[Tess Loves Rats]

I just got 2 baby female dumbo rats from PetsMart on Sunday, Angel & Juliet.

Juliet has been making noises every once in a while. I dunno how to explain the noises tho. I dunno if chirps is the word for it. I was thinking it was a respriatory thing so I brought her back to PetsMart. 1 of the vet techs there listened to her and said she didn't hear anything that would make them think it was a respriatory problem. It's not continuous, just once in a while. I started hearing it a little bit from Angel now too. I've started thinking that they might be hiccups?

I didn't think rats were suppose to make noises.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

They aren't used to me taking them out of the cage yet. I just got them on Sunday. Angel will come up to the door and play with me while she's still in the cage and will crawl into my hand and she'll let me take her out but I don't think she likes coming out much. I think cuz she's still young. I think they're around 2 or 3 months old. Juliet won't come up to me. She won't even smell my hand. She still hides when I walk up to the cage. It took me a while to get her to bring her to PetsMart. I held her for a little bit when we got back and she sniffed me then.

Should I wait until they're totally comfortable with me taking them out?

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

I've had rats before. These 2 are my third pair. This is just the first time I've had a pair that I think might have respriatory problems and I don't really know what to do. I think I'll probably make a vet appt.. It's just that I don't have a lot of money, so I'm hoping it won't cost a lot. I use CareFresh bedding.

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

When you said scented cleanser, I remembered I used one to clean the cage before I got them.. I cleaned the whole cage & levels with water. Will that help?

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

I brought them to the vet today. She said Angel's lungs sounded good, but Juliet sounded a little congested. She did hear Angel sneezing too. She gave me antibiotics to give them twice a day for 10 days. They struggled a lot when my mom & I gave them the medicines today, so I'm trying to think of an easier way to do it, starting tomorrow morning. Is it ok to mix it in with applesauce?

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

Yeah store vets might be a little stupid. However are you sure it was vocal sounds or was it more of a grinding sound? Rats will grind their teeth when content.

I've had two other pairs of rats before. I know what bruxing is. It wasn't that. My other rats used to do that & eye boggled too.

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

I tried mixing it with applesause last night and tried with greek yogurt (thats all we have) this morning. They wouldn't take either.

**We're going out later so I'm gonna buy a jar of baby food and vanilla yogurt and hope they like one of them!!

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

I got apple & blueberry baby food (they didn't take it). I got vanilla yogurt (they didn't take it).

Ugh! I'm just gonna have to keep forcing it. I read that even if it gets on the fur around their mouth then they clean it off, it still goes into their system. So, I really hope they get it.

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

Yeah, I'm guessing it's cuz they aren't fully used to me. But Angel does play with me while she's still in the cage. She'll play tug-a-war with me with one of the toys. It's so cute! And Juliet is starting to smell and lick my finger... she chews on my fingernails too. I dunno if she's grooming me already, but she chews on my fingernails. Angel bruxed & eye boggled for the first time today too, while I was scratching her head... she was still in the cage.

My girl Daisy had cancer when she got older & I had to give her medicine, but she was totally used to me and everything so she just took the medicine easily and she liked it so she'd gobble it out of the syringe. lol

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

I don't know. I don't have that kind of money to just keep buying bottles of baby food. I know they're not that much, but everything adds up.

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

I could maybe do that.

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

This morning, I gave them each the medicine in ONE TRY, both times!! I know they got the medicine because they were moving their mouths, like they were eatting it. And I left a little on Juliet's fur, so she'll just clean that off and put it into her system.. THEN, the big surprise: after I put them back into the cage, they kept coming back to the door. I held my hands at the door and they just crawled onto my hands, crawled on my arms for a little bit then would go back into the cage. They just kept doing that. I'm so happy they're ok with me even after having to shove that syringe into their mouths....

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

Yeah, I was so excited! They are still babies so they do sleep a lot. I can't wait until they get older and bigger and want to come out more to play!!

 

[Tess Loves Rats]

Gave them their 2nd dose for today. I got it in Juliet cuz I saw her moving her mouth like she was eatting again. I'm not sure about Angel tho. I tried a few times, but I did get it around her mouth and she did wash herself so I'm thinking she got some in her system. Juliet needs it the most so I'm happy she needs it. I don't think I've been hearing the noises or sneezes as often. Angel will have a sneezing fit, but not as bad as it used to be. I think the medicine is working. 8 more days of it.. Oh, joy! lol But after, they did the same as this morning.. running around in the cage & climbing into my hand and back in the cage and in my hands.... they even play wrestled with each other. I think Juliet is getting more used to me & they're both bonding with me!

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