# Taking your rat out into public



## Lesath (Jul 14, 2007)

What are everyones thoughts on taking your rats out into public? I don't want to be paranoid but I worry about other people making my rats sick! lol! You never know who has rats or other animals that are sick. I never take my dog into the petsmart or petco stores because people take their animals in there, you never know what dogs have been vaccinated, etc.

Now I'm thinking the same thing about my rats, I've almost taken them with me to the petstore a few times but then I think "if I were to bring one of these rats home, I'd quarantine him for like a month first before I stuck him with my boys, why on earth would I bring my boys directly into the same building as them?"

Am I just being paranoid? Or are there others who won't take their ratties out to stores with them. We go outside a lot, and I'll take them to the store with me, sometimes they hide in my purse ... lol ...


----------



## Vixie (Jul 21, 2006)

It's highly inadvisable to take your rats to a petstore. Too many diseases.

Ick.


----------



## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

well technically yes, they can get a viral airborne disease from the petstore, but you're really not going to be in there very long, and you won't be touching other rats while you're there, and your rat is probably going to be riding on you the whole time instead of picking stuff up off the floor with his feet and such. i've never brought my dog home sick from a 20 minute stop at petco or something.

equally technically, you can pick up just as many things going to the bathroom in public, using handrails, hugging your best friend, etc. so you're just as likely to be the culprit in bringing sickness home to your rats. unless you have a very sickly immunocompromised rat, i don't think 45 minutes at petsmart is going to kill it. kohl's, king soopers, hobby lobby, and my very own work are all places i go often that i could get sick at but if you think about all the stuff you're exposed to each day, we're doing pretty good i think. but that's my 2 cents.


----------



## lostbutnotforgot (Apr 19, 2007)

My sister took her rats places before without any problems. I would take Betty places, but I just haven't got around to doing so (excepting the vet, of course). I was going to take Betty with me to the Harry Potter party at one of the bookstores, but I figured to many people would be afraid of her. So as for taking them places other than pet stores, I don't know the sort of reaction people would have/if you'd get kicked out of the store. 

As for disease, I agree with Ono.


----------



## sk1tt135 (Jul 25, 2007)

I don't take my girls to petstores but I have taken them places. I love strolling around the park with a cute little rat on each shoulder =D.


----------



## chrisstrikeagain (Apr 10, 2007)

I work at a petstore and it has two locations. only one with rats...so i dont take them to that location. then again i risk it daily when i come home after touchin the rats at the store thn comin home


----------



## Sky14 (Aug 18, 2006)

I take mine with me when and where I want and I've been doing so for 7+ years and I never and I mean NEVER had/have any problems with health or any other issues.

But I live in Santa cruz C.A what do you expect? :? :lol:


----------



## Chthonicfox (Jul 20, 2007)

Sky,

Where all have you taken your rats? Most places don't want anything to do with animals on the premises 

My rats have gone to the pet store with me once when I was scouting a new cage, and have ridden with me in my truck several times if I was just grabbing something at the convenience store. But for the most part I don't take them into public. I just don't want to risk losing my rats or having harm come to them. They seem quite content at home anyway


----------



## Chthonicfox (Jul 20, 2007)

--


----------



## Chthonicfox (Jul 20, 2007)

--


----------



## Chthonicfox (Jul 20, 2007)

--

Sorry about the multiple posts. x_x;


----------



## SamsterAndRocky (Jul 24, 2007)

i have taken my hamster to the bank and they loooove him....he has also gone to sheetz a bunch with me and to the grocery store....i have no car so i have to walk all these places.....when it gets cooler out i'll put my rat in a hoodie pocket (a hoodie in a hoodie...lol) and take him for walks


----------



## ambernd (Apr 17, 2007)

i take my rats to the petstore or to a relitives house for a minute..


----------



## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

I take my boys and girls for walks but never to a pet store. I am wayt o afraid of picking up sda. If i HAVE to go to a petstore to get something i will go, then stay out for three hours before returning to my house with my own ratties. (viruses can only live on you for 3 hours)


----------



## Sky14 (Aug 18, 2006)

Chthonicfox said:


> Sky,
> 
> Where all have you taken your rats? Most places don't want anything to do with animals on the premises


I take them out around the town sometimes I go into a store of some sort and to the extent of my memory I don't recall ever being asked to leave. 

And yes I do take my ratsys into petstores and I make sure to stay at least 5ft away from other animals and I usualy don't touch anything unless I will be buying it.

Oh and as I said before I've been doing so for the past 7+ years and I haven't had 1 problem to speak of be it health related or other.


----------



## Cassandra (Jul 27, 2007)

I used to take my boy everywhere, but the pet store. I would never, ever, take my animal, or any animal for that fact into a store with other animals about. I don't even go into the pet store myself unless it's completely necessary.


