Some Richmond people love to keep rats as companion. This is most especially true for the pet rat also known as fancy rats that have been bred away from the factors that contribute to the development of their disease. Rats have unique personality that the pet owners may find endearing. Nonetheless, we do not recommend the beginners to own rats as pet due to different reasons. If you are planning to adopt a rat, you should familiarize yourself on essential information. This will allow you to take care of them properly.

Why Kids Should Not Be Allowed to Take Rats as Pets

According to California pediatricians, the rising case of rat bite fever is quite alarming. A report that was published last 2010 showed how the increasing rate of bacterial infection on kids made it one of the prevalent pediatric issues. 

The Dangers of Richmond Rat Bite Fever

The California rat bite fever is known as a bacterial infection that is associated with the bite of the rat. Even the healthy rats will carry the bacteria known as Streptobacillis moniliformis. The infection will happen once the bacteria have been inoculated in our body through their bite. This disease may be dangerous if not treated properly. This is why most physicians will ask the parents about their kid’s interaction with their pets. This is also the reason why you need to take the bites from the animal seriously. This would help the doctor to create an accurate diagnosis. This is a vital piece of information that can help the doctor deliver the right solution.

Being aware that the rat bite fever should be a source of concern is a good thing. However, we do not discourage those individual who have the proper information and skills to adopt rats. All animals will carry different types of organisms in their body. Under specific circumstances, this can lead to the transmission of the disease. Consequently, even the people that you are meeting on the daily basis are possible carriers of pathogens. 

Things to Consider

When you are planning to adopt a California rat, there are some things that you need to consider to ensure that you and your pet rat will maintain a harmonious relationship. You should start by assessing the probability of the infection. You should also think about the severity of the disease that they can transfer. This will allow you to think of ways on how you can reduce the transfer of infection. 

Reducing the Risk

As we mentioned above, the Richmond rat owners will need to familiarize themselves about the critical information related with the rat disease. You should also be well-versed on the appropriate handling methods to stay away from the bite of the rats. In case you have been bitten by a rat, clean it properly and seek the help of a medical professional.

By following our tips, the risk of acquiring the bacterial infection will be greatly reduced. Parents should carefully think about the zoonotic diseases that they can transfer before allowing their kids to have rats as their pets.