My Rat Is Very Vocal... Is That Bad?

[APoetCalledAnya]

I had a rat before. I loved her very much but had to have her put down because she developed several tumors. She didn't make much noise, just the regular grinding of teeth. I then bought two more females (who in turn had two litters because they were not separated at the pet store.) One turned mean so when I gave away the babies I gave her up too. Now, my parents (my father loves them) have one of the moms and two of her babies. They do not make much noise either. I have been feeling the lose of my rat and decided I would try again. (I didn't really bound with the three my parents have because I moved out)
I bought a very small female. I do not know if rats are called the same things as mice at different ages, but she would be classified as a hopper. She is such a doll. I fell in love with her instantly. She is very vocal. When I talk to her she will make little noises back, I will making popping noises and noises that you make to call a cat and she will answer right back with similar sounding noises. She also grinds her teeth a lot (which my old rat did when she was happy.) I wanted to know what her chatters meant so I looked online. I went through a lot of rat sites. They all say that rats are very silent and any noises (other than grinding teeth) should be taken as a warning for upper respiratory infection. So now I am worried. However she does not wheeze, her eyes/nose are not wet/oozy, she has a nice coat, not lethargic at all (but does sleep a lot when left alone, I guess because she is just a baby). She does sneeze a bit. But my parents rats sneeze regularly when shifting about their bedding or nuzzle in some clothes/hair. Which is what she does. She also makes little noises when she sniffs. Not quite stuffed up nose noises but little almost squeak noises.
I have read a bunch of web site's boards on rats and everyone says that they talk a lot and make noises just like she does. I do not know what to do and there are not any good rat vets any where near me.
Should I take her vocal-ness as a sign of sickness? Or did I just end up with a very expressive rat?

Also, she tends to lick and nurse my finger tips a lot. I personally think she was not quite ready to leave her mom (She is so tiny). When I had my rat babies I kept them a little longer than it said to. I just wanted to make sure they were ready and wouldn't feel too much stress. Does anyone else's rat do this?

[Kendalle]

my rats talk to each other alot and some times make little squeekies at me, mostly my most bonded one. my guess that she is just talkin, and not sick if she isnt sneezy or nose is runny and everything.. i think the sites that were talking about noises that arent normal are squeeking if you touch them like they hurt, rough labored breathing, wimpering, things like that. happy squeeks and teeth grinding are fine.

[rodentz]

those noises you described could also be from a URI, a vet trip never hurt! and ratties NEED friends they are VERY social.

[APoetCalledAnya]

I hope that she is just talking. I would be crushed if she died. She seems all right. She acts normal and doesn't appear to be sick. I held her near my ear and listened to her when she breathes, and she doesn't make any noises.

I know the pet store I got her from is very bad, but it is the only one who sells colored rats. I love rats, but I dislike the white ones with red eyes. They freak me out some. When I become an animal cruelty investigator I am going to shut that store down. They do not separate the sexes, the pinkies who are deemed as food are left alone in a cage without the mothers (so they either get bought as food or they starve to death), they allow the mice to eat each other (the male mice were castrating each other and then feeding on the dead ones. I know male mice fight, mine all did, and they did kill each other, but I separated them into pairs and they still did it so there was nothing I could do. They were sad when they were alone but when they had company they would fight.), they allow all the rodents to breed uncontrollably, they cages are all over crowded. It is making me mad to think about it. And I did swear I wouldn’t buy anything or anyone from there. But, my hamster died and I felt very sad and wanted a rat.

[Vanilla_Rat]

Rats are generally quiet animals.Only a rare few make noise.Most noises rats make cannot even be heard with the human ear as they are really high pitched and you need special machines to hear them.

My rats are all generally quiet.The only times they make some sort of sound is when they are wrestling and playing with their cagemates.And sometimes they will chatter with me.They brux alot too,which is always a good thing.

Like Rodentz said,a vet trip doesn't hurt.That way you will be sure she is fine.

It could be s sign of a RI.Keep your eye on her and if she does get more "vocal",then definatly take her to the vet.

