# New rats, do I have to disinfect everything in my cage?



## Saures (Mar 10, 2012)

I had two rats which were ill, and had to give them back to the pet store, should I disinfect everything?

I have wooden toys, such as a wooden "DIY" play-frame and a hanging wooden ladder and a wooden hanging bird toy... How do I disinfect these? I bought animal friendly disinfectant from the shop?


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## giggles_mcbug (Sep 10, 2011)

Wood isn't disinfectable. Not fully. It's porous. Take your chances or throw the toys away. 

I hope you can afford to take care of these rats.


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## A.ngelF.eathers (Jul 6, 2011)

Just throw them away.
If you got sick rats before, chances are you're going to get sick rats again.


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## BasmatiRice (Feb 11, 2012)

If its small enough you can boil it or you can put it in the oven for a few hours, it wont fully disinfect it but it will help a lot.

Rats are small animals that are very sensitive to temperature changes, air drafts, dust and God knows what, you WILL have to take them to the vet sooner or later... Don't buy new rats if you _don't have the money/are not willing to take them_ to the vet...


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## British (Apr 2, 2012)

Saures said:


> had to give them back to the pet store


That's rather sad. Couldn't the vet treat the sick ones? If you bought the news rats from the same store, chances are they've been exposed to the same illness already. Definitely throw away anything wooden. You could try boiling it, but you can't guarantee it's safe.


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## PitterPatter (Feb 28, 2012)

To be honest if I was you I would have waited to get new rats, and to research and find other places to adopt rats...
Don't re-use the toys. Throw them away. It's very dangerous to have a healthy animal chew on something wooden that was housed with previously sick animals. That's a #1 rule.


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## Saures (Mar 10, 2012)

What I did was I took the pets back to the store, because they could apparently take them to the vets and get them treated, and thats a lot more than what I could do for them, I decided after that, that I would never buy from a chain pet store again, this one being pets at home.

I posted a few adverts online looking for some new rats for adoption, found someone who bred them, so now I've got four new rats and I haven't experienced any similar problems! They're just petrified of me!


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## Flashygrrl (Feb 8, 2012)

BasmatiRice said:


> Don't buy new rats if you _don't have the money/are not willing to take them_ to the vet...


Quoted for emphasis.

When I told you to call I said it because usually if they have that sort of policy it's to have YOU take them on their dime if you want to keep them. I doubt they went to any vet...it's cheaper just to give you a refund.


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## British (Apr 2, 2012)

Saures said:


> What I did was I took the pets back to the store, because they could apparently take them to the vets and get them treated, and thats a lot more than what I could do for them


Aw, sweetie chain pet stores don't "waste" time and money on sick rats - they probably re-sold them as snake food. It worries me that you say YOU couldn't take them to the vet - animals are like kids; they get sick, they have to go to the doctor. One should not have any animal they are unable to provide medical care for. I wish you the best of luck with your new rats, but I implore you to start a "vet fund", because nearly every animal needs a vet visit at least once in their life.


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## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

I'm a little upset with this post. I may get in trouble saying this and what not,but it needs to be said. You can't throw an animal away like its trash. My rats all go see a vet when they get sick. They are my animals and I have taken them under my CARE! I researched a vet before taking them in because I wanted them all to get the best care. I honestly think you should have not gotten new rats if you couldn't take the,moo a vet in the first place. They get sick they need to go to a vet. I am sorry,but it's the truth they will get sick at least one time in their lifetime and they will need to get treated. This just breaks my heart. Pet stores will tell you what you want too hear when in all honesty they will resell them for snake food. They don't give time on animals trust me! I wish I lived closer to you because I would go into the pet store and take them and get them treated because most of the time they need an antibotic and that's it. I'm sorry,but this post makes me a bit sick to my stomach.


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