Am I doing the right things?

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redgal

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Messages
90
Location
Beautiful BC Mountains
My new boys are still settling in and are pretty nervous of me of course. When I first held them to put them in their cage they pooped all over me as they were so nervous and I felt so bad they I haven't dared pick them up again.

They are exploring their cage more.Quizzle will let me give him scritches sometimes but Whizzit just runs off.

I have had the cage door open and they have wandered out to investigate a little. I hold some treat in my hand and Quizzle accepted some banana but Whizzit preferred to get it off Quizzle rather than trust me.

Sometimes they give me little nips. It's not biting...they are kind of exploring my hand I think and I let them but is it okay to let them or will it make them think they can bite?

I can't pick them up yet as they are too nervous so I keep scritching them and putting my hand out for them to explore.

Am I doing the right kind of things or are there better things I could be doing? I'm interacting with them like this LOTS of times a day - just them and me.


Thanks!
 
Nervous poops are totally normal. Keep picking them up, they will adjust. Some people will put two crappy shirts on and stick the ratties in between them. They may poop like crazy the first couple of times, but this will get them used to you.

Niping is normal...but how old are they? If the are getting older you may want to teach them this behavior is unacceptable. If you squeak loudly when they nip you will be telling them they are being too rough...
 
I pick those buggers up no matter how scared they are of me or the situation. That's why the "down the shirt" trick needs two shirts so they can poop and pee in there. Put on a tshirt and a sweatshirt over top, slide those babies in between and keep them there for an hour or two. Do this a few times a day... they will soon bond to you and come running when they smell you near the cage.
 
Oh that shirt things works GREAT! Thanks for the tip...I did it three times with them today for 30mins each time and they are already more trusting. I'll keep doing it! :thumbup:
 
That's great!!! Keep it up and you'll see how fast they can find you. The minute you'll enter the room they will know mom is close by.
 
I have quite a rough approach with my rattys lol. I play with them and hand wrestle and try have a lot of contact with them.

When i first got Patrick though, he followed me around like a lost sheep. If i put him on the floor he would follow my feet and run around in circles. He still does now. He immediately took to me, and if anyone else is holding him, he squirms and tries to climb back on me. We hand wrestle all day long and play rough. He nips everyone but me in the house though, which i find funny. I dont think he likes men as much as women lol (my brother and boyfriend both say he nips them and im like "nnaaahhh he doesnt bite, watch" and i poke my finger in the bar or get him out and kiss him loads. If they poke their finger in, he nips.. haha)
 
Well, I have been doing the shirt thing loads. There is less poop but they fight like crazy to get out from under my shirt and do that bruxing thing and seem very stressed. But it does seem to help as they are more outgoing. Whizzit is sure liking to bite though, so I have been doing the "ouch" thing. Neither of them still like being held but I get them out and under my shirt and hold them etc several times a day and give them treats afterwards.
 
They are bigger too... you could possible lie down on the bed with them and let them venture out and have them running around then. They'll explore and run back to the shirt.
 
jorats said:
They are bigger too... you could possible lie down on the bed with them and let them venture out and have them running around then. They'll explore and run back to the shirt.
Click to expand...

Oh cool, really? I'll try that. I was afraid of them running off, lol. I'll let my daughter lie on the bed with me too so they can explore her safely. Great idea.

Yes, they seem big for babies to me, but these are my first rats so I wasn't sure.
 
One of my ratties wasn't afraid of me, but really hated being picked up, so i tried one thing:
I picked him and put him on my desk, then i sat right there, working on my pc. I let him explore it for a while, making clear that he couldn't jump down. Then, i started picking him with both hands, lifting him just for a little moment and then putting him back on the desk. I did this hundreds of times, and now he still doesn't like very much being picked up, but he doesn't struggle with his feet and tail anymore. He doesn't run anyway anymore either, he stands still waiting for me to pick him even although he doesn't like being lifted.

