Symptoms of Sickness in Rats

Symptoms of sickness or disease aren't always as obvious in smaller animals such as rats as they would be in domesticated animals that seek interaction with you, such as a cat or dog. Rats, just like any other pet, can develop disease from a variety of sources ranging from contaminated food to bacteria or another infected rat. Understanding the key signs of sickness allows you to take the proper steps toward healing your rat or seeking veterinary help if necessary.

  1. Irregular Breathing

    • Irregular breathing in a rat isn't as audible as the wheezing of a larger pet or ahuman. Yet wheezing, sneezing and rattled breathing are all signs of bacterial or viral infection in the chest. Hold your rat in your hands and examine his breathing pattern. Labored breathing or wet clicking or crackling noises in his chest can indicate a respiratory infection or the need for antibiotics. After speaking with your vet, help your little guy feel better by treating him to a steam bath. Close the door to your bathroom and run the hot water long enough to produce steam and hold your rat in your lap on a towel for 10 to 15 minutes. Inhaling steam helps loosen tight mucus clusters in his lungs, which makes his cough more productive.

    Behavioral Changes

    • Anyone who observes healthy rats for a few moments knows they're lively, energetic rodents. Changes in a rat's sociability can indicate a decline in his health or a developing illness. Sickness can cause a rat, which is otherwise typically social with people, to suddenly appear listless, withdrawn or uninterested in attention. Some rats will curl up in the corner and hide, while others simply appear too tired to respond to toys or stimulation.

    Skin Changes

    • Like any fur-covered animal, your rat's skin serves as a barometer for other health issues. Skin difficulties in rats range from hair loss and dermatitis to mites. Rats suffering from mites or lice develop scabs or sores, especially on their stomachs. Protein deficiency, stress and pituitary tumors can also cause hair loss. If your rat appears to be scratching or chewing his skin, brush his fur back and forth to check for any visible parasites. If the behavior continues after you've cleaned your rat and his cage, have your vet perform a skin scrape to check for microscopic mites or irritants.

    Drooling and Confusion

    • Rats don't adapt well to heat, which makes them especially vulnerable to hot temperatures and warm environments. Always keep your rat's cage in a cool, dry place. Excessive salivating, drooling, confusion and lethargy are indicators of heat stroke -- a common affliction among nocturnal rodents. Determine whether your rat is dehydrated by gently pinching the skin on his back. If the skin remains peaked instead of snapping back to his body immediately, dehydration and heat-related illness is the likely cause.