** 2 NEW FAMILY MEMBERS** pictures too

[luckies4me]

Yes I am serious, because it doesn't matter if you brought ONE rat in, they have the potential to carry a deadly virus, why would you want to take the risk? Yes as of now it won't do any good because if they had anything most likely the other rats do too already. And it's not hysteria, it's common sense.

[luckies4me]

WHO's PETS ARE AT RISK?

1. Any pet owner who obtains a pet from a petstore or a breeder who did not properly quarantine.

2. Any pet owner who attends pet rodent shows.

3. The pets of any person who takes in and places rescues if proper quarentines and safety measures are not taken.

4. Any person who breeds rodents- no matter how many or few- even a pet owner who has a pet become pregnant once by plan or accident- if that person never did a quarentine for the original animals brought into the home for breeding as they could be harboring infection that is passed on to the offspring.

5. Any person who handles rodents in a store, shelter, etc and then immediately goes home and handles their own pets.

6. Any person who's pet rodents may come in contact with wild rodents, even if they do not have physical contact but are in the same area. (eg: some wild mice have gotten into your home)

7. Anyone who pet sits rodents, especially if done in the house or if out of the house if the person immediately goes home and handles their own pets




SDA is usually transmitted by respiratory aerosol- in other words, simply by their sharing the same air. Outside of the host body, it lasts long enough that you can carry it on your hands or clothes and thus transfer it to previously uninfected animals. Sendai is carried in the respiratory tract. We still aren’t certain how it is transferred but it is suspected to be transmitted in the same ways SDA is.


Text books are written for labs mostly, so they suggest that if barriers do not keep the virus out, to eliminate (kill) the infected animals and start over. Obviously, this is unacceptable for the fancy. The textbooks do describe another method: a strict quarantine for 6 - 8 weeks.

To be effective, a “quarantine” must mean a total shutting down of the rodentry. It means no introduction of new animals, no placement of animals, no breeding of animals (as the babies would perpetuate the life of the virus). There must be no contact with other rodentries or animals. Attend no shows. If visiting with friends or family with pet rodents, explain the virus to them so that everyone disinfects between visits. If taking rats or mice to a vet, be sure the vet knows so you aren’t scheduled to come in when another fancier is there with their pets.
Because these viruses can spread by aerosol, a separate cage or even a separate room in the house is not effective for quarentining.

If you are a breeder or rescuer and will be bringing in new rats periodically or frequently showing, you should find a separate building to quarantine new animals in. A friend or family member may be willing to let you use their home, basement or garage (if it is heated in winter and air-conditioned in summer). Another option is for a group of fanciers to work together, where they take turns housing the quarantined animals while the established animals stay in other fancier’s homes.

Most texts say that quarantine for SDA or Sendai needs to last six to eight weeks. If the virus is contracted when you already have animals pregnant, you need to wait for them to give birth, raise the young and then start counting quarantine after the babies have shown and recovered from symptoms (usually just after they wean).


“Why should I quarantine ? My animals are healthy & aren’t infecting anyone else’s.”

Appearing to be in good health does not mean an animal is not infectious. In fact our recent outbreak of SDA was traced back to rats acquired from a breeder who insisted that the above was true because their rodentry had a closed breeding system (that is, they bred only offspring of animals they had bred themselves, and did not acquire animals from other sources). At some time, there was an outbreak and the surviving rats recovered and possessed a natural resistance. Because this person continued to breed, the new litters in turn become infected, recover and have resistance. So long as you continue to breed, you are bringing in new blood, and you are keeping the virus alive in your rodentry.

As this person kept a closed rodentry, their rats had little opportunity to pick up other new infections (e.g.: respiratory illnesses), so they basically created a situation similar to what is described in many scientific texts. When one of their rats came in contact with ours, the result was an outbreak in our animals. It’s very similar to when Europeans first traveled to other countries, illnesses that were “annoying colds” to Europeans caused widespread death among American, African and Australian natives.

“If you breed with the virus present and the result is animals that are naturally resistant and have fewer symptoms and deaths- then shouldn’t we intentionally expose our animals, and let the virus stay (enzootic)?”

