myco?

Question
QUESTION: I think both of my rats are suffering from respiratory infections, and I'm curious to see if your home remedy will work. Nemo is at least two months old, and Kiwi is at least 14 months old. They both sneeze A LOT and Nemo sometimes sits in the corner snuffling. I hope your remedy can help. Also, the cage smells really bad. It's a Martin's 685 and only holds two females, so I don't know why it would smell. Do you have any advice? Thanks in advance! And it's good to see a new expert helping with rats!

ANSWER: The home remedy is simple, If you can find it its a Herb called Dock. Its is leafy green plant. they will need the herb and Spinach. If that doesn't work try using a cold medicine. Use a pippet to administer the medicine. your best bet is to use Dock and Spinach! To prevent Respiratory infections don't use Cedar or Pine bedding.

Good Luck!

Emily

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

QUESTION: Okay, I'll try it...
But what can I do about the smell?

Answer
Oh right sorry, As for the smell You can try using a Oder control Bedding it depends on where you live what you will find but that usually helps another thing you can do is keep air fresheners near the cage. Also, normally its the rats that smell worse than the cage so you can bathe the rats as well. Use a dish liquid or baby shampoo for them If you don't want to buy rat shampoo. Finally Since you use a cage not a tank It will not hold smell more so look for where yours rats urinate and defecate and clean in those areas more often, when you wash out the pan use bleach and water to eliminate all smells just be sure to get all of it out. We use Bleach at The zoo for our rodents that I care for and we have 100 rats and mice, with hardly any smell.

Let me know if this doesn't work and I can think of something else but It should work!

Emily Harris