Taming Pet Rats

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• [Deleted User] Posts: 978

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  18/05/14 - 13:35 #2

  Are they pet shop rats or from a breeder? Plenty of treats is usually the way to a rat's heart.
  
  How are they reacting when the door of the cage is open - keeping their distance or showing interest?

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• Muze Posts: 2,225

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  18/05/14 - 15:52 #3

  You need to build up their trust, if they are skittish pet shop rats, this may take time.
  lots of reward, tasty food (yoghurt, baby food etc).
  Sometimes getting them away from the cage helps, pop them in a carrier, or a bonding pouch/old sweatshirt (where they can feel secure being close to you).
  
  Try to be patient, remember they have no idea that you don't want to eat them

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• [Deleted User] Posts: 175

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  18/05/14 - 16:24 #4

  Sorry for the late reply to my post, I've been away and my laptop is so ancient it takes a couple of hours to get online.......but I digress....
  
  Yes they are skittish pet shop rats, we have no breeders that I know of nearby. They are showing no interest yet in treats, but every time my giant scary hand goes into their cage I make sure I have something tasty..
  They are showing no interest when I open their cage door, but they are no longer panicking. I'm able to put my hand now under Alvin and stroke him, but Beanz is still very scared. I talk to them and say their names when I approach.
  I had put hidy things in the cage, but have removed them temporarily (sp) so they are forced in a gentle way to be petted.

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• [Deleted User] Posts: 175

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  18/05/14 - 17:36 #5

  Muze....................I'm gonna try your yoghurt tip tomorrow

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• [Deleted User] Posts: 978

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  18/05/14 - 20:12 #6

  Yoghurt on a spoon is good. Need to go near the big scary hand if you want the good stuff.
  
  I agree with you with taking away hides holes. They need to feel safe but need to get the idea they can't escape you.
  
  I like the idea of picking them up but then letting them go back quickly so it's not too much of a drama.

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• CollieWobbles Posts: 27,290

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  18/05/14 - 21:22 #7

  I've had rats before, and found that like any other pet, it's down to where you got them and individual character. If you got them from a breeder, they would most probably already be tame, but a pet shop not as likely as most don't spend time handling and socialising the pets they sell, so it's purely pot luck if you get a nice or not so nice one. My first from a pet shop was great, very friendly, tame and handleable, would even come when called across the room. But the ones I had after, also from a pet shop, were wild, unhandleable, skittish, wouldn't come near me, and on the occasions I did manage to hold one, they peed everywhere and left big sore scratches on my hands and arms:(. They were quite dreadful, nothing I did would tame them up. Needless to say, I've not had any more, and put it down to luck that I got such a lovely character first time around. Good luck with yours, hopefully you've got more people friendly ones than I got:).

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• Muze Posts: 2,225

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  19/05/14 - 01:19 #8

  Some pet shop rats have had a terrible time and are often from horrible sources, they are sensitive animals and never really recover.... combined with poor breeding they may never make good pets. I have two like this, I've had to just accept that they don't want to be friends and respect their space.
  
  But with babies, you can usually bring them round. I took on three very scared girls three weeks back and I was really worried for the first two weeks but once they started to take food, they've come on leaps
  They love sweet things, so add a touch of jam or honey to yoghurt.
  
  Just keep at it, remember they are prey animals, they are scared for a very good reason.
  
  keep us posted.... and how about some pics if you have time ;-)

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• [Deleted User] Posts: 175

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  21/05/14 - 16:17 #9

  Thanks all, they are now a little less scared and showing interest in treats. We're not trying to handle them too much yet, but in a couple of days will put their cage into the hallway where there are no places to hide and open the cage doors and let them come out in their own time.
  
  It didn't help when on day four I forgot to close their cage and Alvin got out and we had to trap him, that put us back a little LOL
  
  I'll try to add pics when I work out how to.

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