I'm not sure if this is suppose to always work well but here's the tip :wink:
I need to try that t-shirt method too, maybe he'll become more cuddling :giggle:
 
Rats are SO COOL! I can hold my arms out now and both of them run up and sit on my shoulder now! They are hilarious to watch (they love to wrestle each other) I am so in love with them :D tonight they were licking my hands as I must have had something yummy left on them from dinner :lol2:
 
It's really fun when you socialize them right and the rats really want to be with you.
I find this is where a lot of people miss out. They will go buy their rats, get them a small cage and just leave them in there. If they would just socialize them they would see what we see in our rats.
 
jorats said:
It's really fun when you socialize them right and the rats really want to be with you. I find this is where a lot of people miss out. They will go buy their rats, get them a small cage and just leave them in there. If they would just socialize them they would see what we see in our rats.
Click to expand...

That is so true. I just got two new boys and, even though they are still skittish, they are such a joy to socialize. I think the reason why so many rats get abandoned or put in rescues is because they don't get socialized properly, or at least semi-socialized.
 
I couldn't imagine getting any pet and then just ignoring it....sadly, that is what a lot of people do I think. I see it all the time around here and it makes me SO mad. If they would just give them a chance...animals are amazing and can offer so much if we give them a lot in return. Rats are no different....I could play with them all day!

My 16month old daughter LOVES our new boys and begs all the time to go and kiss them and get them out to play...they give her little kisses back now and they tickle her with their whiskers. When we were cleaning the cage ( Critter Nation) she climbed in, closed the door and said "night, night"...I think she wanted to curl up with them :lol:

I am happy she is growing up to appreciate all creatures and that I can show her how to properly take care of pets and have fun with them. I'm so thankful I can come here and get advice, tips and tricks - this forum ROCKS!
 
I sure can't see where you're doing anything wrong - and Much More importantly you are totally enjoying the kids! If rats have nothing else it's instincts, and know when they are givers rather than just receivers. They like that! That bruxing thing seems like unbridled excitement (not stress).

Is Whizzit actually biting or is he nipping? I've had a kid(s) that did that when they were very hyped up and excited, and 2 that did it when all was calm & well. Every one was a passive happy kid in a mellow situation with no intention to hurt me, sometimes was obviously LoveBites, sometimes seemed like a call to play - never hard enough to hurt, let alone break skin. Affection or a call to play (never could figure out what it was with Kelley :heart: )? Some kids do love-nips frequently and some periodically, most never at all, consider yourself lucky to have an especially passionate pet! :joy:
 
Honestly... You just have to pick them up.....

They were used to being handle since day one but you are a stranger to them and so they are scared.... Pick them up, give them scritchies, offer them a treat and put them back... start with 30 seconds... and then longer periods throughout the day, talk gently to them....

You have to show them that you are not going to hurt them or eat them and then they'll quickly come around because I have met many of their siblings and they are just fine at being handled but you just have to DO IT.

Most rats that I know won't willingly step out into a strangers hand to be carried around.

They are going to be fine. Once they know you they'll come and look for you

Edited to add - Babies nibble on everything.... It's actually one of my fav things of having babies... there's nothing more fun than sticking your hands in a cage and let them be swarmed and nibbled on by babies. As long as it's not aggressive I have no problem with nibbling. Most grow out of it eventually esp. once they know you... others continue to be a bit mouthy esp. when you get them wound up during play but I love it! My mouthy boy is almost 2 now and is not much into playing anymore but as a youngster he was soooooooooooooooo mouthy. I love mouthy rats that bounce on you and grab your fingers with their mouths during play.

But really... just handle them and they'll come around... don't be scared because they will feel it too if you are unsure... If you show them that you aren't scared and that you know what you are doing and are confident.. they too will feel safe... they can sense your feelings quite well, all animals can. I know Lizzy handles the babies A LOT and she raised my Flea who couldn't be any more social, who is THE rattie ambassador so I know Lizzy raises well socialized babies.. you just gotta keep up with it!
 

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