[Andy-Hawk]

i have a question, cause i'm a little concerned about the future health of my rats. I'm a smoker (i know i need to quit, I'm trying, but its hard). i dont smoke anywhere near my rats, but is it bad for them if I'm around them after I've smoked. i know that the smell of it will linger, and i want to know if it could be harmful to them

PS please don't yell at me, i already feel horrible about smoking

 

[CaptainFlow]

Rats have very delicate lungs, and I know some breeders and rescuers won't adopt out to smokers. You might (MIGHT) be able to make it work IF you take enough preventative measures, such as getting them an air purifier for their room, keeping the door closed at all times, making sure you never smoke anywhere around them or their room (or anywhere else they'll be), changing cloths after you smoke, and never allowing anything you've been around/wearing/carrying into their room that has been around smoke. Maybe someone with more experience would know.

Quitting is hard, I know, but maybe getting rats would be the incentive that worked? Though I'm sure you have other, obvious incentives, it might work if you promise yourself no rats until you quit. You might never get rats, but if you want them bad enough, they would be a great reward for stopping, and a great distraction for staying away from cigarettes during cravings!

 

[twilight]

[align=center]I know someone who is an awesome rat owner, she smokes. She just smokes outside. There hasn't been a problem to my knowledge.[/align]

 

[Kimmiekins]

If you smoke outside, the damage won't be as bad than if you smoke ANYWHERE inside. Any exposure to secondhand smoke is too much. :\

I think you're asking, though, if you smoke and then handle the rats? It does linger, so I'd wait. I've been quit 4 years (longer than I've had ratties), so I'm not sure if there's any other effects.

But yeah... if you smoke inside *at all*, your ratties are at severe risk. Even smoking in another room won't do much... It travels through the vents/air system.

Not yelling! I quit for health reasons (too late, sadly), but I never EVER condemn smokers. It's legal, after all, and your right.