moment as the vets around here will not take them YET. They will have access to a vet when they are of age. There's nothing more I can do about that. 

So home remedies like garlic? or baytril for birds (though I heard it's bad for rats this young and I'm wary)?


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## TexasRatties (Jun 2, 2013)

It could be new home sneezes which can last 2-3 weeks and they are just trying to get use to their new environment. That is dumb that the vet won't treat them till they are older. Doxyciline is often used for young rats that is what I got prescribed maybe a vet could give you some idk. Honey and a little bit of dark chocolate can help but it's just a surpress it doesn't really make it go away. I hope you can find some help with your rats.


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## missdarkmonster (Aug 5, 2013)

Thank you =/ and I thought it was new home sneezes until I heard my pair sneeze but the pair I've only heard a sneeze maybe twice a day or so? So maybe I'm just being paranoid with them having gotten sick. I know =( counties around there are no vets that treat them, I actually walked inside each vet listed and asked personally and only one vet gave me the syringes and some tips. My mom finally suggested the family vet that's counties away who treats all small exotics but he is simply not comfortable treating rats until they are older. I don't know if it has to do with the size? Or because he's not experienced with providing antibiotics to rats or rats that young? So all I can do is wait and hope it's nothing and perhaps look into a fourth if I thought it would help ease her lonliness. I have all the time I need on hand to provide for my fur babies.


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## Nimh (Jun 3, 2013)

missdarkmonster said:


> Also sometimes she 'twitches' and popcorns around the cage much like a rabbit and the twitches scare me a bit.. Is she just trying to play? too much energy because she's a baby?


I'd keep an eye on her for awhile about this.

My Nimh did this a lot and it turns out they were seizures. If she does it and she acts normal afterwards it could be just normal pop-corning but if you find her "frozen" afterwards or acting strangely I would cut back on her sugar intake and watch over her.


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## missdarkmonster (Aug 5, 2013)

Aww =( She acts normal, I haven't seen any freezing but it looks kind of violent when she twiches, I'll reach in and play with her with my fingers and occasionally she'll hop around but then her head/upper body will twitch rather fast and it makes me jump half the time though she just continues throughout her play time as normal. I've looked into seizures, epilepsy, brain disorders, inbreeding possibilities? but I haven't found anyone with quite the same details as my Harley Quinn haha I'll keep an eye on her though! I've been monitoring any changes each day to keep a record for when I can get to a vet if this is still persisting


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## TexasRatties (Jun 2, 2013)

My male rat does this popcorn jumping motion he is just playing he is a healthy rat. He thinks he is hiding and go seeking and will jump out and come to my hand and I will hand wrestle with him.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Some rats do the twitching / hiccuping thing other's don't. And some baby rats stare into space and freeze up for no reason... both are normal. Some rats get new home sneezes for about a week, also normal. Some don't. All rats sneeze a few times a day to clear their nostrils.

For the most part it's best to watch and wait and see how things develop. Fuzzy Rat did the twitching / hiccuping thing practically every day of her life and she came home with the sneezes and we have even had rats that would freeze solid like statues for minutes as a time when they were pups, even while tapping their heads that grew up to be perfectly normal. Basically, I look for symptom progression, if something gets worse day to day then you need a vet. Well obviously there are certain crisis situations, like bleeding from the mouth or difficulty breathing etc that might need immediate care, but for the most part young rats are under warrantee from mother nature.


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## missdarkmonster (Aug 5, 2013)

Oh <3 Thank you both for your comment, it's really nice to hear that someone else has had odd behavior from a baby. It's my first time owning such a younger rattie and for the life of me I couldn't find anything online about her behavior and thought the worst. Of course I'll keep an eye out and watch for progression if something gets worse but it's really relieving to hear that I'm not the only one out there with an oddball!


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## TexasRatties (Jun 2, 2013)

My rat Rumple is a goof head he will jump around and spring and just acted silly and my other boy Killian is the opposite he is much more serious and gentle.


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## missdarkmonster (Aug 5, 2013)

That's how mine are!

Graycee is extremely impatient, a food hog, quite the pushy bully to her cage mate Kitten.. really vocal, jumpy and skittish and still nips quite a lot though she also gives lots of licks and lets me pet her as much as I want lol She's just far more active then Kitten. She's been known to grab fingers and use the cage as leverage to try to pull your hand inside the cage haha!

Kitten is true to her name and is super gentle and sweet, slow and patient and will wait an eternity just watching you waiting on a treat or some scritching. Very quiet unless she's being picked on by Graycee and a lot smaller then Graycee as well even though there the same age..

While this baby, I haven't decided if I want to name her Harley Quinn or Bunny yet.. but she's the most hyper rat I've ever seen. She ignores treats when you open her cage and goes straight for you. Wrestling with your hand and 'treeing' your arm to get to your shoulder or hair. She's totally people friendly and I've only had her for a week today.


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## dr.zapp (Dec 24, 2012)

TexasRatties said:


> It could be new home sneezes which can last 2-3 weeks and they are just trying to get use to their new environment. That is dumb that the vet won't treat them till they are older. Doxyciline is often used for young rats that is what I got prescribed maybe a vet could give you some idk. Honey and a little bit of dark chocolate can help but it's just a surpress it doesn't really make it go away. I hope you can find some help with your rats.


To correct this- Doxycycline should NOT be used in young rats. http://ratguide.com/meds/antimicrobial_agents/doxycycline.php 
However, Baytril and Amoxicillin are ok if necessary http://ratguide.com/meds/antimicrobial_agents/


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