[tarita2004]

vet trips never hurt! esp. if she came from as bad of a place as you say....she could possibly have something wrong w/her and she's just trying to tell you she's sick

[APoetCalledAnya]

I think she is fine. I have been watching her closely and listening to her. They are just her noises. She doesn't have any signs of RI. Just because she talks a lot doesn't make her sick. Just an odd ball.
She has a new thing she does now. She almost sings when I give her a vegetable.

[rodentz]

if you think so. Its really not normal for rats to make noises like that, I dont even think they can on a regular basis.

[Vanilla_Rat]

Quote: Originally Posted by rodentz if you think so. Its really not normal for rats to make noises like that, I dont even think they can on a regular basis.

I agree!!!

[APoetCalledAnya]

Quote: Originally Posted by rodentz if you think so. Its really not normal for rats to make noises like that, I dont even think they can on a regular basis.

You do not think they can, but that does not mean that they can't. She has no signs of any RI. All she does is squeak, tries to make my popping noises back, grinds her teeth, chatter, and does this singing thing (very hard to explain but it is not a sick noise). She makes all the noises that you would think a rat would make. She does not wheeze, gurgle, snivel, sniffle, have a running noise, have leaky eyes, make noises when she is just breathing, act lethargic, have a dull coat, not eat, etc. She is a happy little bouncy talkative rat.

Around here, PetCo has vets come in every couple of weeks and they see people's pets for a much smaller fee than going to a vet who knows hardly anything about rats, rodents, and other exotics. They looked at my guinea pig when she had an upper RI and they gave me medicine for her. They are the vets who manage PetCo's pets and their own businesses so they are experienced in the health of all the pets that PetCo carries.
If she shows any signs of being sick (which she has not) I will take her there (since there are no vets around here that know about rats). Like I have been saying. She is proving to be an oddity to almost everything that the books say.

[rodentz]

Quote: Originally Posted by APoetCalledAnya You do not think they can, but that does not mean that they can't. She has no signs of any RI. All she does is squeak, tries to make my popping noises back, grinds her teeth, chatter, and does this singing thing (very hard to explain but it is not a sick noise). She makes all the noises that you would think a rat would make. She does not wheeze, gurgle, snivel, sniffle, have a running noise, have leaky eyes, make noises when she is just breathing, act lethargic, have a dull coat, not eat, etc. She is a happy little bouncy talkative rat. Around here, PetCo has vets come in every couple of weeks and they see people's pets for a much smaller fee than going to a vet who knows hardly anything about rats, rodents, and other exotics. They looked at my guinea pig when she had an upper RI and they gave me medicine for her. They are the vets who manage PetCo's pets and their own businesses so they are experienced in the health of all the pets that PetCo carries. If she shows any signs of being sick (which she has not) I will take her there (since there are no vets around here that know about rats). Like I have been saying. She is proving to be an oddity to almost everything that the books say.

I dont understand, all those things you just described are signs of a URI.


I will rephrase that, rats make a lot of noises, but WE CANNOT hear them they are at a very high frequencey. The noises you are hearing are NOT normal for any rat. it does not mean your rat is "special" it means you need to take her to the vet. You asked for opinions and EVERYONE here said take her to a vet, she needs to see a vet. Those are very serious signs.

Rats are very good at hiding signs of illness until its too late, be lucky your rat is telling you something is wrong.

[Perfect]

I would take her to the vet. I mean really what can it hurt? (besides your wallet lol) You should really just take her in. Even if you don't think anything is wrong with her. It does sound like a checkup is in order I think I can speak for all of us here at PT and say that we just all want your ratty to be ok and well.

[Turkeyman]

Can you record these sounds for us somehow? That'd be hilarious if you were some natural phenomenon and could hear frequencies that we can't, and when you uploaded the sound file it's blank to us. Okay I'm drunk right now and it's late

[Perfect]

Quote: Originally Posted by Turkeyman Can you record these sounds for us somehow? That'd be hilarious if you were some natural phenomenon and could hear frequencies that we can't, and when you uploaded the sound file it's blank to us. Okay I'm drunk right now and it's late

lmao I pictured that! It reminded me of the Ghost Whisperer. Woooo... *twilight zone music comes on*

[Vanilla_Rat]

Check-ups are not very expensive in most cases anyway.

All I pay for a check-up is the vet fee ($45) and then if there needs to be any meds,I pay the med price.Thats all.It is not too expensive.

I think you should really consider taking your rat in.