Boy rats sleeping more often in and out of the cage

[brooklyn]

I have two boy rats, Memphis and Kiedis, and they're both almost a year old (brothers). They have always been active boys, play fighting and boxing, pinning each other, stealing treats from one another and they still do this on a daily basis but in the last month and a half or so I've noticed they're starting to sleep a lot more often, in and out of the cage and have become much more affectionate. Since mid-June I havent been in school so I've been spending significantly more time with them out of their cage, usually between 5-10 hours a day on average (I just let them roam around my bedroom or sit on my lap and do as they please while I'm on the computer or tidying up) where as while I was in school it was more like 2-4 hours. Could it just be that having a significant increase in their amount of out time has been tuckering them out, are they just starting to mellow out and turn into old men (I dont really know what counts as an old aged rats exactly, my boys arent senior citizens but theyre not babies either ) or should I maybe be worried about it being something else? They love to sleep on my pillows, in my blankets and on top of my dresser where they lay their head at the edge and look at me from my bed I feel like they're okay but I'm worried 11 months is a little young for them to start mellowing out, but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[jorats]

They sound like wonderful little guys and so lucky to have all that freedom. Doing some exploring can tire them out more. The warmer weather can also do that. They have access to water and food at all times? Maybe have an extra bowl on the floor somewhere for them to go to. Otherwise, watch for symptoms like porphyrin (red discharge around the eyes and or nose) or squinty eyes. Check their poops make sure they look good as well as check their urine for any redness. 11 months is not old at all. I'd say it's more like being 40 in human years. I'm in my 40s and if I had comfy pillows at my disposal for 5 to 10 hours a day, I'd sleep more too. lol

 

[brooklyn]

Yup, they have three water bottles, and a big food dish that I fill daily. Their poops are normal, aside from the odd poo that gets two pellets stuck together, I havent noticed any redness in their pee (I would have seen it on my white sheets that Kiedis scent marked this morning. ) I've noticed porphyrin by Kiedis' eyes a couple times early in the morning when they first wake up, but it wasnt excessive just a little crusty fleck, I thought maybe it was like how humans get sleep in their eyes, because my boys have had porphyrin due to URI's before and there was usually quite a bit more than what I saw when I came home from camping last week, and the only time they've been squinty is when I wake them up while theyre napping on my bed XD They also have a ramp to get up to their cage from the floor to get to their food and water as the cage is only about two feet off the ground and my house has central air, and my grandmother keeps the house at about 67 degrees farenheit, or about 19.5 degrees celsius, so they have the luxury of a nicely air conditioned house

 

[brooklyn]

The squinted eyes are a sign of pain, right? I remember that with my MC boy when I would have to help him poop. Poor little thing was on the lowest possible dose of buprenorphine I could give him for his whole life but still he would squint when trying to poo.

 

[dspch911]

I have 15 boys, and my older ones all slowed down around a year and have squinty eyes (some of them) and lately the oldest (17 months) laid down for a nap during out time (first time he's done this). I'd say that's pretty normal... :thumbup:

 

[jorats]

Yes, squinty eyes is a sign of pain but not when first waking up.
Sounds like your guys are pretty healthy and normal. :thumbup: