Energetic Rats

Question
QUESTION: Hi,
I'm hoping you can maybe give me some advice!  I have 2 pet rats, both female, one around 18 months old and one over 2 years old (can't be exact because they were rescued) and in the past week they've both become mental!  They all of a sudden seem to have loads of energy, I haven't changed their diets in any major way so was just hoping you could tell me if this was normal.
Thanks very much for your time
Roxanne

ANSWER: Hi Roxanne

A few things first...have they been sick at all in the past month or so?

How are they acting? Are they darting across the cage, perhaps biting on the cage doors frantically?

Before I know if this is normal due to changes in hormone levels or from another underlying cause, I needed to know the answer to those few things above.

Are they spayed or intact?

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

QUESTION: They're both intact.
Neither has been sick, however the 18 month-ish one is on steriods for myco as she has had numerous courses of antibiotics prescribed by the vet which didn't work.
The 18 month old is biting at her cage door, but she has always chewed at her bars, and I've never really thought anything of it, she just seems to have done it a lot more over the past few days.
The 2 year old is climbing her bars a lot more, and will run around for a long time when let out.
I pick them up each morning before I go to work, and let them out for a good 2-3 hours each night when I get home so I'm hoping it's not an attention thing, as I'd hate to be a bad rat owner!!
Also, just for an update, they seem to have calmed down quite a bit tonight.
Thanks very much for getting back to me!
Roxanne

Thanks very much for getting back to me

Answer
Although I am not saying that either of the girls are sick, I will share with you what I have seen over the years.
For starters, steroids can cause an anxious feeling, even in humans. She should still be on antibiotics while taking the steroids (not sure if you said she was still on them, only that they did not work) Because steroids compromise the immune system, its a wise idea to use antibiotics to prevent a secondary infection from coming on. As for her not responding to antibiotics, that makes me curious as to what was tried and if various combinations have been used (and not just the old reliable baytril and doxycycline combo)
Sometimes when rats have problems with lack of oxygen, they tend to have feelings of panic or sudden doom and want out of the cage, often biting the bars and frantically pulling on the gate or bars of the cage. Once out, they may appear restless, often running and not being able to find a place to calm down at, and continue to run as if they were looking for a place to go but didn't know exactly where it was they wanted to go.
They also can act as if they want held, yet are restless when you do take them out of the cage and want down, often to run again off to nowhere.  
Do either of the girls seem to be sleeping in places they normally do not sleep? Have they suddenly taken to sleeping on top of the highest shelf in the cage or on top of their igloos/hidey houses etc..when they usually never did that before?  Do either of them lay flat on their tummies and lay with their head held over the threshold or highest level of the cage?  Check their feet for cyanosis, making sure they are pink or pinkish but not purple/blue or pure white.

I don't mean to panic you in any way but these are signs of respiratory distress and its a good idea to know what to look. Since rats cant talk, I have been trained to study rat behavior and have unfortunately have had plenty of opportunity to study the behavior in rats with heart disease, pituitary adenomas, respiratory illness and a few other not so nice ailments. Interesting as it may be to note changes in their behavior, its still never a pleasant task to watch any animal display a specific pattern of behavior due to illness.

If you notice any of the above behavior patterns, I would consult with the vet about it right away so changes can be made to medications. Has the rat that is on steroids ever been put on albuterol and liquid valium?  Valium given in therapeutic doses have helped reduce panic and anxiety in rats with various ailments with fantastic results, and also has calmed down a rat with respiratory disease and has made them more comfortable and able to breathe easier since the anxiety has been eased up. Small doses will not harm the rat and will not make them sedated like alot of people would think.

Hope you don't mind my suggestions and in fact there is a chance your vet has already tried some of the things I suggested, but thought I would also put that out for you to know about for reference.

So you said they seem calm today? If so, thats great, and its a possibility that they were just overly energetic just for no real particular reason.  We worry about them...thats the plain simple truth. They have fragile health and we know it, so its not unusual to worry about any type of behavior they display that is out of the  ordinary for them.

Hope all goes well.

Take care

Sandy