Why can,t I keep rodents alive for more than about 5 weeks?

I have kept hamsters, mice and rats and they all seem to die after a few weeks. One rat died after only 12 days. I use the right food and bedding and keep the cages clean. They all seem quite fit and then I find them dead the next day. They are indoors out of the cold. I am very unhappy as I love the rats but will have to stop keeping them unless I find out why they die. Help please!Why can,t I keep rodents alive for more than about 5 weeks?
There may be something in the air that is affecting them since they have very sensitive respiratry systems. There could have been something wrong with the food that you bought at that time,rodents will also hide illness untill they are very sick so that could have been the case with some of them. But it seems to me that it would have to be something in the house. A cleaner that you use, non stick frying pans or cast iron if either of them have been used and are starting to wear out, someone smoking in the house, mould of any kind, a bug that they ate, a drafty area that they are being kept in, it could even be something like a strong purfume.Why can,t I keep rodents alive for more than about 5 weeks?
Maybe they all just happen to be old. Try getting a baby rat that is weaned, a hopper.


Do you always buy from the same place? If so, try another store.
You are having the problem with rats that i have had in the past with guinea pigs. The amount of people that buy pets from large petstores and they die after a week or so from some underlying illness is unbelievable. When i first started out woth guinea pigs i got three one died with URI, the second had to be treated for URI and the third had a eye infection which i had to get medication from the vets for. Needless to say i get them from rescues now without any health problems. Petshops use back street breeders who have no concerns about the welfare of their animals. Don't let it put you off, find a breeder or if you have a rescue near even better. It is not what you are doing.
Firstly, hi, and can i say from a professional point DON'T PANICE YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG. now that that is sorted. let me just tell you a little secret, the other day i cam downstairs expecting to feed my ten rats, and one was DEAD and i didn't know why, i have rat approved cages that are disefected daily. the next day i came down to eight rats, another had dies, two days later and another two were dead. this wasn't right, i needed advise so i asked around the petshops and vets. They said it WASN'T what i was feeding them or watering them or when, or the cage, temperature, it was a disease, that spreads round all mammals, including mice, rats, hamsters, degus and guinea pigs. BUT WHAT WAS IT??? well apparently after a quite natural death of an animal, it was be passed on to another pet and on and on. SCARY right? i wasn't giving up. my advice hun, is to scrap ALL of your cages that animals have died in, go out get a new cage and stop buying rescued pets, try to buy from breederd in your local newspaper, and i woul d advice you bought some vitamin drops from your pet shop, put one or two in their water bottles they should be fine. I know its stressful, trust i know but don't give up. gd luck xxx
every once in awhile you have to check on its water,food,and the rodent.oh ya don't forget to play with him
my hamster died after 4 months of wet tail





the rodents from petco and petsmart arnt healthy


if you got them from their then maybe thats one of the reasons
do u perhaps unknowingly use a cleaning agent on cages that is not appropriate? additives may not be suitable, etc.





if u really need to know, y not pay for a post mortem on one of your pets, %26amp; find the cause of death. gd luk
What do you clean the cages with? Certain cleaners, like lysol, etc. are toxic to rodents.





What is the temperature where they are kept? Too high of heat (at least for rats and mice) is more dangerous than low. If the temperature in your house is above 75, then make it colder. If it is below 45, make it warmer.





You say you use the correct bedding and food, but you haven't said what exactly you are using. That information would be helpful, because sometimes people think something is a good product for their pet, when it really might not be.





What kind of cage are you using? Rats don't do well in aquarium type cages at all.





How many are you keeping? Rats and gerbils need company. Hamsters do HORRIBLY when kept together. Male mice are territorial too.





I hope I've given you a few points to start from.
The question is where are you getting them from? If they are all from the same shop then buy from a breeder or get a rescue. My advice is join a free forum like hamsterific.com. You can discuss all types of animal there, and you get great advice and support. You can also try petwebsite.com/forums to read up on other peoples experiences. Do you have any other pets like cats or dogs that could be frightening your rodents? It's very easy to stress a small animal out.





Good luck,





Eva x
You need to make sure that your rodents are kept away from direct sun, away from drafts and from radiators. Also if your keeping them in the same room try changing location, this as well as changing your supplier will help. Just out of interest when was the last time you had a gas inspection? Good luck
Probably the pet shop they are coming from. Find a breeder instead.
Are you feeding them and giving them water? If no, there's your answer.
Rodents need a lot of exercise. Do you have wheels and balls for them to run in to keep them fit and healthy. The other thing you need to watch out for is that they need to chew to keep their teeth down. Otherwise, they grow too long and they can't feed and grow weak. Also, hamsters and rats to some extent can suffer from wet tail, a bacterial infection, and die. You need to disinfect their living quarters if you have one dying from it. Otherwise the infection will remain and get the next animal you keep.
most rodents get tombers and u menchened food but no water what kind of room are u keeping them in it helps to keep them in ur room they feel safer and keep a hut a wheel and only feed them how much it says on the back of the bag trust me
This is only a suggestion Joe.





BUT





Try putting the ferret in a seperate cage.





Worked for me when I was trying to breed chinchillas. Now I have a pair of slippers and a Davey Crockett hat!
Try getting them from Petland. they always have the best animals. also, make sure there is proper ventilation in the cage. be sure to clean the cage before putting new ones in the cage to prevent disease.


**Good Luck**