Not too long ago, a woman bought her ten year old grandson a pet rat from Petco (located in California). Shortly after the purchase, the boy contracted an illness from the rat and died.
I have read quite a few articles about this very sad event. Each article I read made it very clear they felt you should never keep rats as pets. In light of what happened, I understand why they feel this way. Even so, I do not agree that rats should not be kept as pets!
First off, just because one rat was infected with this disease does not mean every rat is. Secondly, the chance of a pet rat being infected with RBF (rat bite fever) is low. It is a very rare disease most commonly found in wild rats, not domesticated ones. For more information on RBF, go to: http://www.ratfanclub.org/fever.html
When purchasing a pet from a pet store, you are running the risk of the animal being sick. Many chain pet stores are profit driven and are not necessarily concerned about their health. These pet stores usually purchase their stock from animal mills. These mills do mass breeding and the animals are kept in very bad conditions. Obviously, producing healthy, loving pets is not exactly at the top of their priority list.
In conclusion, I just want to assure everyone that my goal as a breeder is to bring HEALTHY ratties into the world. My rats are raised in my home and are handled multiple times daily. They are very well cared for. They have a great diet and clean cages, they get lots of attention and love and they are very happy. In short, it is 'safe' to adopt my ratties. When it comes to health (and temperament) you have nothing to worry about. I am writing this post, so obviously my rats do not have any diseases like RBF! ;-)
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