Occasional sneezing

Question
QUESTION: My rat chef sneezes a few times a day and occasionally squeaks at night. Is this normal??? Could it be a respiratory infection?

ANSWER:   Hi, Caitlyn.  Even healthy rats sneeze occasionally; a few times a day is nothing to worry about.  The squeaking you're hearing at night could be him playing or it could be the first sign of a respiratory infection.  Are the squeaks repetitive, as if he were making them with every breath, or just one or two here and there?  If the latter, he may just be playing, if the former, it's probably a respiratory infection or at least an irritation.

 Do you notice any porphyrin (red mucus) around the eyes or nose?  When you put his chest to your ear do you hear any rattling or wheezing?  Do you notice any spots of brown or red around his cage (this indicates him sneezing out red mucus)?

 Some rats can have a very minor respiratory infection and act completely normal except for minor sneezing and 'chirping'.  This is often caused by pine or cedar bedding, irritants in the air (cleaning products, incense, cigarette smoke, etc), or a poorly ventilated or poorly cleaned cage.  Make sure the air is clean around your rat's cage, and that he is in a wire cage and not an aquarium or plastic cage which do not provide adequate ventilation.  Use a safe bedding such as Carefresh, Yesterday's News, or aspen shavings, and clean his cage at least once a week.  Putting in litter boxes in the corners where he pees the most can help reduce ammonia buildup if you clean the litter boxes every day or two.

 If you're concerned, or if he gets any worse, it doesn't hurt to take him to the vet for an exam.  Respiratory infections that are minor can usually easily be treated with a single course of antibiotics and it's always better to treat them early, as the longer they  have one the harder it is to cure.

 Well I hope that answers your question, good luck with your rat!


For more information on rat care please visit my website at http://careguide.evergreenrattery.com

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

QUESTION: She doesn't have any red mucus but she's usually relaxed when the chirping starts. It is repetitive when she breathes. I don't her any wheezing in her chest, but sometimes her nose makes a sound when she breaths.

She used to have pine bedding about two weeks ago, but i read that this could be harmful so i did switch over to the care fresh brand her cage is near an air duct could this be part of the problem?
thanks sooooooo much!

Answer
 The pine bedding could have caused a minor infection; it may go away on its own, it's hard to say.  I'd wait another week before taking her to the vet, unless she gets worse in the meantime.

 Being near an air duct may be irritating her as well, as rats don't do well with drafts.  If the air is blowing directly on her cage I would recommend moving her cage to a different location.  It probably wouldn't cause an infection but it may make an existing one worse.