Quarintine Question

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smilez_n_hugs

smilez_n_hugs

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2008
Messages
4,290
Location
Collingwood ON
I am just looking for some thoughts on this topic. In a few weeks I am going to be getting some of Ginny`s babies from lj. Since I already have 2 boys I am just wondering how crucial qt is. I will definatly be able to do it if it is necissary (my boyfriend will have no problem taking care of the cute little babies) but I am just looking for some input. Thanks!
 
Glad someone asked. Saves me having to ask at a later date :D

How long is normal quarantine for aswell? And does quarantine mean not in the same room, or the same house? I only know about parrot quarantine ><
 
Quarantine, if you can do it, is always preferred. You are bringing in rats from a different colony, so there's always a risk of something traveling with them.

I think the minimum for QT is 3 weeks.

Ryelle, a true rattie QT is in a completely different airspace, and you need to shower and change clothes between groups. But many people are not able to QT at this level.
 
I really really am all for QT if you can.

I never have been able to. I do not know one other person near me that would take care of a rat for me. I also don't even live in a house where rats could be kept anywhere but in my room!

I used to do "QT" with all the rats in one room, but then I realized there was no point because they are all sharing the same air space. So currently I do not have anyway to properly do QT.
 
moon said:
Quarantine, if you can do it, is always preferred. You are bringing in rats from a different colony, so there's always a risk of something traveling with them.

I think the minimum for QT is 3 weeks.

Ryelle, a true rattie QT is in a completely different airspace, and you need to shower and change clothes between groups. But many people are not able to QT at this level.
Click to expand...

Yes, a proper quarantine is 4 weeks min., different airspace, and wait a couple of hours, shower & change & clean your finger nails and clean out your nose (as many airborn diseases can live in your nose) all before returning home.

Since you know where they are from and that they have not been exposed to things, usually a couple of weeks in a different room is sufficient.
 
Most of us that rescue here really don't do quarantine. We just can't. The best we can do is a different room.
But! most people quarantine against the big nasties like Sendai and SDA. Also it's good to take this time to treat your new rats for mites/lice.
When you bring in a new rat from a different source you are no doubt bringing in a strain of myco. No amount of quarantine can protect your current rats from it. They may or may not become ill due to the new strain. Or the stress of new rats can set off their myco. Again, no amount of quarantining can stop them.
Then you've got CAR bacillus, pinworms, bladder bacteria/virus... all of which you can't do a quarantine long enough to prevent the spread of these diseases.
So... for me personally, if I suspect the rat is sick, I quarantine, if I suspect the rat is healthy, I don't.
 
Say you got a new rat, and kept it seperate... would a vet visit and checks make it ok to shorten quarantine? or does it go with "there's things that vets cant see", and you keep it up for the full 4 weeks?
 
That's right... there are things vet can't see. Now it you did an Elisa test which is blood work then it might be different but taking a lot of blood from a small animal is not usually a good idea.
 

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