Should I introduce?

[Joe]

   Well, I'm thinking that maybe I should just take my brother's last rat and introduce him to my three.
  Here's the deal. Two have died, and my parents won't let us have an autopsy done to determine exactly what the cause of death was for his other two. If it's contagious, my rats are probably already infected. My brother'll go play with his rats for a minute, and then go watch mine for a while. Also, our rooms are seperated by the stairs, but it's basically the same air, I think. We've had the doors closed so the dog won't get to the rats.
  So what do ya'll think? Would my rats be infected at this point if this thing's contagious? If so, do ya'll think I should take my brother's last rat and keep him with mine?

[Ali]

Sorry, didn't see this post before I posted my other one to you.

I think introducing Cluney to your boys would be the most sensible idea, but... basically, until you know the cause of death - or at least Cluney's been suitably quarantined - it's too risky. If your parents won't pay for an autopsy, can you at least have a vet do a thorough check on Cluney, then continue to quarantine for another couple of weeks?

I don't know much about quarantining, but my guess is that if they're in the same house and it's an airborne infection, it's already been spread. But if none of your boys have shown signs of illness, maybe it's something (such as myco) which your brothers rats couldn't fight off, but your rats are strong enough to deal with.

It's very hard to know, and I don't know enough about quarantine/infections. But I'd definitely get a vet check and quarantine done before anything else.

[Dearpie]

I don't understand your reasoning to introduce a rat that has been with two other sick rats that DIED to your healthy rats?

[Joe]

Well, think is Cluney's never had any problems. The other two have had problems from the start, which is making me think it was just them. Cluney's only problem now is that he's obviously quite depressed...

[Chic 2000]

Not sure that introducing him would be a good idea.  The other 2 have passed on and more likely than not this remaining one is infected to.  It doesn't sound like your rats will catch it.  The seperation is far enough and your rats sound perfectly healthy.  

I am sorry that this one might be lonely but you don't want to loose your rats as well.  More quarentine time, anouther week at least to see what will happen.  That's my suggestion.  Keep him on the meds and hopefully this one won't go to.  Myco is so contagious and frustrating.  I hate it!

[Joe]

   Thought about something...one of my bro's rats had been near mine, so if it were contagious, they'd definately have it by now.

[Joe]

   My rats have been in contact with my brother's for a very short period, but long enough, and they're still fine. Also, his other rat has always been perfectly healthy, so I'm guessing from those two things it's not contagious.
  So I'm gonna go ahead and introduce them. Wish me luck. Hopefully everybody will take to everybody else...

[Ali]

Joe, I'd still leave it a week before you do anything rash. Cluney won't die of depression if he's on his own for a short time. Chances are if it's contagious your boys have been exposed, but there's always a possibility they haven't. I really would wait just a few days and see....

[Joe]

   Yeah, I guess it won't hurt. I hate to see him so depressed when I'm positive that if it was contagious, not only would he have it but mine would, too. But, then again, people who were positive about something have been wrong sometimes...

[Dearpie]

Definitely better safe than sorry.  Is Clunky on antibiotics?  Were the others sneezing or showing any signs of upper respitory infections?  Have you taken any of them to the vet for any reason yet??  Maybe I've missed some of your posts, but there are so many scattered all over.  I was surprised to find that after such a long period of time convincing your parents that you can have rats that suddenly your brother had 3 also.... missed that somewhere along all the posts.

I'd be inclined to talk with the breeder to find out what other problems they've had with their rats.  I do recall you got yours a day or two after they turned 3 weeks, which is too early in general.  Are these of the same batch?

But, it boils down to there isn't a rush to introduce him to your apparently healthy rats.  You've become quite knowledgeable on rats since finding this board.  Honestly I'm surprised that you want to rush into introductions.

[Joe]

Is Cluny on antibiotics?  Were the others sneezing or showing any signs of upper respitory infections?  Have you taken any of them to the vet for any reason yet??  

I was surprised to find that after such a long period of time convincing your parents that you can have rats that suddenly your brother had 3 also

Are these of the same batch?

Honestly I'm surprised that you want to rush into introductions.

  I'm pretty positive it wasn't upper respiratory problems at this point, whihc worries me because I don't have the money for it just yet, and my parents refuse to allow an autopsy on "just a rat." The vet that they would have gone to wasn't in when we were gonna take them. We put them on Baytril, which seemed to help some, but now...

  Yeah, I was kind of surprised to see he got rats after three days when it took me about 6-8 months...but no, these three were from somewhere else. I've not had problems with mine.

  I'm not wanting to rush into intros, really. It wasn't like right after the second died, I decided to throw him in with my boys. If whatever was wrong with Tag and Nimbalo was contagious, Cluney and my boys would have already been exposed and would probably already be sick. I'm holding off a couple of days because it'd probably be too traumatic for Cluney to loose his two cage mates one day, and be thrown in a cage with three new rats the same day. In fact, I'm sure it would.

[Yresim]

A lot of vets will do autopsies for free.  If you still have the dead rat, pop it in the freezer, and call around on Monday to see if anyone will do it.

Also, your parent's contracted/free vet will most likely do it if you explain the circumstances... that you need to know what it was to know if the third living rat also has it, and (if the third rat DOES have it) to put him on treatment before it becomes a big problem.