Strong Odor - sign of sickness?

[Reptilian]

Hey all-

My little rattie, Emma, has a strong unpleasant odor to her. Do rats musk? It maybe urine as I try to pick her up, but I don't get any on my hands... Could it be a sign of illness?

I know her cage mate Ruby doesn't have the odor, she smells like a rat. I've also noticed that Ruby is very dominant and needs to be the first for everything. I've been trying to spend more time with Emma in the cage where she feels most comfortable, but I guess we'll have to work on some outside of the cage sessions.

Anyway if someone could get back to me on what they think about the smell that would be great.

[SatanicIntention]

No, rats don't musk, but if she has internal parasites(probably both do if from a pet store) her feces will smell very strongly and be very unpleasant(sometimes firm or sometimes diarrhea, it can depend on alot of things).


I've had good luck with skittish rats by placing them in my shirt(with a towel in case they pee) for a few hours. Forced, gentle handling can get them to come around and start trusting you. Also, if she's with other rats that are very easy going and older(might be a good idea to get another female, so you'll have a trio, just in case one passes, the remaining won't be friend-less), she'll pick up their calm, sensible nature and hopefully calm down.

I have a little black hoodie female in with about 5 other girls, and when I first got her, she was very skittish and untrusting. After about a month or two of gentle forced handling and being with the other girls who could care less how I hold them(on their back, scruff of the neck, they don't care one bit and just give kisses), she came out of her shell and is a great little girl now.

It just takes some time and it may help to get them a calm, older friend(6 months old plus) so hey can feel secure.

Also, when I get new babies in(after a month of quarantine in a different city, LOL, and no I'm not kidding) I set their cage up so they are alone and only have a hammock, water bottle, their food mix, some lab blocks, and a hangy toy(or whatever kind of ferret jingly ball or other toy I have around), and that's it. It gets them used to me first, instead of secluding themselves away while they are with other rats. Helps them calm down a bit.

[frankykeno]

What sort of smell is it? Does her butt, ears, eyes and coat all appear normal? Any runny rat poop in the cage? How do the two rats gets along? Some of my females just will not tolerate each other, it seems very "personal". Put them with another rat and they are best buddies, put certain females together and the war is on. I'd add in another female, some trios work far better than two when it comes to the girlie rats.

[Reptilian]

What sort of smell is it? Does her butt, ears, eyes and coat all appear normal? Any runny rat poop in the cage? How do the two rats gets along?

Well first off they are both under a 4 months old. I figured we picked them up around the 8-10 week old stage.

The sorta smell, more of a feces/poopy smell. She never leaves her hide in the day, I've spotted her leaving and running around at night once I had all the closet doors closed. (I happened to open it and see her running around). No runny rat poop in the cage.

As for them getting along, sometimes the two will sleep together, but since I put two hides in there they are usually sleeping half together/half apart. Ruby the smaller one seems very dominent of Emma. They'll wrestle, with Ruby usually winning. When Emma pokes her head out to see what's going on, Ruby is up at the cage bars too but will then move and block the entrence of the hide so Emma can't get out. Forcing her back into the hide. I think i might take out that hide...(It's a big pink igloo, I might find something smaller.)

I think a vet visit might be in order...it never hurts to have a check up every now and then.

Thanks so much for your help, I'll keep you all updated.