Rats

Just been reading on a different site about a person trying to save a wild Rat. Everybody started saying she should go to Doctors etc as Rats are so Dangerous. Now I know they are carriers of lots of Diseases.But I have never personally known anyone being ill from a Rat ,just wounded if any of you have. We have them living all around us.So if their that bad should we not be getting ill all the time.I dont like Rats ,but would not Put posion etc down, never been a problem around here (yet). How Dangerous are they really.

Rats do carry a lot of diseases Amie and yes, they say you're never more than 6 feet away from them. They pee consatntly, very small bladders and that is one way they spread a lot of disease, so you have to come into fairly close contact with them. Certainly not an expert on wild rats, but if the lady has had close contact she should be careful,but no need to go mador get paranoid! If you touched a pigeon or it pecked and broke the skin, you'd have to be just as careful I think! I would imagine they're only dangerous if they hurt you or you don't wash your hands etc once you've touched them, but again, i'm no expert ( and wouldn't want to be!!!!!)

again i find myself having to stick up for my pets

ok so i dont keep wild rats,, i keep fancy rats, which i might add are in fact very clean animals and spend a whole lot of time grooming each other
rats are actually very friendly animals and make great pets,,

wild rats yes they so carry diseases but then so do, flies, bugs, other wild animals and insects so they are no more dangerous than some of our other species

if you google you should find something on both fancy rats and wild animals


this is my little rat titch,, how could you be scared of that??
i also have 2 others and all are lovely x x

I dont know why you feel the need to stick up for your pets, Im only asking about Wild Rats I would not want a Rat but anyone that I know that has them Loves them to Bits.Just not my Kinda Pet The point of my Threads is are Wild Rats as Dangerous as we are lead to belive.Im not saying any thing Bad about Rats

This is a myth, rats do not have small bladders and they are not incontinnent, they scent mark just the same as dogs do, they will leave a trail of a few droplets of urine.
I'm not an expert in wild rats but I think the main worry would be leptospirosis, if you do a search for 'The leptospirosis information center' you should be able to find the site which has some good information, can't post the link as the site has a forum attached.
As long as the lady is careful about washing her hands after contact with the rat or anything it's touched, keeps it away from her own pets if she has any and disinfects everything it's been in contact with she should be fine

wild rats carry & spread the fatal disease lepto, which is generally spread by their urine. Its common for people to become infected if rats have bee around water courses/canals etc & is most times fatal. They are dangerous & all precautions should be taken if having to handle them & any wild rats on your property are best destryed. if like me you are a farmer you will have to pay for thisyourself but if you are a prvate home then your local council should come out & do this for nothing.

sorry hun,, just one of those days

after reading the other thread on the "savage giant rat attack" i guess i got a bit protective,, not too sure about HOW dangerous wild rats are, i know they do carry some diseases but not sure if they are as dangerous as they are made out

try a google search on wild brown rats as these are most commonly known here you should find some info

Hi Tara,
by the size of the animal I guess their bladders aren't huge, but I take your point!!!!!
I guess it's the scent marking that leads to confusion, whichever it is they pee a lot and that can spread disease.
I'm not anti rat!
I just think if she's been in close contact she should be careful, as I said, just like she'd have to be if it was a pigeon ( or wild rabbit/hare/duck/swan/mouse)!!!!
Nemos mum please don't feel the need to stick up for your pets,I'm not having a go, just pointing out hygeine is important. Wild rats are very different to pet ones! Your rat looks lovely!

Oh Dont worry its hard to type without sounding snotty(Me not you).By the way your Rat looks very nice for a Rat I have always had a problem with their tails I never liked Hamsters, until I got one for my God Daughter I had to look after him all week, when she came at weekends I was so worried she would Drop Him ,that in the end she said he could be my Hamster

thanx hun,, just ignore me,, im having a real down day today
titch is a bit bigger than that now but still a cutey