Sneezing and congestion in 5 week old ratties

Question
Hello, I recently purchased 2 females and one male from a breeder here in Southern California, and when I got them she had told me that they were having some sneezing because they were with her at her work and they were moving, so there was a lot of dust. Well when they got home they were fine, and just were having dry sneezes a lot, which I assumed was because of the dust and also because of the new environment. Well today they sound extremely congested. No nasal discharge, just very congested sounding sneezes. I have now moved them from my room, which I realized was a bit dusty, into my mom's room where it's a lot cleaner and there's no other rats. Yes, I know I should've had them in a different room to begin with, and now I feel incredibly stupid because I may have jeopardized my whole colony. (11 others) I also made the incredibly stupid decision to let them play with my other new babies, 6 week old hairlesses. I called the breeder to ask for my money back (40 for all of them; Blue Agouti, Agouti Self Rex, and Black Berk) so that she can technically help in vet expenses if I need to take them. My question is, do they absolutely need to see a vet within the next day or two, or should I see if their symptoms get any better now that they're in a different room in their Q-tine cage? I just don't want to rush them off to the vet too soon, considering they are eating, drinking and playing completely normally. And of course also, do you think that if my other new bubs don't have any symptoms that they're in the clear?

Answer

Hmmm.....the breeder certainly should pay for the vet bill if not the ENTIRE thing.

True story here: I bought four rats from a so called reputable breeder under 2 years ago. She already warned me that the blazed dumbo had an abscess but it was all healed and the vet gave him the thumbs up.

I pick the four boys up at another location and did not meet the breeder but her sister had them for her to give me. I got them and we had to drive 6 hours home. All I heard was relentless fighting for those 6 hours with maybe a break of 30 minutes tops.  When I got home and observed them the two dumbos would not stop picking on the black berks so I put the dumbos in their own cage. THe dumbos started on each other next. Upon closer inspection I discover the so called abscess on his chest was the size of a grape and was NOT an abscess, but a tumor. I called the breeder who said it was scar tissue. She forgot I suppose that she was talking to ME and that I am not a novice to rats in the least and in fact this is what I "do!"   Scar tissue doesnt form that fast for starters....
So off to the vet we go in the morning because not only did I find yet a second lump, the two dumbos were trying to kill each other and they started biting me too.  True aggression issues in both males. The black boys were fine.
I had to neuter both boys the second day I brought them home and also had to have two tumors removed from the rats chest and neck. It was confirmed it was NEVER an abscess.  So, $500 later, I am furious.
She said she was broke but she could make payments to me for the vet bill. I said FORGET IT but made sure I told people that she was NOT the great breeder she claimed to be. In fact, she lied about many things.

Well now my boys will be 2 in October. I found out that the litter of dumbos were all mean, even the girls, and know someone that has the girls and she also knows others too and they were all very aggressive.
Neutering helped though and they were wonderful after that. However, one of them died in January, at just 15 months old, from a brain abscess.  I was destroyed.  His brother, the other neuter, had some kind of virus that caused him to lose vision in both eyes so now he lives alone in a single story cage although he is great and has adjusted great etc... The other black boys....one lost an eye  due to a terrible infection last year and his brother just died last week from a long fight with myco....another heartbreaking loss for me. I adored that boy.  So it boils down to who is a good breeder and who isnt? If you rats are sick now, thats unacceptable, but you have them now and love them and want to keep them of course but I feel the vet bill should be paid in full by the breeder.

I also would not wait much longer for a vet visit. If they are eating and acting ok this is all good but it could change in a heartbeat and go into pneumonia if it is infection.  I always tell new rat owners that some sneezing is ok at first but some experts say NO sneezing is OK. I disagree only because it is the bodys natural response to rid the airways of irritants.

Are they OK now since they have been moved? That is the key answer right there.
As for wanting to know if the other rats are OK, it would be too soon. The reason quarantine lasts for 3 weeks is because it takes some viruses that long to incubate and show signs and symptoms.