Rats dying from stress????

Question
QUESTION: Something strange happened today, I introduced two 5wk old boys into a new cage with a lovely natured 8 wk old boy of mine ( he was new to the cage also), they seemed fine at first but after a few minutes the two 5wk old boys went absolutely crazy running around the cage then stopping and shaking, then running like crazy again. I took them out tried to calm them down and put them in a tissue box lined with shredded paper and put them back in the cage. When I went back to check on them 5 mins later they had died.  I have handled many rats over the years but have never had any trouble introducing new ones to each other. I did previously have them in a tank but the new cage is a large wire one with hammocks and bars in.  I have put in another 2 of my 5wk old boys with my 8wk old and they are getting on like a house on fire. Its just really bugging me why this happened. I would love to hear your opinion!!!!
 Many Thanks ****

ANSWER: Deb

That is really a sad story. Losing both babies at the same time, it seems so unfair.

I am going to assume they were brothers and they came  from the  same litter?  Stress can cause changes in their health such as making the immune system weaker over a period of time, but for them to just die on the spot like that would more or less apply to something like heart attack. It would have to be something congenital they both inherited...but this is such a coincidence it makes me wonder a few things first.  

Was there any way they got into something poisonous?  Do you have any animals that could have gotten to them?

Where are the bodies of the two rats now? If you still have them, put them in the refrigerator and I can find someone to do a necropsy free of charge.

This is very sad and we may never know what happened without a necropsy.










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

QUESTION: Hi Sandra and thanks for getting back to me. Yes it definitely seems like a bit of a mystery and I guess I will never know the reason why this happened. Yes they were brothers from the same litter and there have been no problems with any of their siblings. There's no way that they could of got into any poison & were not around any other animals, they were taken out of their tank (aquarium) given a kiss on the head and placed in the new cage with the 8 wk old male. He is so gorgeous and was just smelling them and checking them out like rats do.  I'm guessing the change of environment from an enclosed cage to a larger more open style cage, freaked them out causing them to go into stress and have a heart attack, do you think that is possible?????
My other two 5wk old boys are loving their new cage and buddy and also my 5wk old girl that I put into a cage with 3 other cage mates (one is her Mum), are sooo happy, I could just sit there all day watching them enjoying themselves!!
I won't be getting a necropsy done as here in Oz there are no local exotic vets but I will just hope that this does'nt happen again with any ratties that I have now or in the future!
 Thanks for your help, Deb  ****

Answer
Its possible....but for both of them to die together, what are the odds?

I am sorry though, I wish I could help but without taking a closer look, its really just a guess from here.

As for living in Oz, I a taking it that you live in the UK (the use of Mum for Mother is a dead give away!)  I have a list of exotic vets if  you want to take a look.  Your under no obligation to use any of them, of course but just to see if there are any near you for future use. Rats get sick, that is no surprise, but they can decline so fast sometimes the only way to save their lives is to take fast action by getting them proper medical treatment.

Anyhow Deb, I am so sorry this happened and hopefully your other rats are happy and healthy for a long time to come!