So I have a few questions about my rat, Matilda. She's a 3 month old doe, I got her from Petsmart about a month ago. She was pretty skittish, but overall healthy and stuff. She's been getting more and more tame, and now lets me pick her up waiting calmly, witch before was an ordeal of squeaks and chasing. However, I am worried about a few things. (**Note: She does have respiratory disease at the moment, and is getting antibiotics and everything. Her cagemate, Charolette, also died a few days ago. However, they only were sharing a cage for a few days before that, so I don't think she misses her much.)
1. She sleeps A LOT. I haven't had school for the whole week, so I've been up till 4 a.m. one night, or waking up at 7 a.m. another time, so I've had a close look at her during all times. She sleeps the whole time she is in her cage, or just sits in her nest box. And when I take her out along with the box, she explores a bit, but returns to the box and sits in it. No matter how many toys I put in her cage, she just sits in that damn box where I can't really see her well. It worries me, and makes me feel guilty, because I feel like she's miserable. Is this because she misses Charollete, because she's sick, or because she just likes sleeping?
2. I know that rats drop raisins when they're nervous, but she still does this even though she's pretty calm. Whenever I let her run around somewhere, the first thing she does is run to some random spot, leave five or so raisins, then continue exploring or playing without any other "accidents". Is she nervous? She dosen't scent mark with urine, but whenever I move her away from that spot(say, from my bed to my lap), she leaves more raisins. I take her out of her cage a lot, and am amazed at how much this rat can poop!!! She's small, and she eats little, so I guess she's got a talent for turning air into bowels. I really hope this is just nervous/young behaviour, because I love taking my ratties everywhere possible with me, and this will be a an annoying problem. Has anyone had this? Does it stop, or will I just have to carry toilet paper around to scoop it up forever?
3. I think she smells a little weird, and so do her raisins when she gets nervous. (They smell different when she leaves them around in piles, or in her cage. They only smell offensive when she's nervous- like when I drove her in the car to the vet. That's the only time.) I know that weird smell is a symptom of possible illness, but she's smelled this way since I got her, and only when she's scared, it seems. Also, I've noticed that all of my rats have distinctive smells, so maybe this is what she just smells like. My vet also didn't notice anything two days ago. Should I be worried?
1. She sleeps A LOT. I haven't had school for the whole week, so I've been up till 4 a.m. one night, or waking up at 7 a.m. another time, so I've had a close look at her during all times. She sleeps the whole time she is in her cage, or just sits in her nest box. And when I take her out along with the box, she explores a bit, but returns to the box and sits in it. No matter how many toys I put in her cage, she just sits in that damn box where I can't really see her well. It worries me, and makes me feel guilty, because I feel like she's miserable. Is this because she misses Charollete, because she's sick, or because she just likes sleeping?
2. I know that rats drop raisins when they're nervous, but she still does this even though she's pretty calm. Whenever I let her run around somewhere, the first thing she does is run to some random spot, leave five or so raisins, then continue exploring or playing without any other "accidents". Is she nervous? She dosen't scent mark with urine, but whenever I move her away from that spot(say, from my bed to my lap), she leaves more raisins. I take her out of her cage a lot, and am amazed at how much this rat can poop!!! She's small, and she eats little, so I guess she's got a talent for turning air into bowels. I really hope this is just nervous/young behaviour, because I love taking my ratties everywhere possible with me, and this will be a an annoying problem. Has anyone had this? Does it stop, or will I just have to carry toilet paper around to scoop it up forever?
3. I think she smells a little weird, and so do her raisins when she gets nervous. (They smell different when she leaves them around in piles, or in her cage. They only smell offensive when she's nervous- like when I drove her in the car to the vet. That's the only time.) I know that weird smell is a symptom of possible illness, but she's smelled this way since I got her, and only when she's scared, it seems. Also, I've noticed that all of my rats have distinctive smells, so maybe this is what she just smells like. My vet also didn't notice anything two days ago. Should I be worried?
