Beat the Heat – Rat Edition

This summer has been pretty mild compared to what I’ve experienced back home, but over the last week the temperatures here in the UK have been sweltering. It definitely doesn’t help that I live on the 7th floor of my apartment building and my flat gets direct sunlight from all directions. When I came home after work I found one of my boys, Stapes, draped over the side of the hammock trying to cool down.

Poor lil dude was completely melted.

The room felt stuffy, but I didn’t really think it was all that warm to me. However, rats are much more sensitive to heat than we are, so I wound up ordering a temperature and humidity gague for the room just to ensure I could keep the boys comfortable.

Signs your rat is a little too warm

• “Melting” or “Pancaking” out to increase surface area

  • Rats cannot sweat, so this is their way of cooling!

• Bright pink ears (and in non-neutered males “droopy”, bright pink scrotum)

• Decrease in activity

Rats do best at mild temperatures, but can handle temperatures between 18°C to 26°C (64°F to 79°F) at a range of 30 to 70% humidity. Anything on the high end of this range and above can result in what is known as heat exhaustion. Since rats have limited ability to regulate body temperature, heat exhaustion can come about very quickly. If heat exhaustion is not handled in a timely manner, it can progress into full fledged heat stroke (something that requires immediate veterinary intervention). Thankfully, when it is caught early on, heat exhaustion can be treated through cooling the animal down to normal temperature in 15-30 minutes.

Signs of Heat Exhaustion in Rats

• Excessive drinking

• Weakness/lethargy

• Increase in heart and breathing rate

• Decreased appetite

• Ears, tail, and paws feel excessively warm

Heat Stroke

Veterinary help should be sought ASAP if heat stroke is suspected. The initial goal should be to cool down your rat and provide

Symptoms of Heat Stroke

• Drooling

• Unresponsive/minimally responsive

• Open mouth breathing

• Excessively red gums/tongue

• Staggering and uncoordinated movements

If your rat is experiencing heat stroke, this is an emergency. They need veterinary intervention to replace lost fluids and ensure their body temperature goes back to normal.

DO:

1. Call the veterinarian immediately

2. Attempt to bring down their body temperature by applying lukewarm/tepid water to their fur and applying an ice pack wrapped in a towel or blanket to their neck. Use a fan to induce evaporative cooling if possible

3. Encourage them to drink fluids by offerring an electrolye drink, juice, or water

DONT:

1. Submerge your rat in cold water. This will send their body into shock.

2. Force them to drink water

Tips

Here are some handy tips for keeping your ratties cool during the warmer months!

• Keep the cage away from direct sunlight, and draw curtains during the day if the area is particularly sunny

• Relocate the cage to a cooler spot in the house, such as the bathroom floor, if the room becomes unmanagably warm

• Provide multiple sources of water to encourage drinking, and change the water regularly

  • I keep two water bottles and a bowl in my cage, and during the hot days I will change this a few times a day to keep the water fresh and cool

• Offer snacks with high water content, such as cucumbers and watermelon

• Keep the air circulating in the room where the rats are. You can use a fan, but do not point it directly at the cage

  • If there is a breeze coming from outside, keeping the windows open isn’t a bad idea as well

• Place a ceramic tile in the cage for the rats to lay on if they need somewhere to cool off

  • I will sometimes place my spare tile in the fridge to keep it cool in between usage

Pea Fishing

A lot of rats tend to not be very keen on swimming or getting wet, but if you place a water dish with frozen peas in their vicinity, theyre very likely to take a dip to grab a few. You can use other vegetables that you have on hand, but peas are the preferred option due to their size.

Archie having a dip in the pool for some frozen corn

Ratty A/C

This is a great way to keep the cage cool even if your house doesn’t have aircon.

Ratty A/C

• I often use reusable ice blocks that are typically reserved for lunchboxes/coolers, but the water bottles are a great option if you don’t have those

• I use a ceramic bowl instead of a rat hut because it keeps the temperatures cooler, longer

• Keep a rotation of ice packs/bottles so when the first set inevitably melts you can quickly switch it out. I find they usually last about half a day so it’s good if it’s exceptionally warm outside