What might be wrong with Sooty? =(

[mandy]

As I walked past the cage I decided to stop and watch for moment like usual. I thought the sound I heard came from the 2-liter bottle of soda I had just opened. (It was sitting on the counter next to my head, because I was bent over, resting my head on my arms watching the mice.) I thought I was hearing carbonation bubble sounds or something. I put the soda in the fridge and returned only to find out, it is Sooty making the weird sound!

It's not a squeak. But its not a chatter. I can only describe it like a hiccup or burp. She kind of jumps a little when she does it, so I seriously thought it was mouse hiccups. Do mice even get hiccups? O_o Its kind of a lower pitched scratchy sound kinda like if you rubbed a wet finger really hard on a glass surface. not a squeak but similar and a lot lower in sound.

Sidenotes: Earlier today I noticed her exhaling pretty rigidly. She would inhale smoothly and abruptly and very hard exhale. But she wasn't making any sounds. She was sleeping when I noticed this. Also, I just changed the cage about 6 or 7 hours ago. I used about 1/3 aspen and 2/3 carefresh ultra, which I normally do, but this was a brand new bag of carefresh that I purchased last night.

Any ideas? I hope she isn't sick. None of the 23 babies are doing this, and neither are the other 2 adults.

[Vanilla_Rat]

The signs of an RI??? Sounds like it might be.

[rat freak]

Ya maybe what van rat said. Im not sure. You should probably take her to the vet to find out. Good luck!

[luvboyrats]

Sounds like RI, or something respiratory anyway, maybe the dust from the bedding or the disinfectant from cleaning the cage if maybe you didn't get it rinsed all the way. Definitely sounds respiratory though

[mandy]

She seems to have stopped making that sound! I am very relieved. she is acting/sounding completely normal now. That was weird. O_o

[mulder]

weird! well im glad she's cleared up!