Rats!

[goReptiles]

So remember the lil girl I brought home a few Fridays ago? Well, I waited 3 or 4 days before introducing her to my others. I had been watching the rats at work and noticed no problems, and she did not show any signs of problems. Now, my rats are sneezing and have runny noses. I'm SO mad... I'm going out of town Friday and do not want to come back Sunday night with rats that can't be saved. I'm taking them ALL to the vet Wednesday, my day off this week. I'm going to tell the vet that I want antibiotics. Mostly because now the rats at work are showing all the same signs that mine have. I even have a feeder rat right now that won't stop sneezing! The snake's about to shed and won't eat. ugh... I'm thinking upper respiratory. Whatever. A customer had us take the rats she bought from us to the vet because of the same things, but a vet tech said nothing was wrong with them. Then WHY are my rats, previously healthy no sneezes or runny noses having the SAME symptoms? Could it be because they all are sick? I'm telling my boss that they ARE sick, and I don't care what the vet says. There's NO other reason for my rats to be sick besides I bought one from work. My idiot self didn't wait more than 3-4 days to watch for signs. Whatever... I'm so mad at myself. I'm going to be even more mad if that stupid feeder dies before Damien eats it. Plus he's in front of the ac (which probably isn't the best as I just realized and will move him immediately) which is more than likely spreading the germs. I'm hoping that my chinchillas don't get it becasue they're more fragile than rats. So far they're not sneezing. I'll be speeding to the vet if they do.

I can't handle much more in my life. Especially with my animals....

O and my mom found the leopard gecko. He's tub is now duck taped. Ha. He's not getting out this time.

 

[moosassah]

Sounds a little crazy at your house. I hope you get your rats all healthy & get to enjoy your trip.

 

[sacredcreatures]

Hello, I am sorry to hear this about the rats. There is a illness that is pretty bad, symptoms are just that, sneezing and then later in the illness where we get the crusty stuff in our eyes after sleeping they get it too but its red and not just from sleep. I think the vets called it sniffles. I am fairly sure its case it I have hear it is deadly yet I have heard tetracycline with first onset. This is just a guess Because I m not a Vet, But I have worked for one for 25 or more years off and on yet the best news is you can feed the sick rats. Do not add any new rats to the colony until all rats are gone, its highly contagious and the tank or cage is big time cleaned with bleaching Good luck, Deb

 

[goReptiles]

Not all of them are feeders. Just one.

Three are pets.

I don't plan on getting any more. I am set with what I have. It just drives me nuts that they're sick.

I'm calling the vet tomorrow to see if Wednesday will be a good day to bring them in, it's the soonest I can go.

I'm tempted to not go to the wedding to make sure there will be no deaths, but I don't think that will go over too well. "Sorry I can't make it to your wedding. I have sick rats." Ha.

 

[sacredcreatures]

Good luck Whit, I am sorry! I have Pet Rats too but assumed your's were feeders. Anyways, This illness has happened to me a few times and then of course there is a common cold or RI they can get and with treatment it may cure them but to be honest most of mine turned out to be sniffles or what ever its called( I get mixed up on names sometimes) Anyways keep us updated and GOOD LUCK!!!!! Deb

 

[goReptiles]

It took me a minute to realize that you thought they were feeders. When I read the post, I was like "huh? feed them to who? get more?" Ha... Then I realized what you thought.

They look better today, actually. Barely any sneezing and no pink runny noses. I'm going to keep close eye, and if they look worse when I get back Sunday, they're definately going. They honestly look SOO much better than the other day. I was worried about them. The new lil girl is the only one still a little off, but she, too, looks better. We'll see I guess...

 

[goReptiles]

Change of plans. Now the little one is breathing REALLY heavy. Taking them all in. I'm debating about the feeder rat I'm housing... *stupid snake won't eat*... He's coughing and sneezing. It's rather sad, but I mean if it's airborne it's worth making sure he's going to be ok, so I can make sure my pets are fine. If it's not then, that's either money wasted on a rat that'll be gone in less than 30 minutes, or a new pet. :-( Maybe I can find someone who wants a male rat...

But, my lil female fell off the bed, and started feeding funny. I've been watching her walking for a few days now, and noticed she's getting a little hunch in her back. So they might as well all go. I'm not risking it. This is a pain in the butt for a three dollar rat... *Sighs*

 

[StinaKSU]

Whether its airborn or not the feeder should go in with the others as you could carry it off the feeder and reinfect your other rats. You really should quarantine new rodents for at least 3 weeks, 4 weeks is better....and this is a great example of why. I'm sorry your little are sick There are a lot of common respiratory problems with rodents including 1 (that I can't quite remember the name of...) that's extremely common, very contagious, and impossible to get rid of completely...you can get the symptoms to clear, but the animal will always carry it and infect new rodents and can "relapse" back into clinical disease if it becomes stressed. Good luck with the little ones and I hope you are able to get them all healthy again!

 

[goReptiles]

Yea. I know I should have quarenteened her longer. I was way to anxious. I really know better. But I watched her at work for two weeks and 3-4 days at home.

Here's the update... Went to the vet. All four went to include the feeder, who is no longer a feeder. I will be finding him a home as soon as he's better.

I got meds for them all. Twice a day for 10 days, throw the rest away as it will no longer be good. They hae upper respiratory. The vet said it's basically like a cold in a human. The meds will just help with symptoms bc it is viral. They basically have to just get over it on their own. I have to bump up veggies to twice a week instead of once, and give them a blankie to cuddle up to in their house.

Sadly, the baby, the brown hooded, did not make it home. She died in the car on the way home. She was BAD off this morning. She was having to stretch her trachea to let air through and was breathing through her mouth. Her symptoms before last night were almost none, and they developed in a split second basically. If I had noticed the labored breathing earlier, she would have went Saturday. Definately!

I don't think I'm going to get another lil girl until mine are good to go and I can get a guaranteed healthy girl. I may get one from a a coworker's girlfriend, she's got some babies. I may even get the pregnant one from work. She's healthy. She's in the back with the babies; once they're weaned I may grab her. That way I can guarantee everyone else she won't be a feeder, even though she's ugly albino feeder rat material. Ha. I'm going to starve my snake till he's on frozen. Ha.. Nah I couldn't do that, but I'm going to try to get him on frozen as soon as I can. I figure that the mama will be good to go in a few weeks, by then my guys will be in tiptop shape again. We'll see though...

I have the baby in the freezer with a hamster, who has frostbite (he wa in the b/f's grandparents' freezer and I kept forgetting to bring him home). They'll both get burried today.