Rat question....

Since my collection is growing, I have decided to try my hand at breeding rats. I purchased a female rat from a local store, only to hear her sneeze, so I returned her. Then today, I bought a female and male from a different source, and the male rat is also sneezing. He looks big and healthy, alert with no nasal or eye discharge, yet he sometimes does repetitive sneezing.

Its been a long time since I have had rodents (I had mice and hamsters as pets)...is sneezing normal for rats? I would think that it would be a sign of an RI, but two healthy looking rats from different sources having the same quirks make me think that maybe rats are just investigative and use their nose a lot? I bought a replacement male just in case, yet I still have this male. Would it be safe to feed him off? I can't return him as I bought him at a store about forty minutes from me...should I find him a pet home? Euthanize? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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Sometimes rats will sneeze when moved FROM dirty conditions. It stops within a day or so. Permament respitory problems can be caused by lousy conditions too, so maybe that's his problem. He should be okay.
Ideally of course you want perfectly healthy non-sneezing rats. Of course ideally, your ball pythons would get out of their bins, go out to the local market and get their own food. I'd not worry.
Wolfy

LOL, Theresa.. I can imagine the snakes driving to the market..

As for my rats, some of them sneeze, some of them don't. It is mostly environmental, but if it is constant (a weeks worth of sneezing), then I would be concerned.

Don't judge me or scream at me! I have two PET Rats. NO, I am not a traitor. I swing many ways in the animal kingdom. From baby talking Tarantulas, Scorpions, and Giant African Millipedes, to Snakes and Lizards, and as a kid I lived on a Farm and still enjoy my furry mammals just as much! I don't feed live yet but if I had to I would. Cute faces get to me but were human right. I donno. I have no emotional attachments to Hamsters, Gerbils, Mice or Guinea Pigs. I just don't like those things. Rats though...wow, these are the most intelligent, gentle, affectionate creatures ever. All I know is as Pets I have the GREATEST time with them! Except for the EVERY night cleaning, UGH!

Ok as for your situation. I forget what its called but EVERY Rat is born with Respiratory problems. Unless you have a Breeder who has breed this certain ailment out of them they are all born with it. A Respiratory infection would involve a lot more then sneezing. Mucus, drainage, and definitely little activity. Out of the first two I had one died. She was sick and at first she ran around like crazy because it was a new environment but by the second day she wouldn't move and that morning she was dead. So same rules apply, especially activeness.

The sneezing I hate to tell you but you just wasted your money for nothing. EVERY Rat sneezes, always and it doesn't matter how long you've had them. They can calm down. They will sneeze a lot at first for maybe a month, maybe two. You've changed their environment and they have to get used to it, used to your air, your smell, your cleaners, you smoke or not. They sneeze whenever excited and am not sure about scared. I think scared they would squeak like hell. Everytime HoneyPuff and Rayne come out their so excited they sneeze right in Mommys face. Presents for Mommys. It is very important for healthy feeders that you clean their tank every night or two nights at the LEAST, unless they've been trained to use the litter pan. They will always sneeze. I use towels as substrate, non dyed. My other Rat friend uses Kaytees Country Critter. Something like that. Rat lab blocks are the best dry food and its even better to give them dry and wet. My girls wet food dish looks like a salad bowl. Sunflower seeds, shrimp, and nuts will fatten them up! Thats all for now. Hope that helps.