This is a complicated question. The short answer is “anything with teeth can bite but rats aren’t likely to.”
But what does that mean? Under what conditions would a rat bite? How can you avoid getting bit?
Let’s first look at the reasons a rat may bite. A fearful rat whom has never had positive interacts with humans may bite defensively. It takes a lot to make a rat bite, however, and even such a rat may not resort to biting. In this situation, I always say the best way to get bit is to be afraid of getting bit. Rats will realize you’re afraid and it will increase their fear. The best way to handle a fearful rat is to be confident and steady. Show them with your body language that there is nothing to fear. Shaky, jerky movements on your part can make even a fairly calm rat become afraid of you.
All that said, it is relatively simple to avoid these types of rats. Getting a rat from a good breeder or a rescue that socializes their rats will help you be certain the rats you get won’t be fearful. But that doesn’t ensure you won’t get bitten for other reasons.
I personally have been bitten by a variety of rats for a variety of reasons.
Pain Response:
Rats are good at hiding pain and discomfort. Even if you know your rat well and can read the rat’s body language very well, you may not identify when they are in pain. A rat in pain may lash out, causing injury to their owner.
I once had a rat named Meeko who wasn’t exactly friendly, but he had never exhibited aggression towards humans. One day, I went to clean his cage as usual and moved him from his cage to a holding cage to I could clean. One of his nails must have gotten caught on something during the transfer because when I went pick him up again, to return him to his freshly cleaned cage, he bit me. He bit me more violently than I’d ever been bitten before or ever have since. It came as a complete surprise as I had never had an issue handling Meeko before. It wasn’t until I noticed his toe nail was bleeding that I realized the issue and knew he hadn't attacked me out of aggression, but out of pain.
Confused fingers for food:
Rats are usually very good at knowing the difference between flesh and food. A recently acquired rat may nibble on fingers lightly as they learn what hands are, but a rat used to your hands are unlikely to bite thinking your hands are food.
That said, some rats have issues with this in specific circumstances. I have had a few rats with this issue. Cream was one such rat. She was sweet when being handled, but would bite fingers through the bars of the cage without exception. At that time, I diligently avoided feeding treats through the cage bars, but it made no difference with Cream.
In addition, most rats will gently lick food off of fingers and be very careful not to hurt you. But some have too strong of a feeding response to realize a delicate finger is there. The most recent rat bite I received at the time of writing this was from such a rat., named Indie In fact, I typed part of this with two injured fingers because of it. I was feeding my rats yogurt off the tip of my finger. Three of her cagemates licked without issue. I reached up to the hammock she was lounging in. Maybe I caught her by surprise or maybe she would have bitten me anyways, but she latched on to my finger instantly and refused to let go until I distracted her with my other hand, resulting in a second bite that was less severe.
You may go your entire life without getting bitten by a rat. But when going into owning rats, or any animal with the ability to bite, it is my personal opinion that you need to be willing to get bitten. It is like riding a horse. I've always heard people say "it's not a matter of if you'll fall off; it's when you fall off." As I said in the beginning of this article, you can learn to avoid most situations that could cause a rat to bite and rats inherently don't want to bite you. But if you're scared of being bitten, I suggest you think on whether rats are the right pet for you.
So, with the idea in mind that if you own rats, you may be bitten, let me ease your mind on certain fronts:
Rat Bite Fever
Domestic pet rats are very rarely known to carry this. Indeed, there was the case of the rat from a chain store giving it to a child. But that is not the norm. I cannot say it is impossible, but it is highly unlikely. In addition, my understanding is that it is something easily treatable in humans with antibiotics and is only deadly if one does not get treatment in time. Therefore, I would suggest that if you to get bitten or scratched and then become ill and cannot figure out what is making you sick, ask your doctor to test for Rat Bite Fever. Again, it is highly unlikely, but if you are concerned you contracted it, seek medical help.
Rabies
According to the CDC, rats have not been known to transmit rabies to humans. In fact, they rarely have been found to even contract it themselves. That said, if you suspect a rat does have it or as given it to you, seek medical help.
I will add more things here as I research them. I do highly suggest you do your own research into the risks of not only rats, but any pets you may wish to own. All animals can carry things that can harm humans. From what I have read and heard, rats are no more likely to spread harmful illnesses to humans than dogs or cats.
Actually, it is possible (not scientifically confirmed) that a pet rat is less likely to give you an illness as a pet rat is unlikely to go outside or come into contact with other animals that may spread a contagion to them. A dog that goes on walks may step in animal feces. If your cat is an outdoor cat, it may catch wild rodents or bugs that carry harmful bacteria.
