# Are respiratory infections contagious?



## Hero-wuff (Sep 27, 2012)

I was told to separate scruffy from the other two incase they caught his infection... But they have been together for a week and the others seem fine. I separated them still while I treat him.. But I didn't realise it was contagious. 


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## Jenzie (Dec 26, 2012)

I had a really sickly boy once (respiratory infections easily once or twice a month) and I never separated him from Ratigan. Ratigan very rarely got sick, he only had one respiratory infection while living with my sickly rat. I don't know enough to 100% say that they can't be contagious, but I think usually they aren't and it helps them to heal a lot faster if they can be with their buddies. 


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## Hero-wuff (Sep 27, 2012)

Yeah, i feel terrible taking him away from them but i'll only keep him away for a couple of days and then i'll be putting him back in. Pluss, the only other 'air space' i could put him in was my little sisters room..and i hate leaving him in there where i can't keep an eye on him.


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

It depends lol. Virus infections are contageous, however most rat respiratory trouble is down to a myco infection and its something pretty much all rats are born with, just some are weaker against it than others so show symptoms. Viral infections are normally at their most infective shortly before the rat shows symptoms and will have already been passed to anyone living in the same group realistically. Seperation can depress rats and as such I would only recommend it where a rat was too ill to stay with their cagemates, in most cases they do a lot better staying in the group. Most vets do say this as a precaution though, kind of a just in case, however in reality most accept that the cage mates have already been exposed in the case of a virus.


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## TobyRat (May 24, 2011)

Yes, respiratory infections are considered contagious. The others will catch it unless their immune system can fight it. I wouldn't separate them, once symptoms start they have all been exposed anyway.


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## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

Again, once you've noticed the symptoms it's already too late- no point separating now, you'll just stress him out more.


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