diff --git a/digitalocean/baseapi.py b/digitalocean/baseapi.py
index 6647753..23d3c6d 100644
--- a/digitalocean/baseapi.py
+++ b/digitalocean/baseapi.py
@@ -178,11 +178,14 @@ def __deal_with_pagination(self, url, method, params, data):
 
     def __init_ratelimit(self, headers):
         # Add the account requests/hour limit
-        self.ratelimit_limit = headers.get('Ratelimit-Limit', None)
+        ratelimit_limit = headers.get('Ratelimit-Limit', None)
+        self.ratelimit_limit = int(ratelimit_limit) if ratelimit_limit is not None else None
         # Add the account requests remaining
-        self.ratelimit_remaining = headers.get('Ratelimit-Remaining', None)
+        ratelimit_remaining = headers.get('Ratelimit-Remaining', None)
+        self.ratelimit_remaining = int(ratelimit_remaining) if ratelimit_remaining is not None else None
         # Add the account requests limit reset time
-        self.ratelimit_reset = headers.get('Ratelimit-Reset', None)
+        ratelimit_reset = headers.get('Ratelimit-Reset', None)
+        self.ratelimit_reset = int(ratelimit_reset) if ratelimit_reset is not None else None
 
     @property
     def token(self):
@@ -238,6 +241,9 @@ def get_data(self, url, type=GET, params=None):
         if req.status_code == 404:
             raise NotFoundError()
 
+        # init request limits
+        self.__init_ratelimit(req.headers)
+
         if len(req.content) == 0:
             # Raise an error if the request failed and there is no response content
             req.raise_for_status()
@@ -254,9 +260,6 @@ def get_data(self, url, type=GET, params=None):
             msg = [data[m] for m in ("id", "message") if m in data][1]
             raise DataReadError(msg)
 
-        # init request limits
-        self.__init_ratelimit(req.headers)
-
         # If there are more elements available (total) than the elements per
         # page, try to deal with pagination. Note: Breaking the logic on
         # multiple pages,
diff --git a/digitalocean/tests/test_baseapi.py b/digitalocean/tests/test_baseapi.py
index 9d6b112..8dc3977 100644
--- a/digitalocean/tests/test_baseapi.py
+++ b/digitalocean/tests/test_baseapi.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import os
 
+from requests.structures import CaseInsensitiveDict
+
 from digitalocean.baseapi import BaseAPI
 try:
     import mock
@@ -83,3 +85,37 @@ def test_get_data_error_response_no_body(self):
             mock_5xx_response.return_value.status_code = random.randint(500, 599) # random 5xx status code
 
             self.assertRaises(requests.HTTPError, self.manager.get_data, 'test')
+
+    def test_get_data_rate_limit_case_error(self):
+        with mock.patch.object(self.manager, '_BaseAPI__perform_request') as mock_429:
+            mock_429.return_value = requests.Response()
+            mock_429.return_value._content = b''
+            mock_429.return_value.status_code = 429
+            mock_429.return_value.headers = CaseInsensitiveDict(data={
+                'ratelimit-limit': "1200",
+                'ratelimit-remaining': "1193",
+                'rateLimit-reset': "1402425459"
+            })
+
+            self.assertRaises(requests.HTTPError, self.manager.get_data, 'test')
+
+            self.assertEqual(self.manager.ratelimit_limit, 1200)
+            self.assertEqual(self.manager.ratelimit_remaining, 1193)
+            self.assertEqual(self.manager.ratelimit_reset, 1402425459)
+
+    def test_get_data_rate_limit_case_ok(self):
+        with mock.patch.object(self.manager, '_BaseAPI__perform_request') as mock_200:
+            mock_200.return_value = requests.Response()
+            mock_200.return_value._content = b'{}'
+            mock_200.return_value.status_code = 200
+            mock_200.return_value.headers = CaseInsensitiveDict(data={
+                'ratelimit-limit': "1200",
+                'ratelimit-remaining': "1193",
+                'rateLimit-reset': "1402425459"
+            })
+
+            self.manager.get_data('test')
+
+            self.assertEqual(self.manager.ratelimit_limit, 1200)
+            self.assertEqual(self.manager.ratelimit_remaining, 1193)
+            self.assertEqual(self.manager.ratelimit_reset, 1402425459)