# Snorting???



## gweneverelynn

Hey guys!
When one of my rats (Mutley) breathes, it is silent while he is sleeping, eating or just walking around on his own.
When he is around me, he sounds TERRIBLE!!! He snorts to the point where it sounds exactly like an upper respitory infection. I was deeply concerned over this and put him on antibiotics. Nothing changed. 
I've never heard of a rat snorting. Bruxing, yes but snorting?????
Any feedback would be awesome. Thanks!!!!
Love, Gwen


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## Carina

One of my girls makes weird sounds, too. But it has nothing to do with a respiratory problem or anything.
That's just was she does. I can't even describe it.... It sounds like.... Like she's struggeling, trying to get hard work done... *haha* I really can't describe it. It sounds really funny though.


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## Jaguar

That's interesting... How old is he, and how long have you had him? 

Maybe he gets overly excited / stressed when he's taken out of his cage? Do you reach in to get him out, or does he come out on his own? 

Maybe he's allergic to something, such as your shampoo, any perfume, fabric softeners, soap, etc... ?


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## gweneverelynn

Thanks guys!
No, he's 100% comfortable around the house and around me. My rats are uncaged. I converted 2 big cabinets into rat sanctuarys. Where they have they option to leave and walk around the house freely. They were raised that way so they have no cage issues. He is also 1 year old. When he wakes up, he walks over to couch where I am to say hi and just starts snorting away, lol.


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## Jaguar

Hm... Has he always done that, or is it just something recent? I have a sneezer/sniffler that is in great health... Sounds like you just have a snorter


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## gweneverelynn

;D I'm starting to think that too, lol.
He's fine!!! Quiet as a mouse! Around me? He's a snorter
Thanks guys.......
Love, Gwen


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## lilspaz68

snorting can also be called huffing maybe? And this can be a sign of dominance aggression. Does he puff out his fur, and drop his head down, and do these sounds?


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## gweneverelynn

No, he's too busy snuggling with me in my lap demanding more pets ;D


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## thyme

Two of my girls make noises similar to what you're describing. They're kind of a grunting/snorting sound, and I've only ever heard it while they're on me. I've taken them into the vet but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Maybe some are just more vocal than others.
When I first heard my rat grunt, I thought that it sounded like my rabbit - he used to make little grunts when he was uh..."excited"...don't know if that means anything though. Rabbits and rats exactly close like rats and mice.


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## zoe9

It's not normal for a healthy rat to make snorty grunting sounds. However it's quite common for a rat with a respiratory infection to make snorty grunting sounds when stimulated, such as when they're out of the cage playing, or when being held.

Gwen I would be inclined to believe your instincts were right and Mutley does has a respiratory infection.

What antibiotic did you put him on? Was it baytril, or doxycycline? If yes what was the dose and how long was the course? In my experience most rats being treated for the first time will respond to baytril on its own or doxycycline on its own. However there will always be exceptions.

One of my rats is prone to myco flare-ups and has ongoing respiratory problems. The first time I treated him for the snorty pig sounds I used baytril, but it didn't work. I had to combine it with doxycycline to get rid of the sounds. 

So Gwen I would recommend trying again but with a different antibiotic, or a combo.

Meanwhile Carina, why do you believe the noises your girl makes aren't respiratory? Is it because you've tried antibiotics with no improvement or because she seems otherwise fine?

The thing to remember with mycoplasmosis is it's a very gradual disease. Unless a secondary infection kicks in the rat will often seem fine with the only sign something is wrong being these grunty sounds. These sounds can continue for weeks or months with the rat appearing "fine", but damage is being done.

Thyme, I'd also recommend going back to your vet for a second opinion. Why did the vet think they were okay? Was it because he/she listened to the lungs and they were clear? If yes then you may need to point out that a rat with an_ upper _ respiratory infection will have clear lungs.

I know some people will tell you their rat isn't sick, it's just a snorter or a grunter or a chirper, but until I actually own a rat who snorts, grunts or chirps and who doesn't respond to any of the recognised respiratory antibiotics (baytril, doxy, zithromax, clavamox etc) and who lives to a decent age and dies of a non respiratory related cause then I remain sceptical. In my experience, weird breathing sounds are never good.

So my advice to all three of you is to get your rats on antibiotics and see if that makes a difference.


Edited to add - does anyone's rats sound like the rat in this video?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLf8Umaj-Pk


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## Carina

She (Twinky) seems totally healty and energetic.
My other girl (Pebbles) had a respiratory problem and her sounds were way different and much more alarming. Twinky's sounds are just very strange and she had it for the whole year I've had her. Aaahh, I wish I could explain the noise.


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## Stace87

Carina said:


> She (Twinky) seems totally healty and energetic.
> My other girl (Pebbles) had a respiratory problem and her sounds were way different and much more alarming. Twinky's sounds are just very strange and she had it for the whole year I've had her. Aaahh, I wish I could explain the noise.


Can you maybe record a video so we can hear the noise?


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## Carina

I will certainly try. You can only hear it when she's right next to your ear, so it might not work. But I will give it a try for sure, because I've been curious for a while what kind of "duck-sound" (as we call it) she's making.


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## thyme

Mine have been on Baytril before on a couple of occasions. They don't sound like the rat in the video, although I have heard that before from my first rat (he died two months after I got him, but he was sickly from the start). It's more like a low, rhymic sort of grunt. . .grunt. . .grunt, usually accompanied by licking my hands or face. This sometimes will eventually turn into resting and bruxing for a short while before she's scampering off again.


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## Carina

I tried recording it a few times. It's not possible. 
You can only hear it with your ear right on her body.


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## AvaAdoreSmashing

I found this video of a rat that has pneumonia or a URI : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEvDTt686TQ
You can hear how constant she sounds. This sounds *nothing* like my rats. They are always silent except when they're in a new place and they make more of a huffing noise. Sometimes when they're really excited then they make the same noise. I'm gonna try to get a recording of it next time they do it. I've even listened to their lungs and heart with a stethoscope several times and they sound perfect.


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## Alexc844

Hmm... I watched that video and Anaitis makes that sound sometimes at night... it's not all the time, just some nights. I figured, since it wasn't constant, it was just a vocalization? Should I take her in to the vet?


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## AvaAdoreSmashing

If it sounds like that video then yes. When my girls are wrestling then they squeak a lot but it's not constant.


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## Alexc844

AvaAdoreSmashing said:


> If it sounds like that video then yes. When my girls are wrestling then they squeak a lot but it's not constant.


Not it sounds a lot like the noise in the video. Is there something I can give her without having to resort to the vet? Or is the vet pretty much the only solution?


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## Samballs

Jaguar said:


> Hm... Has he always done that, or is it just something recent? I have a sneezer/sniffler that is in great health... Sounds like you just have a snorter
> 
> OMG thank you sooo much! I thought it was abnormal and that Sam ( my pet rat) was unhealthy or allergic, but nothing seemed to be the problem! I was panicking!!!! Thank you so much!


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## a1phanine

My past boys started like this and it got increasingly worse. Antibiotics and antiinflammatories didnt make a difference. Vet said chest felt firm and not springy so indicative of lung tumors. They both progressed to the point of having to put them both to sleep on seperate occassions. It was very sad. I hope its nothing to worry about but without a video we cant really tell you. It might be brought on when excited and playing as this is causing more of a demand on the cardio respiratory systems. When relaxed they dont need to breathe so hard. Do you see any other symptoms?


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