male rat has lost his scent

Question
I have adopted two male rescue rats.  When they arrived, one was smaller and weaker than the other.  He had respiratory issues in the beginning.  They both had a very distinct "popcorn" scent.  Now, the weaker of the two has lost his scent completely.  Is this a sign of illness?
Thank you!

Answer


I never smelled a rat that smells like popcorn.  Grape soda maybe, or sometimes they smell like urine if the boys decided to marinate each other, but never a popcorn smell.
However, if it smells strong like rotten eggs, that means infection, or if you notice feces, he may have loose stools.

There is no particular smell your rat should carry that signifies health but that is interesting you notice that smell. I wonder how many other people have rats that smell like popcorn?    I have heard of the grape soda smell and a few others.  I may do a poll on this on my website. Thanks for giving me something new to research!