Allowed Pets In Trucking

I've seen where a lot of companies allow dogs up to a certain weight, and even some cats. I'm guessing that the pet restrictions are because of possible wear and tear to the interior of the truck cab. So my question is what the likelihood would be for me to take a pet rat with me? They are extremely clean (they groom themselves like cats!), are super intelligent (my last one knew over 50 different tricks and commands), and take up very little space. (I would put them in a pet carrier when sleeping, and when awake they would be on a harness attached to me, likely sitting on my shoulder or lap.)

I wondered if anyone on here either had an "unconventional" pet like this on the road with them, or knows of someone who did.

and when awake they would be on a harness attached to me

Oh I'm sure that wouldn't freak anyone out!

I personally don't have animal phobias like most people do with snakes, spiders, rats, and maggots. I assess an animal based on the potential for doing imminent harm to me. If they aren't likely to hurt me or eat more grain than the animals I'm actually trying to feed the grain to then I probably won't mind having them around.

I've seen birds and snakes and other various critters out there in trucks. We have a huge List of Trucking Companies That Allow Pets so that will give you a great starting point.

List of Trucking Companies That Allow Pets

Snakes yuck lol I see snake it dies! Had house in Arizona I rented nice big garage for my car hobby. Had a '67 mustang fastback I was working on. My garage had a bathroom with a shower and all. 1 day I found a snake skin around toilet bowl.....Eventually, I shot 5 of them boogers in or around my garage 50 inches or longer !

All I needed, was to be under the car working on something, and have some dang snake slither up on me! YIKES! no thanks! My sister was the bug and critter freak, she had this huge gopher snake dad got her when she was around 6 yeas old. Then he'd go buy mice to feed the snake, and she'd make them pets! I had thought a ferret might be a cool little furry pet to own, legal to own here in Arizona......

Hahaha! I love snakes! I had one as a pet, which is how I ended up having a rat as a pet. Never fed my snake live feed, but I knew a friend who did. I befriended one of his stash of rats and she eventually came home with me.

I know Prime, who is the company I'm hoping to go with in the spring, allows pets. I'll ask them for details on rats when I have keys in hand.

Hahaha! I love snakes! I had one as a pet, which is how I ended up having a rat as a pet. Never fed my snake live feed, but I knew a friend who did. I befriended one of his stash of rats and she eventually came home with me.

I know Prime, who is the company I'm hoping to go with in the spring, allows pets. I'll ask them for details on rats when I have keys in hand.

Best to keep your rat and the snake in separate cages...

Hahaha! I love snakes! I had one as a pet, which is how I ended up having a rat as a pet. Never fed my snake live feed, but I knew a friend who did. I befriended one of his stash of rats and she eventually came home with me.

I know Prime, who is the company I'm hoping to go with in the spring, allows pets. I'll ask them for details on rats when I have keys in hand.

I used to have rats also. Rats won't survive in a truck I can assure you. They are too sensitive to sudden temperature changes and that'll kill them, if the bouncing doesn't get to it first.

I used to have rats also. Rats won't survive in a truck I can assure you. They are too sensitive to sudden temperature changes and that'll kill them, if the bouncing doesn't get to it first.

Oh phooey. Really? I was hoping if I had pouches and sweaters they would be ok. I figured the interior would be climate controlled, and it would never be out in the elements. I wasn't aware of the bouncing.

I used to have rats also. Rats won't survive in a truck I can assure you. They are too sensitive to sudden temperature changes and that'll kill them

My chicken coop has had rats in it for a couple years now and they make it through the Buffalo winters exceedingly well (unfortunately for me).

I used to have rats also. Rats won't survive in a truck I can assure you. They are too sensitive to sudden temperature changes and that'll kill them

My chicken coop has had rats in it for a couple years now and they make it through the Buffalo winters exceedingly well (unfortunately for me).

Huge difference between wild rats and rats you buy in the store to keep as pets. Its a whole new animal. Let's not forget about the bunk heater cooking them. We've all accidentally set our bunk heater too high or left it on for too long and were woken up to a scorching hot truck. Anyone who has a bunk heater has done it including myself. I woke up one time and my truck was 115 degrees and I was sweating! The rats won't make it through that and its bound to happen. Most companies have an anti-idle program installed to the truck so after idling a little it will actually shut the truck off itself (Prime has this). So let's say your bunk heater is broken and you have to sleep in 40 degree temperature (I've had to do that too), will the rats survive that?

You're going to need an insanely good enclosure for the rats. Most people keep them in an aquarium, but that won't work well in a truck because aquariums hold in heat. You'll probably need some kind of wire mesh enclosure.

See, these are the realities of the road I was not aware of. Thanks for alerting me to them. I'll stick with brining my dog out occasionally.