2006-10-29 03:56:24 · 28 answers · asked by Sean O Riordan 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
As in there bite? Or to eat them...
OK im being sarcastic. No and No rats bites are not poisionous, and they are safe to eat... HOWEVER
They can transmit disease and infection so unless you are starving or going through SEAR school as i did I would not recomend it.
Now a rat as a pet is a common thing, as these are bread in controlled invironments and fed a ballanced diet (pellet or meal) they are fairly safe to have. Though i would keep them away from small children as they can be a danger to each other.
2006-10-29 04:08:53 · answer #1 · answered by cece 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They are not poisonous, but I would keep from letting them bite, the bite would get infected if fecal or urine matter gets in, and I wouldn't eat a rat even if I cooked it, wild rats can carry diseases. I'd say if you want to own a rat, go to a pet store, and before buying, hold the rat and smell the cage, any odd odors mean that they might be ill or the cage needs to be changed. Stay away from wild rats. Nothing good comes of them.
2006-10-29 12:24:53 · answer #2 · answered by Luna Duchess 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Rats are not at all poisonous!
They are actually very clean animals and make excellent pets ( much more intelligent and entertaining than hamsters!)
Unfortunately, the areas that wild rats live in can cause them to pick up nasty diseases that can then be spread to humans via infected water etc.
This is not a fualt of the rat; rather our unclean lifestyles and habitats!
2006-10-29 12:00:58 · answer #3 · answered by sammi 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Not domesticated ones. I have had over 30 in the past ten years and I am still kicking. But I wouldn't want a wild one. Those rats can have fleas that carry dengue, typhoid fever & bubonic plague.
2006-10-29 15:09:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rats are not poisonous, but they can carry diseases. I found the following two extracts at the Wikipedia web site:-
"Wild rats living in good environments are typically healthy and robust animals. Wild rats living in cities may suffer themselves from poor diet and internal parasites and mites, but do not generally spread disease to humans."
"Rats can carry over thirty different diseases dangerous to humans, including Weil's disease, typhus and bubonic plague."
2006-10-29 12:03:52 · answer #5 · answered by Jill 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Many of these answers show an overall ignorance of the meanings of poisonous and infectious.
No, definitely not poisonous.
2006-10-29 23:01:47 · answer #6 · answered by dick 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wild rats can often carry the bug that transmits Weils disease which causes jaundice and liver failure and can result in death. Domestic rats are usually bred from 'clean' stock. Any rat bite though can cause localised infection,as can a bite from any animal. A vaccine from your vet may help.
2006-10-29 16:42:20 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
They aren't poisonous. If you purchase one for a pet, you are pretty safe. Just keep the cage clean and wash your hands thoroughly after handling.
2006-10-29 12:02:39 · answer #8 · answered by blondeqtpie13 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Tame rats no, but wild rats i don`t know.
2006-10-29 16:14:06 · answer #9 · answered by CLIVE C 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, they are not poisonous unless they have eaten rat
poison. But they can transmit rabbies so any contact
or bite should be medicated immediately.
2006-10-29 12:07:52 · answer #10 · answered by Ricky 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