Human Pregnancy and Caring for Ratties

Fins us on Amazon
Shop with us on Ebay
Advertise with us
The Rat Shack Forum

Help Support The Rat Shack Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
AshleyRayeRats

AshleyRayeRats

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2010
Messages
216
Location
Joliet, IL
Hello All!

It has been a while since I have posted, my husband lost one job and gained another AND we moved into a new house across town.
In other news, we will be welcoming our first two-legged baby this spring.

My question to those out there who have been pregnant while caring for rats:

Are there any special precautions I should take in terms of cleaning or handling?

My mother is paranoid and read something about a "LCMV" infection that rodents can carry; I think it's something that is generally a concern with just wild rats, but I would like to ease my mom's mind. Any advice would help!!
 
Oh gosh, I don't know a thing, but I'd love to hear others' advice too! Kids for the hubby and I aren't in the plans quite yet, but my super paranoid mother has made it abundantly clear that my rodents will have to go "for the sake of the baby" if I ever get pregnant.
 
Here's what I found after a quick Google search:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/pregnancy_gat ... -LCMV.html
LCMV (Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus) is a virus that can cause infection in animals and humans. Wild mice can carry LCMV and infect pet rodents, such as hamsters, pet mice, and guinea pigs. People can be infected through contact with urine, blood, saliva, droppings, or nesting materials of infected rodents.

Examples of how a person can become infected include:

Inhaling (breathing in) dust or droplets while sweeping up droppings from an infected rodent.

Touching infected rodent urine or droppings and then touching your eyes or the inside of your nose or mouth.

Being bitten by an infected rodent.

If a woman has an LCMV infection while pregnant the unborn baby can also become infected. LCMV infection can cause severe birth defects or loss of the pregnancy (miscarriage).

Prevention

The risk of LCMV infection is low. Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant should avoid contact with wild or pet rodents, such as hamsters, pet mice and guinea pigs.

To reduce the risk of LCMV infection during pregnancy:

If there might be mice in your home, call a professional pest control company to control them or have someone else remove them.

Avoid vacuuming or sweeping rodent urine, droppings, or nesting materials.

Ask a friend or family member who does not live with in the house to care for pet rodents in his or her home while you are pregnant. If this is not possible, keep the pet rodent in a separate part of the home and have another family member or friend care for the pet and clean its cage. Avoid being in the same room where the rodent is kept.

After contact with a wild rodent or its urine, droppings, or nesting materials, wash hands very well with soap and water afterwards.


Treatment

Currently, there is no treatment available for LCMV infection. Pregnant women who have come in contact with a rodent, or have fever or other symptoms during pregnancy should contact the doctor.

A blood test is available to detect current or previous LCMV infection. Having had LCMV infection in the past is not a risk for current or future pregnancies.
Click to expand...


http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/lcmv_rodents.htm
How can the risk of getting LCMV be reduced?

LCMV infection can be prevented by avoiding contact with house mice and by taking precautions when handling pet rodents (i.e., mice, hamsters, or guinea pigs).

If you have a pet rodent, take the following precautions to reduce the risk of LCMV infection:

Wash hands with soap and water after handling pet rodents; use waterless alcohol-based hand rubs when soap is not available.
Keep rodent cages clean and free of soiled bedding.
Clean the cage in a well-ventilated area or outside.
Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after cleaning up pet droppings. Closely supervise young children, especially those less than five years old, when cleaning cages, and make sure they wash their hands immediately after handling rodents and rodent caging or bedding.
Do not kiss pet rodents or hold them close to your face.

...

Should pregnant women be concerned about owning a hamster or other rodent?

Although the risk of LCMV infection from pet rodents is generally low. However, pregnant women should be aware of the risks associated with acquiring LCMV infection during pregnancy. Some of the following precautions can be taken to reduce even further the risk of acquiring LCMV infection during pregnancy:

Pregnant women should avoid contact with wild rodents. If you have a household rodent infestation, it should be addressed promptly by a professional pest control company or another member of the household.
Keep your pet rodent in a separate part of the home and ask another family member or friend to clean the cage and care for the pet. Avoid prolonged stays in the room where the rodent resides.
Click to expand...


(pdf) http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=w ... Cg&cad=rja
Affected Species

Natural LCMV reservoirs are laboratory and wild mice. Most rodents are susceptible to infection, with hamsters especially sensitive to infection, while rats are naturally resistant. LCMV is zoonotic. Pregnant women are especially susceptible, with adverse fetal outcomes possible.
Click to expand...

So, on the one hand it sounds pretty scary if you become infected, but on the other hand it sounds pretty darn rare. The first two (CDC) don't mention rats at all, and the last one does say that rats are less likely to transmit it, but it's pretty vague and I know nothing about the source.
 
Awesome! Yeah, everything I have read seems to pertain more to hamsters/mice. I have been wearing gloves when I deep clean their cage, just to be on the safe side. I love my rat babies and believe me, I would never, ever give them up. It sounds like everything is gonna be just fine! My baby is going to have so many furry brothers and sisters (and a couple nakees)! :dance:
 
I'm 18 weeks (and a friggin' landwhale) and I still play with the rats and clean their cage.
I do always use gloves though, always have.

So far I haven't died.
 
One of our mods have had rats all though out her pregnancy and beyond and had no issues and found no issues either.
Congrats btw.
 
ZoeHale said:
I'm 18 weeks (and a friggin' landwhale) and I still play with the rats and clean their cage.
I do always use gloves though, always have.

So far I haven't died.
Click to expand...

I can't wait to be a landwhale . . . I'm too early to show, but feel like crap. . . at least once I have a prego belly people will feel more sorry for me.
 
AshleyRayeRats said:
ZoeHale said:
I'm 18 weeks (and a friggin' landwhale) and I still play with the rats and clean their cage.
I do always use gloves though, always have.

So far I haven't died.
Click to expand...

I can't wait to be a landwhale . . . I'm too early to show, but feel like crap. . . at least once I have a prego belly people will feel more sorry for me.
Click to expand...

And you will HATE LIFE.
Seriously.
I pray to god I won't get much bigger cuz I'm fairly certain I'll explode.
 
Hii
As you are pregnant so I would suggest not to carry rats along with you since they spread diseases.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top