Big Question ?!?!?!?!?

[Egyptian_Sphynx]

ok, here is the deal. i went to the reptile shop where i usually go and bought small rats (though i think they were large mice so i got extra). they looked fine going into the box (with screens on the side for ventilation), they looked fine as i feed the first three ... they were all running around and trying to get out. when i go for the next ones they look like they are having a seizure and their legs are blue mouthes gasping for air. i call the reptile store back to see if anyone has had the same issue. they said that rats sufficate in the heat ... is that a valid answer or should i be worried that they had some thing and now my snakes ate some so are they going to be ok? a quick answer is appreciated.

just a note ... i found out the other day that they are both female, just some happy news to go with the bad

[tigerlily]

Heat stroke can cause seizures in animals, but what kinda temps are we talking about here?

Congrats on two females.

[Smulkin]

How hot did they get? Whats the temp there? Did you leave em in a closed car? Heat stroke could well have happened if they got too hot. I am not sure if they are like dogs in that there are no sweat glands and they must pant to shunt off extra heat (any vet-inclined folks know this one?). Regardless I would go back to the shop and have a look at the lot those feeders came from. But if all of them or the reaminder were exhibiting the same symptoms at the same time i'd think it would be more indicative of something environmental all of them were suffereing (such as heat).

This is a stab in the dark - but i know our rats get lethargic when it gets in the upper 90s outside and will kind of lay around with markedly heavier breathing. I'll easily defer to someone with more experience with rats or a wider variety of mammals than meself as I surely dont want to steer you to any false conclusions.

[Egyptian_Sphynx]

k, it is 92 degrees outside but it was only a 4 minute ride home and in my house it is 78 degrees. these rats apparently came from a breeder they use but like i said the other three were just fine. im not sure what the temp was in the reptile store.



edit:
i actually have them sitting right here next to me and the one is still kind of blue and breathing heavy and not moving, is heat nonrecovable if in a cooler area?

[Smulkin]

Haha - theres one right there - beat me in mid-response lol

[tigerlily]

92 Doesn't seem high enough, but without being able to measure the temp in the enclosure (possibly slightly higher - due to body heat), there's no way to be sure. You may have fed the first three off before they could exhibit symptoms. Again, it's possible it was due to heat exposure, but there is no way to tell for sure. Maybe someone else will come along with ideas, but those symptoms of gasping and seizures can be signs of heat stroke.

[Egyptian_Sphynx]

yeah actually i have two of them ... ones dead and the other i am waiting to see what happens to it, its still breathing and jerking around everyonce in a while and the limbs dont look blue, they are purple. its breathing is very slow and shallow and its just laying there ... it looks dead but its not, not yet anyways.


edit:
do you think that i should be worried about my babies?!?!

[tigerlily]

I don't think you need to be worried, but a little extra vigilance never hurt anyone.

[Egyptian_Sphynx]

i dont know if i will buy from that place again or not, if i do i will inspect them every time. im already checking on my babies like every ten minutes ... guess im already worried

[daniel1983]

My truck was about 120 deg.(before I put the AC on...then about 90) when I got back in after picking up my mice for the week. All of them got here just fine.....and they are all eaten up already. I always wondered if the higher temps in a bp enclosure could cause a rodent to have heat stroke when feeding live.....where are those live feeding experts?