Rat illness and severe biting

Question
I recently adopted a young male rat from a petstore, he seemed healthy in the store but after I brought him home he showed slight signs of weezing, and he didn't bite at all. After daily handling, food, water, no woodchips to aggravate his condition, his sneezing/wheezing and biting has gotten a lot worse. There are no vets that handle rats in my area and I have a second rat(Not in the same cage who is very friendly and very healthy) but I want to know if the biting is connected to the illness or not, I had to wear thick gloves to hold him and now he bites through the gloves and attacks my arms as well. I can't even walk by his cage without him trying to attack me.  I don't know what to do, the petstore won't take him back.   Is there anything I can do about the severe biting or the what I think is an upper respiratory illness. Seems like his condition whatever it is is getting worse each day and I've had him about a month now.

Answer
There are plenty of vets in the state of New York that sees rats. There are 34 that are registered with the Association of exotic mammal Vets and plenty more that see rats that are not with that specific organization.

Please allow me to find one for your rat.  He sounds like he is ill which will cause aggression. Wheezing in rats leads to serious respiratory problems. Also it seems as if you have not been able to bond with him properly and he doesnt trust you. I would not return this rat. He is yours now and I believe that with time and proper vet care he will be better.  He needs to see a vet first though and be given proper medication for his respiratory infection. It is probably mycoplasmosis.  Please see my website, sandyscrittercity.com and read up on myco. This needs treated and once he is treated he needs to be trust trained and learn to trust you.  Its not your fault that he bites but the gloves keep him from bonding with you. Also  buy some rose pruning gloves to wear for now to keep his teeth from going through the gloves.  

Anyhow, your right to think the illness is causing him to bite. He needs treated. You may need to travel even 30 minutes to get to the proper vet, but there are vets all over NY state and also in NY City as well.