# Strange sounds?



## coffeegirl (Aug 19, 2012)

A few weeks back, a bunch of dark liquid was splattered around their cage. It suddenly stopped. A couple weeks later, Latte started making quiet strange, sounds. It's kind of a sort-of pigeon-like sound or a low happy guinea pig sound. I searched up 'rat making guinea pig sounds' and some said it could be myco, respiratory infection, or just bruxing. She didn't really look like she was bruxing though. She was active and had no porphyrin other than the tiny bit that appeared when she woke up, but that went away after she groomed her self, so I decided to keep an eye on her. The sound stopped for a while, but now it has just came back and it's even louder! I was just checking on them and the sound was the same as before, just louder. 
Does anybody know what this could be? Should I take her to the vet?


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## unlikelyfather (Sep 11, 2012)

Rat phone her.

Pick her up and put your ear against her side and listen to her breathing, then report to us what her lungs sound like. Do you hear a squeak with every breath? Sounds like a wheeze? Crackling or gurgling sounds? Is she sneezing a lot?


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## coffeegirl (Aug 19, 2012)

The pigeon/guinea pig sounds have stopped for now but her breath is really noisy and squeaky.
I also forgot to mention, but both rats have been making weird sounds that are totally different than the pigeon/guinea pig sound. My friend was saying, "Oh, she peed." o_o but I'm pretty sure rats don't make noises when they pee because they pee on the towels on the ground and they don't make a sound, so I know it's not that. They mostly do it when they're grooming. One of my family members commented on the noise, "Do they spit and groom themselves?" I'm thinking this is one of the possibilities, because the sound happens most when they are grooming themselves. One day I just realized, "What if they're sneezing?". I just looked up rat sneezing on Youtube and they don't sound like the noises my rats are making at all. So maybe it's just grooming and I'm just over-worrying and rambling.


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## unlikelyfather (Sep 11, 2012)

coffeegirl said:


> The pigeon/guinea pig sounds have stopped for now but her breath is really noisy and squeaky.
> I also forgot to mention, but both rats have been making weird sounds that are totally different than the pigeon/guinea pig sound. My friend was saying, "Oh, she peed." o_o but I'm pretty sure rats don't make noises when they pee because they pee on the towels on the ground and they don't make a sound, so I know it's not that. They mostly do it when they're grooming. One of my family members commented on the noise, "Do they spit and groom themselves?" I'm thinking this is one of the possibilities, because the sound happens most when they are grooming themselves. One day I just realized, "What if they're sneezing?". I just looked up rat sneezing on Youtube and they don't sound like the noises my rats are making at all. So maybe it's just grooming and I'm just over-worrying and rambling.


Noisy sounds when you're rat phoning them are signs of upper respiratory infections or other breathing issues. When rat phoning you should not hear anything, except maybe the soft sound of air. If you hear something, they need a vet.


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## coffeegirl (Aug 19, 2012)

Thank you very much!


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## coffeegirl (Aug 19, 2012)

Oh and this is what it sounds like. This rat had pneumonia, so I'm super worried.:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW7JAN7VuwE&feature=player_embedded


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## unlikelyfather (Sep 11, 2012)

It sounds like fluid in the airways causing a gutteral noise. I would be surprised if it's not pneumonia. If he's housed with or around any other rats, they should be treated for it as well. It's contagious.


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## coffeegirl (Aug 19, 2012)

It's gone again. My parents are saying that a vet is unnecessary if it's gone already and to just keep her warm. I don't know if I should still take her in just to get checked out because if it is nothing, my parents would be angry. If it is something though, and I don't take her, I might lose her.


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## gal5150 (Aug 14, 2012)

I would ask your parent if you can take her in. A vet check is in order. Given that this is happening periodically, what is her bedding material? Something could be causing flare ups.


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## coffeegirl (Aug 19, 2012)

The first time it happened, I don't remember. We started using old shirts and fabric.When it happened the second time, I was using Carefresh (the natural one), because I ran out of fabric.


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## coffeegirl (Aug 19, 2012)

Oh, yesterday, I had enough fabric, so I changed it out and she stopped.


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## gal5150 (Aug 14, 2012)

Carefresh natural is the dustiest of the Carefresh. Could well be aggravating myco or another acute respiratory issue. Im still going to encourage you to get her assessed by a vet as Carefresh seems to cause more sneezing than anything else so if the dust is bothering her lungs I would be concerned. When you need bedding on the fly you can try 2 layers of paper towels on the cage floor then make small piles of TP squares or torn paper towels in each corner.


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