Dried red material around eyes.

[Panda Phil]

  Ocassionally when my tan hooded boy Rufus wakes up in the afternoon, he'll have a small amount of red crust around his eyes. It'll goes away after awhile and he doesn't show any other signs of ill health other thna the ocassional sniffle.  Is this anything to be concerned about, or just the rattie equivalent of morning eye boogers?  

[Suebee]

Rat mucus contains the same substance that our blood does to make it red. What you're seeing is called "porphyrin," and as long as it's only coming up as morning eye boogers, it's nothing to worry about.

If it increases, or becomes a regular fixture of your rats' cosmetic routine ( ), then you might have a problem. Persistent porphyrin is usually a sign of stress or illness.

But I wouldn't worry about a little when they first wake up.

[Panda Phil]

 Thanks Suebee. I figured it was nothing, but thought I'd better ask the experts anyway.

 Better safe than sorry, right?

[Suebee]

Always.

[redzoom2001]

same thing here with my platinum hooded girl wakes up she has the same thing yours does... my vet said its nothing because she doesnt sneeze or have any  other symptoms...

[ratluver]

It's called porphyrin, which rats have in there eyes, my rat does the same thing,
but it can also be a sign that your rat is ill.

[redzoom2001]

yea i know that and that is why i took her to see the vet... the vet looked her over and said she is ok... she seems ok to me too.... no sneezing or any other signs...

[Rattsie]

Don't worry My rat Gracie,her eyes have that to but it is only porferen it comes out of their noses to!!! It is a sign that they are stressed out!!! No need to worry!!!!

[redzoom2001]

hmmm... wonder what my rattie is stressed about?  big cage, nice safe wheel.. and spoiled all the time...

[Rattsie]

I guess I don't know how to spell words that good!!!!

[Rattsie]

Ya did you know that wheels can make your pets tail curled but as long as they are having fun don't take it out!!!

[flambled]

Ya did you know that wheels can make your pets tail curled but as long as they are having fun don't take it out!!!

Wheels do not make every rats tail curled.  I have some rats the run on the wheel and their tails are curled, and I had one rat's tail that looked like a corkscrew before she ever even got a wheel.  Not saying you are wrong just saying it doesn't ALWAYS happen.

[Panda Phil]

 Feh! I'd gladly live with curly tails if only my little wretches would stop sleeping all day and use their $24 Wodent Wheel!

 *Shakes fist at lazy rat boys.*  

[Arthur Writer]

hmmm... wonder what my rattie is stressed about?  big cage, nice safe wheel.. and spoiled all the time...

Do you have a cagemate or two for her?  Most rats need other rats to be happy.

[redzoom2001]

3 of her sisters she is always cuddling up in the pile in the polar fleece cuddle hammock with her sisters

[Dearpie]

Don't worry My rat Gracie,her eyes have that to but it is only porferen it comes out of their noses to!!! It is a sign that they are stressed out!!! No need to worry!!!!

No need to worry??  When a rat is stressed, you need to find out why.  Whether it's illness, something new in the environment or something else.

Is the cage new?

Often times rats hide their pain and illness pretty well.  I'd be inclined to take her to the vet.  However, how often is there porphryn?  It's natural to have porphryn around their nose a bit just after waking up, before they've had a chance to clean up after sleeping.

Is she sneezing or wheezing at all?  Is she eating, drinking and playing normally?

[redzoom2001]

could be the new bigger cage? and the new big wheel?

[Adventure Rats]

A new cage can be a little stressfull. They usually pull through it after a few days. They need to get use to their new home.

I just did a couple of cage transfers myself and some of them love a new cage to explore however Melody was not happy about the change and I didn't really see her for 2 days. She hide in her box. Now it's been almost a week and she is taking to the new cage nicely. Her sister Harmony climbed to the top and settled down in her hammock like the place was ment for her.

Heather