# Ratty hiccoughs???



## CShadz6661 (Feb 12, 2012)

In the morning when I wake up I roll over and snuggle with Dakota. She always does this weird hiccoughing thing! I googled it and it says that this means she's very content. She always does this when I'm gone for a while and give her attention. I've never had a rat that did this before and I've had rats for 6 years.


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## Mazlet (Feb 2, 2012)

That's cute not come across it with my 2 though watson chitters when stroked


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## Arashi (Feb 4, 2012)

My rat makes some weird noise as well, I'm not sure how to describe it. Sounds like a small squeaking cough. I always pray there's nothing wrong with it when I hear. I'm not sure if it's the same noise your rat makes lol. It's very active though.


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## CShadz6661 (Feb 12, 2012)

It's not really a noise so much as it is just a quick jerky/jumpy movement. She'll usually brux or boggle too. I can understand, because we're very close, but rats have a one way digestive track and can vomit or burp. I'd think hiccoughing would be the same way....?


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## CShadz6661 (Feb 12, 2012)

Mazlet said:


> That's cute not come across it with my 2 though watson chitters when stroked


Dakota chitters and boggles. She's Siamese, so she's very vocal! Ever since Mika turned one, she likes to sleep and stay in the cage. So Dakota and I are virtually inseparable! I've seen her chitter, boggle, brux, snuggle and she'll even groom me when she's happy or excited.... But I've never seen this before. I just took her to the vet a while back and she's healthy as a horse. If I knew what it was, it would be cute.


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## 1a1a (May 6, 2011)

Could be contentment, could be a URI, could be both (the contentment setting off the URI)


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

The jerky/jumping movement from what I've observed is congestion, and they sit in the hunched position and try to cough/sneeze it out. It might look cute, but it could be an indication of underlying respiratory disease so I'd keep an eye on it. 

Also - a rat's coloration/markings has absolutely zero influence on their personality. They're not like cat or dog breeds where they can be vastly different. There are a lot of rumors around that say things like blue rats are less friendly but it's simply untrue. They're all Rattus Norvegicus with minor coat color gene alterations


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## CShadz6661 (Feb 12, 2012)

I doubt it. She's completely healthy. I just took her to a vet a few weeks ago, and she wouldn't get a URI that soon after. It only happens when I'm away for a while and come back. Other wise, she's completely fine. She does have separation anxiety, and when she was just a few months old she used to whimper when I'd even be across the room without her. When she does it, she chitters and boggles. I don't think she would if she was coughing or sneezing.


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## ChelseaMorning (Feb 28, 2012)

Jaguar said:


> Also - a rat's coloration/markings has absolutely zero influence on their personality. They're not like cat or dog breeds where they can be vastly different. There are a lot of rumors around that say things like blue rats are less friendly but it's simply untrue. They're all Rattus Norvegicus with minor coat color gene alterations


That is actually untrue. Behavioral traits are polygenetic, but many of the genes that control behavior share space on the chromosome with physiological processes and so there are strong correlations between behavioral traits and morphological traits. The best example of course is Balyaev's foxes, but there is significant research showing that animals (including rats) with agouti (wild type) coloring are less docile than animals with non-agouti coloring. I do not know if siamese/pointed rats are more vocal than their non-pointed counterparts. Perhaps some one will have to do some research on that.

Here is a link discussing coat color studies: http://www.ratbehavior.org/ExperimentalCoatTempmt.htm

Sorry I can't help with the hiccoughing. I do hope everything is alright.


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## binkyhoo (Sep 28, 2008)

One of my rats used to Hiccup every so often. It would come on for maybe 2 minuets and go away. Usually after eating as I observed. It scared me but she never had a URI for her entire life.


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## CarolineRose (Nov 18, 2011)

http://www.joinrats.com/RatHealth/SOUNDS/Hiccups/14910716_3VHRLf#!i=804554790&k=Emz4t&lb=1&s=A

Cutest little vid of rat hiccups ♥ Your welcome ♥


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## PipRat (Jan 24, 2012)

CarolineRose said:


> http://www.joinrats.com/RatHealth/SOUNDS/Hiccups/14910716_3VHRLf#!i=804554790&k=Emz4t&lb=1&s=A
> 
> Cutest little vid of rat hiccups ♥ Your welcome ♥


Aw that is very sweet! I was just searching the thread for rat hiccups because I saw one of mine do this exact thing. The hiccups are silent, am I right? I don't hear any noises just see the movement and I think it has to do with being content? Thanks for the link to the video I enjoyed it!


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## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

I got a Siamese and a himilayan and neither make any more noise than my other rats. If anything its my dumbo earred male that makes the most noise but thats because his hooded cagemate gets kinda aggressive in grooming sessions- not like barbering or anything, he is just a big baby...makes quite a fuss getting a bath too! LOL!

What exactly does a rat "whimper" sound like?? In my 10+ years of owning a rat, I have never heard a rat whimper.


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## BigBen (Nov 22, 2011)

One of my rats hiccoughs, but I have never noticed any of the others doing it. He is also my sneezy, URI-prone boy, so make of it what you will. I haven't noticed him hiccoughing while sick, however, only during his healthy periods. Again, make of it what you will.

@Shawna, I'm not sure this is what you're talking about, but my rats make a very soft peeping sound when being aggressively groomed. It's doesn't sound like a complaint, exactly; that happens later and is louder. If the grooming goes on too long or gets more aggressive, then they stop this peeping/whimpering and go to full-fledged squeaks of complaint. So maybe the soft sound is what they mean when they talk about rats' whimpering?


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## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

This point has to be raised: you just took Dakota to the vet? But Mika has been suffering for 2 months and you haven't taken her?


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