Although Opossums, squirrels, chipmonks, rabbits, rats or mice don't normally contact rabies, it is possible but rare. Birds, fish, or reptiles do not contact rabies. The biggest carriers are Racoons, skunks, fox, coyotes, and bats. Of corse domestic dogs and cats can carry rabies. You should always keep your pets vaccinated unless they are kept completely in the house or on a leash. Some states it is a law to have your pet vaccinated.
I remember my mother telling me a story about a guy that ran a trapline near where she lived. He was skinning a fox and nicked himself with the knife. Not thinking anything about it, he died from rabies a month later. Once I had cut myself skinning a racoon. I also didn't think it was a worry and threw the carcuss in a manure spredder. My parants found out what had happened and told me to get the head from the raccoon and they would take it to get tested. So I had to go dig the coon out of the cow manure and cut its head off and bag it. I forget where my parants took it for testing, but they can test the brain to see if it carries the rabies virus. Luckly the coon was not a carrier and I didn't have to get rabies shots. If you ever come in contact with an animal that normally can carry rabies. Moniter the animal for a couple of weeks if possible, or kill it and have its brain tested. If thats not possible you better get the shots. There is no test for humans to tell if they have rabies. Its more of a symptom diagnosis. Most likely though if the symptoms appear its too late to stop the virus. Its almost alway fatal in humans.
