RE: lethargic rat

Question
QUESTION: My rat, Starbuck, is normally always on the move.  The past few days she's been really lethargic.  She just hangs out in her hut all day while her sister is running around.  She also is less interested in treats.  I can't see anything physically wrong with her.  Is this normal?

ANSWER: Hi Carly

First of all, how old is Starbuck?  If she is close to 2 years old or older, this is pretty normal to slow down in their daily activities.  Lethargic is a pretty strong word. Is she uninterested in daily activities such as grooming and eating and coming out to play? Does she stick to one area of the cage as if she is too weak or ill to move to another spot?
Is she drinking and eating normally?
Lethargy is a symptom of many things, from illness to injury. Since you do not observe any physical signs of illness such as sneezing, porphyrin discharge from nose and eyes (the "red tears" many people mistake for blood) no audible sounds of congestion in her chest or nasal passages, eating and drinking well but refuses treats....it will help me be able to draw a better conclusion. However, I always say to follow your first instincts. If you feel your little friend is not acting herself, I would take her to a skilled Vet right away. Rats are notorious for hiding pain or illness until they have no other choice because they are too sick to hide it any longer. Once you begin to notice outward signs of illness you can pretty much bet that she had been sick much longer than you were aware of. This is one reason why I always teach rat owners to learn to be aware of their rats behavior and note any changes as soon as possible.

Anyhow, please get back to me as soon as you can. I also apologize for the long wait for a response to this question. Your question was found in the "Question pool" which takes much longer to get a response when posts end up there since they were not directed to any specific expert to answer your question. Your follow up to me will be addressed with a much faster response time.

Regards

Sandra

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

QUESTION: Thanks for the answer Sandra.  I don't think Starbuck is ill, she has been eating and drinking normally.  I'm not sure how old she is, we have only had her for 2 weeks, but I'm pretty sure she is young because she's still pretty small. She used to sneeze when we first got her, but I haven't noticed her sneezing lately; I read that new rats sometimes sneeze a lot when they are getting used to their new home.  She is just less active than she normally is.  She seems more hesitant to come out of her hut home when I try to give her treats.  When I used to take her out of her cage before she'd run around and never sit still but now she seems more content to just hang out in one area.  Maybe she is just less scared of us?  

Thanks again for the advice, Perhaps she was just hyperactive when we got her because she was in a new environment.

Answer
Hi Carly

You are right about the sneezing when they first go to their new home. I have had to calm many rat owners down about their new rats and sneezing because its pretty common the first week or so that is all they do is sneeze, especially when they get excited. The histamine levels rise with excitement and that can trigger sneezing too along with the fact that  she uses her nose  to investigate her surroundings. By doing this she inhaled everything but the kitchen sink! This of course aggravates the nasal passages and triggers sneezing.  As long as all she is doing was sneezing, it was probably as you suspected: adjustment to her new home.

Also, keep in mind rats are nocturnal. Some rats refuse to interact during the day and would rather participate in their 12 hour nocturnal slumber          so if the times you decide to spend with her interfere with her sleeping times some rats just would rather turn over and catch some "Zzzz's" rather than play.
However, during play time, you said she is more content to just sit in one area? Does she snoop around and act curious and literally go and sit in the corner and not move? If she were scared she would probably run and try to find a safe place to hide or go back to her cage if she has access.
How many rats do you have? Rats do better in same sex pairs since they are very social animals and can become very withdrawn if left to be a solo rat. That is like being on person alone on a deserted island with no other humans around to talk to other than the area chimpanzees. Some people think that its ok if the rat live alone as long as they pay attention to him but thats not the case. They need their own species to play with, cuddle up and sleep with and communicate with in their own way, which is why I asked about her living status.  She doesn't sound ill, I agree, but something does sound like she is disturbed by it which is why I asked if she was a solo rat or had a cagemate.

Let me know in a follow up!

regards

Sandy