Q-tine question

[Cigar]

If I were to come across a lone rat (who hadn't ever or not within the past month been in contact with another rat) and checked them out for laboured breathing, scabs, good energy, etc. and they were all clear, could I begin to introduce the rat to my own kids and safely keep them in the same airspace?

 

[SQ]

You would be taking a risk but less of a risk then if you were in the US.
You can never be completely sure because so many people do not tell the truth or are not informed enough to know what situations are dangerous ... for example were the owners near another rat or in a pet store in the last month?
A rescue must do a full and proper quarantine. The rest of us take calculated risks. In the situation you have described, many would do a two week quarantine in another part of the house with as many quarantine procedures in place as possible.

 

[jorats]

All rats carry their own pathogens. Once in contact with your rats, they can be transmitted some are worse than others. For some a quarantine will help you recognize it while others won't manifest for months and months.
If you could put the new rat in a separate room for a couple of weeks, the stress of the move and change might bring about their illness if they have one.
But with some illness no length of quarantine can prepare you and protect your rats, for instance with CAR Bacillus.

 

[Cigar]

Thanks guys, that was really helpful.