Make the pet rats return to home

The Rat Shack Forum

Help Support The Rat Shack Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

ark

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2017
Messages
5
Location
NULL
Hi, I had pet rats for a couple of months, my girls still dont trust me, when I try to grab them to make them return to home it always end in a bad violent way: me stressed and they running until I catch them, it's a really bad situation, I dont know how to do it right, I'm tired to be the "predator" going after them, I want they see me as their friend not a danger, I want them to be free in the room and later make them return to home easy...
what can I do?

Note: this rats was sold as snake food this means they had a very poor socialisation with humans

Sorry for my bad english, rat as pets are not very common in my country
 
Last edited:
You can try a reward system to get them back in. What I like to do is find a treat that they really really like. Make sure there is a sound associated with it. Start by getting them used to the sound of the bag meaning yummy things. Next step, say "It's time to go home" repeatedly while making the treat bag rattle (or whatever sound you have to go with the treat) and offering the treat only available in the cage. After a while they will know to expect a treat if they go to the cage when you say "it's time to go home."
 
My girls hate to be picked up, so I have a tunnel that I made for them for when they are out. They love it and use it as their home base/safe spot. So when I want to put them back I just herd them into the tunnel and then pick up the tunnel and put it up to the cage door. The usually run right in to the cage on their own.
 
Our boys have a bridge that lets them come and go from their house to our bed (their play space) when it's out time. They generally go back on their own when they feel ready. If we need to get them in sooner, we bribe them with Cheerios.

The girls are a little less hand-friendly still, and we don't have a bridge for them yet (have to get the lumber) so we're working on getting them used to the reward system. If they're really insistent about not being picked up, we wait for them to go into their Octopus of Fun and "fly" them back that way. It's often the same way we take them out; as soon as they see the octopus and hear, "Ladies, it's Octoflyer time!" they come running and climb into its mouth.

The reward system works really well. Time and patience are also important factors. Remember to be consistent and persistent. The more often they're out and handled, the more used to you they will get. Treats are the kind of love rats understand best.
 
Like Sheldon... my rats got used to getting a special treat when they go home. So now when they hear me say, time to go home, they all rush to the cage for their treat. It takes time but they eventually get it.
You can also train your rats by calling their name and giving a treat. Do that several times a day and soon enough, they will hear their name and will know a treat is coming so they will come to you.
 
Hello, it sounds like you have two issues, getting them to return home and getting them socialised to you.

To get them comfortable with you, a good way I found is just to lie on my bed or a sofa and read a book/play on the computer/watch TV with a blanket. Then let them loose on the bed/sofa with you. They will explore on their own, with you and your scent being a big presence for them, the blanket lets them have somewhere dark to hide, and you can passively get them used to you. pet them when they come near, and talk to them, but not be chasing them. The bed or sofa has to be high enough though to discourage them from making a jump for it though. as once they have figured out they can get to the floor safely this is much less effective.
 
Back
Top