Reptile & Amphibian Forums

For those of you who don't have all lab rats, when you add new rodents to your breeding projects how long do you quarantine? Also, do you keep them in a separate room or just a separate cage/rack? Do you find stress has as much to do with illness in rodents as it does in reptiles?

Thanks!
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Anna

The Zoo
Corns
1.0 Snow - Cornelius
1.1 Ghost(pastel) - Eek & Boo
0.1 Amel - Scarlet
0.1 Hypo - Nikko
0.1 Anery - Missy
0.1 Hypo Motley - Cordelia aka Cordy
Boas
0.1 Columbian (BCC) - Bella
Lizards
0.0.1 Leopard Gecko - Leo
Rats
0.1 Dumbo Agouti - Moon
1.0 Standard Black - Pluto
Cats
1.1 Siamese - Blue & Fiona
0.1 Gray DMS - Druscilla aka Dru
Horses
1.0 Thourghbred (Hunter/Jumper) - Morgan's Majesty aka Cody

>>For those of you who don't have all lab rats, when you add new rodents to your breeding projects how long do you quarantine? Also, do you keep them in a separate room or just a separate cage/rack? Do you find stress has as much to do with illness in rodents as it does in reptiles?

I usually (the rare times I buy in rats) quarantine them for a couple months in as separate a room, or house as I can. Airborne viruses are nasty to get into your rats. It is a great idea to get more than just one or two so they have company and you are setting up your group as they are in quarantine. Then second or third breeding you can move them 'into' the colony. Honestly, I think stress causes MORE problems in rats than many/most other animals.
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Sonya