Depressed rat, maybe more

Question
QUESTION: I know you say not to contact you if I can't go to a vet, but I'm desperate, and I think it may just be depression...but I'm not sure. My rat Panda died about a week ago, and her (very companion-hungry) cagemate is now not looking so well. Panda had babies about 4 1/2 weeks before she died, so Sphynx (cagemate) has 6 little girl companions in there with her. I take her out extra to try to help cheer her up...but I'm at a loss of what to do now. I had left for a few days and when I got back she was thin...my mom couldn't say if she'd been eating or not, but she's eating and drinking now. She's really limp though. She can move, and will every once in a while, but 99% of the time she just lays there and when she does move she usually end up frumping over. I can probably go to the vet if I know what it is, and can make this as cheap as possible (say, just getting a prescription), but I can't afford to take her to the vet and jump through hoops to save her...I wish I could, I would, but I just lost my job a few days ago. Please, please help me in any way that you can. If you can give me a definite diagnosis, or something more informed I can call the vet with to figure it out cheaper then maybe, just maybe I can save her. I love this little creature with everything in me and I just lost one, I don't think I can handle doing it again so soon(she died from overheating, nothing contagious...Sphynx is hairless and didn't heat as easily, and none of the babies were harmed...Panda just couldn't take the broken air conditioner (I had gone to the store, I had no idea...I swear I'm never leaving the house again.))

ANSWER:
First of all, I should change my profile so it doesnt sound so callus. What I mean about not writing to me if you cant see the vet, that is only if there is nothing I can do but only a vet can help such as needing medications and surgery for tumors or if they cant breathe and need oxygen.  I can try to help best as I can otherwise.

I am going to ask about the heat in the area that your rat is in. Is it hot where she is now?  This could be heat exhaustion as well. Even if she is hairless, she still cannot handle heat well. Rats do not do well in heat at all. What you can do is try to get her cool even if you have to put her in a car with air conditioning running. You can fill soda bottles with water or milk jugs with water and freeze them and put them in the rat cage. They will act as mini air conditioners.
Also, you can drape a wet towel over part of their cage and provide a cooling fan but do not put the fan directly on the cage, it should filter through the fan. Set it on low or keep it far back from the cage so its not to harsh. Be sure they cannot reach the fan or cord etc...
Also, the clay/terracotta pots for plants provide a nice cool area to sleep if they are too hot.
Dip their tails in cool water. Rats control their body temp through their tails so this will help lower high body temps.

If she still seems lethargic, she may have infection and that is when she will need medication from the vet. I dont think she is really depressed if she has company, but she may still be mourning the loss of the older rat.  

Now of course if you tell me the room is cool and heat is not the culprit, she for sure needs a vet and that is when I cant help any longer other than finding names for you of vets that will treat rats and wont rip you off by just guessing what is wrong with them and charging a billion dollars.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: No, I understand what you mean by it. I just didn't want you to think I was ignoring that, or that my not being able to get to a vet was because I didn't feel like it and I was looking for the easy way out. I'm just trying to find a way to do this that's POSSIBLE for me, not just cheap.

I've gotten the air fixed, and when it gets warm in here I put a fan, not blowing directly on the cage and it cools off the room. So I really doubt the heat.

I have a vet in mind that is generally pretty good, I'll give them a call when they open in about 30 minutes or so. Thank you for helping as much as you could, I appreciate it.

Answer
Please keep me posted.  I am hoping she will recover ok. By the way, your not alone with being caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to money and the Vet.  Now is the time more than ever for Vets to see that we are trying to keep our pets healthy but with the economy like it is, we have few options available.  Vets should not allow animals to go untreated due to financial hardships and although I am not suggesting free care, perhaps they can meet us halfway and at least bill us or allow us to give them checks to hold, making a deposit monthly with the checks rather than billing. More people would go to the vets if they allowed a payment plan but when we are charged a few hundred dollars and we are expected to just fork out a few hundred bucks on the spot, this is keeping us from going. Vets also need to see that not only is this causing health problems with pets but also may contribute to the rise of rabies in cats and dogs because people cant afford to go in to the Vets and pay for the exam and the cost of the vaccines they need as well.   So, you are not alone when it comes to wanting to do whatever you can first before going to the vets. I am the same way.