Slight change in Nibbler. Maybe nothing?

[Roo]

NIBBLER SMASH!

Anyways...
Nibbler is about 18 months now. I'm unsure of her weight, I've never had a scale.

Not sure if this is odd for rats, but it was odd for her, so I'll share it: Nibbler has ALWAYS been pretty calm. She never runs (has always been a bit slow) but today she seemed extra uninterested. I was cleaning the house and wandered by their cage to do their daily poo-removal and noticed Nibbler was laying in her hammock staring into space - her eyes bulging out of her head. I thought maybe she was happy because I was visiting (she usually is) but when I said hi, she didn't move, just kept staring in the other direction. And she was fluffy. I opened the cage - still no movement. I pet her - still nothing. Even after I picked her up she didn't move for about 20 seconds. Kinda like she was daydreaming and I broke her out of it. I pet her for a while, and her fur went to normal.

Her breathing has gotten faster, and she's become fluffy (it always seemed to me that her fur was a little longer than most ratties I've had, but never fluffy)...

She usually looks like this:

Now she looks like this: (and the vid)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcbn-Iqs ... rofilepage

This video was taken about a week ago - I'll have to try to get better pictures when the boyfriend wakes up... when I look at the two I just posted, she doesn't look fluffier than usual. Maybe it's just standing out more since the others are so sleek?

She isn't fluffy/breathing heavy all the time (which is why I didn't post until now), but it is daily. She recently got a new cagemate (Freya) who is young and a spazoid (<3) - could this be tiring/stressing her out a bit? Or does it look more like a respiratory problem?

 

[jorats]

lol great pic of the smash.

Nibbler is probably a bit more stressed because of the newbie.
As for the episode with you, she might have been sleeping all along and you didn't realize it.

 

[Roo]

Really? She's usually a light sleeper and wakes up as soon as I wander by. But I guess she's maybe just extra exhausted. I'd just never seen it. They all get along fine - just a different energy level.

Thanks, Jo. I think I freak out about behavior changes since we lost our Nein a few months ago. I shall just keep an eye oot for now.

 

[jorats]

At her age, you'll notice that they start to sleep harder and harder. Keep an eye on her... she is getting up there in age.

 

[Roo]

It's been years and yeeeeaaars since I've had an oldie. I'll have to start browsing the forums to prepare myself. :?