But what does that mean? Under what conditions would a rat bite? How can you avoid getting bit?
Let’s first look at the reasons a rat may bite. A fearful rat whom has never had positive interacts with humans may bite defensively. It takes a lot to make a rat bite, however, and even such a rat may not resort to biting. In this situation, I always say the best way to get bit is to be afraid of getting bit. Rats will realize you’re afraid and it will increase their fear. The best way to handle a fearful rat is to be confident and steady. Show them with your body language that there is nothing to fear. Shaky, jerky movements on your part can make even a fairly calm rat become afraid of you.
All that said, it is relatively simple to avoid these types of rats. Getting a rat from a good breeder or a rescue that socializes their rats will help you be certain the rats you get won’t be fearful. But that doesn’t ensure you won’t get bitten for other reasons.
I personally have been bitten by a variety of rats for a variety of reasons.
Pain Response:
Rats are good at hiding pain and discomfort. Even if you know your rat well and can read the rat’s body language very well, you may not identify when they are in pain. A rat in pain may lash out, causing injury to their owner.
I once had a rat named Meeko who wasn’t exactly friendly, but he had never exhibited aggression towards humans. One day, I went to clean his cage as usual and moved him from his cage to a holding cage to I could clean. One of his nails must have gotten caught on something during the transfer because when I went pick him up again, to return him to his freshly cleaned cage, he bit me. He bit me more violently than I’d ever been bitten before or ever have since. It came as a complete surprise as I had never had an issue handling Meeko before. It wasn’t until I noticed his toe nail was bleeding that I realized the issue and knew he hadn't attacked me out of aggression, but out of pain.
Confused fingers for food:
Rats are usually very good at knowing the difference between flesh and food. A recently acquired rat may nibble on fingers lightly as they learn what hands are, but a rat used to your hands are unlikely to bite thinking your hands are food.
That said, some rats have issues with this in specific circumstances. I have had a few rats with this issue. Cream was one such rat. She was sweet when being handled, but would bite fingers through the bars of the cage without exception. At that time, I diligently avoided feeding treats through the cage bars, but it made no difference with Cream.
In addition, most rats will gently lick food off of fingers and be very careful not to hurt you. But some have too strong of a feeding response to realize a delicate finger is there. The most recent rat bite I received at the time of writing this was from such a rat., named Indie In fact, I typed part of this with two injured fingers because of it. I was feeding my rats yogurt off the tip of my finger. Three of her cagemates licked without issue. I reached up to the hammock she was lounging in. Maybe I caught her by surprise or maybe she would have bitten me anyways, but she latched on to my finger instantly and refused to let go until I distracted her with my other hand, resulting in a second bite that was less severe.
You may go your entire life without getting bitten by a rat. But when going into owning rats, or any animal with the ability to bite, it is my personal opinion that you need to be willing to get bitten. It is like riding a horse. I've always heard people say "it's not a matter of if you'll fall off; it's when you fall off." As I said in the beginning of this article, you can learn to avoid most situations that could cause a rat to bite and rats inherently don't want to bite you. But if you're scared of being bitten, I suggest you think on whether rats are the right pet for you.
So, with the idea in mind that if you own rats, you may be bitten, let me ease your mind on certain fronts:
Rat Bite Fever
Domestic pet rats are very rarely known to carry this. Indeed, there was the case of the rat from a chain store giving it to a child. But that is not the norm. I cannot say it is impossible, but it is highly unlikely. In addition, my understanding is that it is something easily treatable in humans with antibiotics and is only deadly if one does not get treatment in time. Therefore, I would suggest that if you to get bitten or scratched and then become ill and cannot figure out what is making you sick, ask your doctor to test for Rat Bite Fever. Again, it is highly unlikely, but if you are concerned you contracted it, seek medical help.
Rabies
According to the CDC, rats have not been known to transmit rabies to humans. In fact, they rarely have been found to even contract it themselves. That said, if you suspect a rat does have it or as given it to you, seek medical help.
I will add more things here as I research them. I do highly suggest you do your own research into the risks of not only rats, but any pets you may wish to own. All animals can carry things that can harm humans. From what I have read and heard, rats are no more likely to spread harmful illnesses to humans than dogs or cats.
Actually, it is possible (not scientifically confirmed) that a pet rat is less likely to give you an illness as a pet rat is unlikely to go outside or come into contact with other animals that may spread a contagion to them. A dog that goes on walks may step in animal feces. If your cat is an outdoor cat, it may catch wild rodents or bugs that carry harmful bacteria.