Pet Information > ASK Experts > Exotic Pets > Pet Rats > Baby Rats (sick?)

Baby Rats (sick?)

21 17:45:44

Question
Hello.
I just got new male baby rats at Petco, and they are names Chip & Dale.
My boys are giving off peep like sounds, as if they were sneezeing, and they scratch time to time too. they bedding i'm useing is called Easy Comfort, a different bedding they were in when i got them at Petco.
Thank You,
~Kat

Answer
 Unfortunately a lot of pet store rats are not very well taken care of, and large chain stores like petco often get their rats from a puppy mill type animal farm where they are kept in poor conditions.  It's likely that they have a minor respiratory infection, and the scratching could be either from stress or parasites such as mites or lice.

 If you only got them a few days ago I would give them a bit more time to settle in before becoming concerned.  Stress can often trigger symptoms like that in rats, and moving to a new home can be quite stressful.  If they are still acting the same way a week after you got them then I would recommend you take them to the vet for an exam.  He or she will likely put them on a course of antibiotics and if evidence of parasites are found they will give your rats either some Advantage, Revolution, or an injection of Ivermectin.

 Hope that helps, good luck with your rats!