Rat RIs contagious to ferrets?

Question
I don't have a ferret yet, but I'm researching and planning on it in the near future. I recently had a very elderly pet rat come down with a severe respiratory infection that hit so quickly it pretty much wiped out my small colony of ratties. I have a few left that so far have not showed any signs of illness (I quarantined and treated those I caught in time), but I'm not positive they're okay yet. Are RI's in rats contagious to ferrets? If they are, how long would be an acceptable period of time before I bring home a ferret to be sure no remaining 'germs' could get him sick?

Answer
Hi Stephanie:

First, let me express my deepest condolences on the loss of your precious little ratties. I've never had one, but have heard SO many things about them that I've seriously considered getting one..or a dozen :-)

Ferrets are susceptible to many upper respiratory infections, but without knowing exactly what your ratties had, it would be extremely difficult to advise one way or the other on this. Regardless, even for the safety of your existing ratties, I would strongly recommend wiping EVERY SURFACE - every toy, every bowl inside and out, every cage item and all accessories, every every everything with a mild bleach solution to be sure the virus is eliminated. Don't forget floors, walls, even light switches - things YOU touched while touching the ratties with germs on your hands. Any time a contagious virus like this enters a household, you just cannot OVER-sanitize all areas they are likely to come into contact with. For toys and small items, I fill the bathtub 1/2 way up with a hot water, 1/2c any laundry detergent 1/2-cup full-strengh bleach solution and keep stiring them around for at least 20 minutes so the hot detergent/bleach solution gets into every crack and crevice of every part of every toy. Then pull the plug. If you have a handheld shower, you may rinse them, pile them into a big laundry basket and carry them out to lay on clean towels to dry in the sun OR you can just run another tub full of clean water a time or two until all the soapsuds and bleach smell is gone and remove them to lay out to dry.

This same process works great for bedding; also for litterboxes - but DO them LAST and plan to scrub the bathtub really well and rinse it before having your own family use it afterwards LOL. I'm a great advocate of thoroughly cleaning everything from plastic collapsible dryer hose type tunnels to every single toy my kids play with - everything goes into the tub.  Musical toys that can't be immersed get a good wipe down with soapy/bleachy water, then plain water, then dried. ALWAYS be sure all residue from soap or bleach is removed cuz that's not healthy for them - the nice clean, germ-free surfaces it leaves behind (ODORLESS too!) is healthy and happier for ALL!

As far as what to do to be SURE your future ratties and/or ferrets are safe, I would perform the above cleaning, but I would also check with my vet, since he/she knows exactly what it was that your kids actually had. There's always a very slight possibility that the bug they had isn't susceptible to chlorine...very rare, but possible. Your vet is definitely the one who should have the last word on this one.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for being one of the very very few SMART folks who actually take the time and effort to read about and  learn as much about ferrets as possible BEFORE they bring a ferret into their home. Ferrets are VERY different than ratties, Both require lots of time and lots of love; but they are very different pets! So, KUDOS to you, my friend!

Best of luck to you - whatever you decide, I know it will be the right decision for you...and for all your little fur folks. I just love owners like you who just GIVE so very much of themselves and stand as examples to the rest of the rattie / ferret / other pets you decide to bring into your home people, showing how responsible pet ownership SHOULD be done. I am honored to answer your question. I hope I have done it justice.

Sincerely,

Jacquie Rodgers