No. In the case of SDA, the only way it can exist in your colony without causing problems is if you have no (or very few) other infections. Remember, SDA is deadly to so many rats because they already have Mycoplasma pulmonis among several other infections in them. You would still need to quarantine out of fear of other bacterial and viral diseases- all you need is a new strain of myco or staph or another illness to come by and the effect will be deadly.

In the case of Sendai, while there is a resistance, it is acquired at a great price. The virus causes scarring to the lungs which can be permanently damaged. With damaged lungs, your rat will be harder hit by other respiratory diseases. Finally, a person cannot choose to breed with a virus like this present and not cause harm to the rest of the fancy. When this person places animals will they inform the buyer that the animal carries certain viruses? Will that person in turn breed the animal, and if so, will they be so honest? Experience tells us this won’t happen- once animals bred in an infected rodentry are placed- the infection spreads.

[wolf_Q]

Luckies, ...what do YOU do with all those rats you bring into your house all the time? Do you have a heated garage? Or better yet...a separate home just for new rats in your back yard? Just curious. I don't think everyone has the access to a separate building to quarantine rats.

Chloe and Daisy are adorable! Loved the pics! You make me want to get some ratties!

[All Creatures Great And Small]

OK, whatever, you know everything about rats and we know NOTHING - we shouldn't even be allowed to own any, because we are horrible pet owners. Happy now? Why do you have to go into this textbook-quoting mode whenever anyone mentions anything about their pets? OK, WE GET IT - YOU ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE. We know where to find rat info links without you as the middleman, so you can stop preaching to us now. We've also owned rats for 3 years now, all of them came from pet stores, and they all lived their normal though short lifespan, so I guess we have at least ONE clue.

[luckies4me]

Originally posted by wolf_Q
Luckies, ...what do YOU do with all those rats you bring into your house all the time? Do you have a heated garage? Or better yet...a separate home just for new rats in your back yard? Just curious. I don't think everyone has the access to a separate building to quarantine rats.

Chloe and Daisy are adorable! Loved the pics! You make me want to get some ratties!

Well I have a friends apartment that I use, which is about a few steps away, as well as our house (not our apartment) as well as other friends houses which do not have any other rodents.

[luckies4me]

Originally posted by All Creatures Great And Small
OK, whatever, you know everything about rats and we know NOTHING - we shouldn't even be allowed to own any, because we are horrible pet owners. Happy now? Why do you have to go into this textbook-quoting mode whenever anyone mentions anything about their pets? OK, WE GET IT - YOU ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE. We know where to find rat info links without you as the middleman, so you can stop preaching to us now. We've also owned rats for 3 years now, all of them came from pet stores, and they all lived their normal though short lifespan, so I guess we have at least ONE clue.

NO I do not know everything about rats, as owners and breeders we are always learning, that is part of the fancy.


I never said you should own rats, believe me, you guys know a hell of a lot more than others do! But I don't think it is right to make fun of this in the way you two did. These are lives we are talking about, they are not just animals that you can throw away or replace in a moments notice. I am pretty sure you two would be sad to lose your rats to some disease. I know I would.


I understand that some people do not have this kind of acess, but if you don't why get others rats and risk it? Either way, they are your pets and you will do whatever you want.


As you can see I gave links and was not "bitching" or anything, I was being nice when your daughter had to come back with some immature response as if these disease mean nothing.


That is all I am going to say, if you want to PM me that's fine. I really do think your ratties are cute though and I wish you luck with them and all the others. If I come off as a "knowit all" I am sorry, but these animals mean a lot to me evenif they are not mine, my goal is to educate others and that is what I do, even if they don't listen. That is just me, sorry.

[Desert Arabian]

Originally posted by luckies4me
But I don't think it is right to make fun of this in the way you two did. These are lives we are talking about, they are not just animals that you can throw away or replace in a moments notice. I am pretty sure you two would be sad to lose your rats to some disease. I know I would.

I wasn't making fun of the disease...just your posts (and hysteria).

I was being nice when your daughter had to come back with some immature response as if these disease mean nothing.

Yup that's me.....the one with a HUGE sense of humor, and a LARGE heart for my rats, and a TINY CRAPPY DRAFTY 1960's house where we are all forced to breathe the same air.

[Desert Arabian]

I am still trying to catch a picture of them running in the wheel, but so far not luck. And of course, when I don't have the camera ready, they run in the wheel together.....