i just looked in their box today and on the newspaper there seems to be blood not drops but like alot of blood, non of them have any cuts or anything on them, and ive heard they bleed out of there nose, but their not suppose to have that much. what wrong with them. i only changed newspaper two days ago.

im annoyed and sad, because there always seems to be something wrong with my rats, ive looked after what i think is right. and i cant keep affording vets. when i first got them i though they would be as easy as a guinea pig, but no their not they have all these sickness and stuff.

also one of them is 3 and 2 months i know thats pretty old but still she shouldnt be the one leeking. i dont think. what is wrong with them. when i first got my first one which is three now, she seemsed to never have any problems but once i got two more for her company they seem to be more picky all of them, like what they eat they only eat certain food which i cant give them all the time, like dog biscuits. what can i do.

The red stuff from their nose is called porphyrin, and is rather like the (sorry to be gross) snot in a human nose. It is not blood at all, however if it is enough that it is dripping onto the litter, then they are ill. The main illness in rats is a respiratory infection, which is easily treated with antibiotics, which you can get at a feed store or online. If the rat often looks like it has the hiccups, then this is the case. Try feeding each rat a fish oil capsule 3x per week and giving them steam baths, by taking them in the bathroom, put them on the floor or counter, and run the shower on hot until the room steams up.

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Also, rats should not have dog biscuits. It has too much protein in it. Rats like rat food, which comes in pellet form, and if that is all you give them, then they will eat it when they get hungry. You can treat them with the occasional hard boiled egg or a few noodles, maybe some dry cereal, etc. Also, clean their cage out 3x per week to keep ammonia fumes from irritating their respiratory system. They are very hardy animals, and easy to care for if you are willing to do so. Next time you choose a pet, do a lot of research FIRST to see which kind of pet is best for you. Reading between the lines, it sounds like you are angry and irritated with your rats for getting sick, rather than concerned for their health. This might indicate that you should not have a pet that could get sick. Try a pet rock instead.

Veterinary student
Long time pet owner
Currently have 2 rats and 2 hamsters.