Accepted Answer

Thank you for getting back to me. The red discharge is called porphyrins. Small rodents normally produce this and it can be seen coming from the nose and eyes under certain circumstances. I suspect that the force of the sneeze is causing more than normal amounts to come out through the nose. You can read more about porphyrins on this gerbil site:

http://www.egerbil.com/tears.html

As long as this doesn't happen often, it's nothing to worry about. More porphyrins will be discharged if a rat is sick or under stress. If you see such a discharge often, it's best to consult a vet specializing in pocket pets. If you ever need to do that, these links will take you to directories of vets who treat rats:

http://www.rmca.org/Vets/index.php?action=list

http://www.ratfanclub.org/vetref.html

You may also enjoy the following sites:

http://ratguide.com/care/

This one has more information, plus a forum you can join if you'd like to talk to other rat owners:

http://www.ratcare.org/

If you have more questions, just let me know by clicking on REPLY. I hope you enjoy many years with your rat.

Anna

Expert:	Anna
Pos. Feedback:	100.0 %
Accepts:
Answered:	5/1/2009

Pet Expert/Biologist

40 yrs.: herps, pocket pets, rabbits, poultry, dogs, horses. Biology degree. Volunteer vet assistant