Are my 4 week old rat pups skittish or is this normal?

I've handled my rat pups since they were 7 days old and they should be used to me. Whenever I put my hand in the cage to give treats, change the litter box, or to pick the pups up they run to the corners of the cage.

Now that they are older I am spending one hour sessions with them (four at a time) twice per day.

Will this skittish behaviour go away or is this normal behaviour for rat pups of this age?

They could just be energetic babies?

Have you changed their location or cage or anything? I've never had a litter that acted like that, usually they are pouring out the door and it's hard to get them all back in, but they do sometimes go a day or two like that after males/females were separated or anything major changed but it didn't last long!

My rat mom and her pups have been in the same room and same cage the whole time.

Ours will be 6 weeks on April 25th and when we open the cage they come to the door looking for attention. They want to come out and play. We have one guy that spends most his time sleeping, but he has some issues (yes, he's been to the vet already). Actually as soon as they hear us they are climbing the bars. I'm sure all rattie are different. Perhaps there is something in the environment that is spooking them and it has nothing to do with you.

What is the momma like? Maybe they are learning some nervous behaviour from her?

^^^The mom is not skittish. She is chill.

Things have changed now. When I open the cage door the pups come to the side of the cage. It is so cute.

Excellent! Must have just been a weird phase, lol.

fallblossom said:

^^^The mom is not skittish. She is chill.

Things have changed now. When I open the cage door the pups come to the side of the cage. It is so cute.

Click to expand...

That's awesome!!