----------



## mopydream44 (Jun 10, 2007)

I'll take my ratties on short walks but I haven't taken them to the petstore......... it's probably not a good idea

but I get a kick outta seeing some mixed reactions when people in the neighborhood do double takes!


----------



## Sky14 (Aug 18, 2006)

Cassandra said:


> I don't even go into the pet store myself unless it's completely necessary.


Then how do you and everyone else get the ratsys food??? :?


----------



## mopydream44 (Jun 10, 2007)

> Then how do you and everyone else get the ratsys food??? Confused


internet, organic food stores, regular food stores

it really all depends on what diet you feed your rat  

also pet stores charge an arm and a leg. I'd rather shop elsewhere, so I can understand why a lot of members don't go to pet stores 



ugg...sorry for the edit I added something


----------



## Sky14 (Aug 18, 2006)

Oh....


----------



## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

yeah, i love my ratties, but i don't like seeing people get all disgusted by them. it's not my fault they hate rodents, and me putting my rat in a stranger's face is not going to make them change their mind, and in fact could bring harm to my rat if they lashed out or etc. i also don't take ratties places where people sell food because i know that many people find that repulsive and i understand that because wild rats truly *do* carry disease, etc and you can't convince someone on the spot that mine don't. out of courtesy for other people i just take mine in a car ride to pick my boy up from class or the petstore where people can't complain if they see a pet, lol.


----------



## thegrotto (May 11, 2007)

I got kicked out for having a rat on my shoulder.


----------



## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

out of a petstore? i would have made a deal out of that, lol. why can't i bring my rat somewhere your dog can go, you know? that's a bummer.


----------



## Kimmiekins (Apr 14, 2007)

I never take rats into a pet store selling rodents. There certainly have been cases where those who do (or who carry it home themselves) end up with SDA and the like. Just because you haven't had it happen yet, doesn't mean it won't ever. I think the risk is much too high, especially since rats are SO vulnerable to respiratory diseases. Short of a little rattie gas mask with it's own oxygen (which would be cute), there's no way to prevent a rat catching something that is airborne. Even if the pet store rodents aren't carrying some disease, you have no idea if there's another rodent in the store with one, or someone who's in the store who's rodents at home are ill. You just don't know. Taking dogs and cats is a bit of a risk, but rats have such respiratory sensitivity that there's really no comparison.

However, I sometimes take a rat if we're going through a drive through (some of my rats enjoy the car), out to check the mail, etc.


----------



## thegrotto (May 11, 2007)

OnlyOno said:


> out of a petstore? i would have made a deal out of that, lol. why can't i bring my rat somewhere your dog can go, you know? that's a bummer.


No a gas station. People can bring in their disease filled children with snotty faces and sticky hands--but a rat, oh how horrible.


----------



## fallinstar (Nov 26, 2006)

my rats get nice shoulder rides just round the street some of the older ppl dont like it but are used 2 it lol i also take them to my mates house who is my rat sitter (she lives opposite) they have been to the pet store only 1ce or 2ce like wen they have been to the vets and i need 2 get summit on the way home, i used to take daisy every where with me even to tescos to do the weekly shop and she was quite happy to just sit in the pocekt of my hoodie but the boys try 2 dive off me and explore lol!


----------



## Wench (Apr 5, 2007)

I don't think it's a good idea to take your rat outside anywhere with you unless they are extremely well-tempered. I have one rat that I have been taking to the convenience store and for shortish walks the entire time I have had her, but she is the only one of mine that I would trust outside the house.

I have never been kicked out of anywhere for having her with me and I would certainly not go quietly if I was. if I walk into a place and it doesn't have a sign telling me that I cannot bring my pets inside, there better be a **** good explanation as to why I cannot. If there is a sign that says "no pets", fine. I'll respect that. Otherwise...

I have taken Doris with me into convenience stores, the bank, the youth center, and I have always gotten a reaction, but I have never been asked to leave.

On taking your rat to a petstore, I wouldn't. There's no real reason to. Whether or not your rat catches anything, there are too many animals for a small rodent to interact with. The petstore nearest me has parrots loose and allows dog owners to let their animals roam around. 

The smells of the other animals is probably frightening and confusing as well. I just wouldn't do it, personally.


----------



## Cassandra (Jul 27, 2007)

Sky14 said:


> Cassandra said:
> 
> 
> > I don't even go into the pet store myself unless it's completely necessary.
> ...


I order my food from online.


----------



## Sky14 (Aug 18, 2006)

Oh ok. :roll: I should've known you could/would do that...


----------



## mopydream44 (Jun 10, 2007)

> I should've known you could/would do that... Embarassed


 hey no worries! It's really quite amazing that you can order pretty much anything online but I still enjoy being able to physically a product before I buy it!!!


----------

