Am I hated? :(

[brittanyfork]

Before I got my two girls Scabbers and Mrs. Norris, they loved to run around and have fun.
But when they came to live with me, they don't do anything.
It's like they're too scared to even come out of their hiding bowl thingy.
They hide in there for hours without even coming out.
They hate being out of the cage, and if they are, the only place they're comfortable is in my shirt or under my hair.

It's not that I think they hate me, cause I don't think they would hide in my shirt if they did.
It's just I wish they weren't so scared all the time

They're 2 and half months old, and to my knowlage baby girls are super active and just "woooo!"

Before they were with me, they were in another cage with 11 other rats.
Maybe they miss their friends?
I bring them to their old home once a week and they love it there and run and do all the normal stuff baby girls do.
But as soon as I get them back home, its hiding time!

Halp! Halp!

 

[SQ]

Be patient.
I'm sure they miss their friends and family ... plus a new place is frightening and will take them awhile to get used to it and to you.
Sounds like you are doing the right things ie rats down the shirt.

 

[lilspaz68]

How long have you had these girls now?

And do you have a cat or dog? Cats often make normally friendly rats instinctually fearful (more than dogs) and even the scent of them can make them timid and not want to come out of their "safe" cage, etc

 

[jorats]

I agree with SQ and Lilspaz, they need to get used to their new environment... and yes, they might very well be missing their buddies but with time and lots of interactions, they will come around. Keep playing with them several times a day.

 

[dreamwarrior]

when i first got Sammy and Dean they were really timid, i took them into the washroom and sat there on my laptop chatting and when ever they came near me i would give them a cheerio. then i changed to the bed for play time and they like to hid in my lap. so i petted them and talked to them gently. eventually i left the bed and they would play but i kept out allot of things they could hide in if they got scared, for there own self security.

sammy no plays with the other ratties but he is a little jumpier then most, but when something scares him he runs to me for safety. so i pick him up and put him in my hoody. I think he is a momma's boy.

 

[brittanyfork]

Thanks guys for the advice.

And yes, I have two kitties.
But the house they were born in also has two kitties.
Unless they scared of my kitties?
I unno.

 

[Joanne]

My first two girls were quite timid. I called them my little scaredy rats. They would never just run around and play. They would always hide in my clothes. When they got sick, I took them camping with me so I could continue giving them their medications. When I took them out of the cage in the camper, it was like two totally different rats! They ran around and explored and had a great time. When we went home again, they were back to being timid. I think this is 100% due to my two cats. The rats are instinctually afraid of the cats. If I bring my rattie up to sniff the dog, they just sniff back. If I bring my rattie up to sniff the cat, they immediately jerk away and try to run. The cats have never done anything to my rats, but they are deathly afraid of them.

 

[brittanyfork]

How long have you had these girls now?

The beginning of may is when I first brought them home.

 

[brittanyfork]

Good news!
They really did just need a friend.
I brought home Luna last night( new gal, pretty much the same age) and they love her!
And they don't hide as much anymore!
3 of them are buds!

 

[Tarah]

Luna is a cutie pie! i luff her

 

[jorats]

That's great! Some rats have a more stable energy than others and help them to overcome their shyness.