Excessive porphyrin??

[alosha]

Ever since I brought Apollo home 10 days ago, I've noticed a lot of porphyrin on his nose. He seems to clean it off regularly, but it always comes back. Once every couple of days I'll notice a little bit on Diez's nose also but Diez is a lot more lively and I'm not as worried about him. When I was cleaning the cage yesterday, I notice what looked like porphyrin smeared on some things in the cage and then I started to worry more. Is this normal?

I'm taking Apollo to the vet in 3 days to get neutered, so I'll ask the vet about it then, but I'm wondering if he's even healthy enough for a neuter?

Also he seems a little sluggish compared to Diez, but it IS very hot and I have only known these (or any) rats for 10 days so I don't have much to compare it to. And the other day I think he fell over in a strange way when going up the ramp. He fell sidways and stayed there between the side of the cage and the ramp in my CN with his legs kinda out like he was startled, I went up to the cage to look at him to see what was wrong but then he got up and started acting normal. I'm not sure if I'm being overly paranoid.

Pics...

 

[eagle]

How hot is the room they are in? Is Diaz sluggish also or just Apollo? You can freeze some water in popbottles or something along those lines and then put the bottles in the cage and they can lay near the bottles to cool off. Your vet should do an exam before doing any surgery. Make sure you tell them about the porphyrin. Does he clean all of it off each time or leave some of it there? Have you heard any unusual breathing from him at all? Are you able to telephone him, pick him up and put him next to your ear to listen to his breathing.

 

[jorats]

The recent change could have done it. As well as the hot weather. But best to get it checked.
Make sure there's no smoking or any other fragrance around the rats. Check for dusty litter as well.

 

[alosha]

It's probably about 75-85F depending on the time of day for the last few days. I have a fan on in the room and for a few days I tried putting a shallow bowl of water and ice cubes in the cage, which they ignore for the most part, except trying to bite the ice cubes and then freaking out.

I've been doing some cleaning around the apartment since I moved in, sometimes lysol but never in the same room as the rats. I have used a swiffer wet jet in the room with the rats (laminate flooring), but that's it.

The cage has fleece in it, and "Dust free" recycled fiber kitty litter (http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Pet-Litte ... B0018CLSSW) in the two litter pans.

Diez occasionally seems sluggish but not as much as Apollo.