Is 2 Weeks Really the Magic Number?
Where did this figure come from? Why do all the rat care books agree that "at least 2 weeks" is the minimum for quarantine? While this may be fine for detecting some diseases, a number of rat diseases are asymptomatic and will not show up during this brief time. Persistent bacterial diseases like myco that only surface during stress or as secondary infections probably won't show up at all during this period. And viruses like Sendai and SDA can remain dormant for up to 2 months (or more) without the rat being visibly ill.
2 Months is Better than 2 Weeks
SDA and Sendai virus, which seem to be the biggest concerns, as they spread through the rat population quickly with devastating results, both can survive for up to 60 days after the last infected rat has died or recovered. Viruses can exist in latent states in some individuals who carry it and pass it on to other rats without getting ill themselves. Outbreaks are devastating and can wipe out up to half or more of a rat colony in just a week or two. There's no reason to gamble with these diseases by using short 2 week quarantines. I've gambled and won and gambled and lost, and the losing was so awful that I'm never running this risk again. It's just not worth it watching an almost completely blind and nearly totally disabled rat losing his fight to breathe and stay alive just because you couldn't wait two months before introducing seemingly healthy new rats into your colony. I know, I'm guilty as charged. A two months' wait is not as long as it seems and may save many lives, so give it a try, please! It won't prevent contamination from every disease, but it will help minimize the risks, and rats need all the help they can get in their short lives.
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