Catching Rats After Free Range

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Simplicity

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2013
Messages
116
Location
Western Washington, USA
Hi guys, I was wondering if you had any tips for free rangeing.
I let my two boys free range for an hour or two (usually until they snuggle up to my feet and sleep). For awhile now, that's been our routine, let them out until they get tuckered out and want to cuddle. I'm always in the room with my boys watching and occasionally checking my email or cleaning there cage, putting in new toys, that kind of thing. I live with my grand parents and my room is at the end of the hall where I keep the boys in. We have two cats that live in the house and my dog.
We had a mishap last night. I was sitting on the floor making them a toy while they were loose and my grandpa opened up the door and Ripley wondered outside down the hall to where the cats live.
I spent an hour trying to find him (Catching him was easy, he was curled up in the bookshelf) after I rounded up the cats and put them in the bathroom.
How do you find your rats after you let them free range??
I've been thinking I need to start training them there names but don't know how to go about it.
Any tips or tricks to this?? Thanks for your help.
 
Get a treat jar and shake it before giving them one. I use a puff baby one, they will learn that noise and come running to you.
 
I use a washed out yogurt tub with their faves in it. They all wake and come running to it!

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My rats know it's veggie time after their out time so all I have to say is VEGGIE TIME and they come running but not all. The odd ones I have to catch. lol Same concept as shaking the treat jar.
 
Never used the treat jar before, that's a good one! I used to just sit & wait to see them & collect them lol & sometimes I'd have to go searching like you did & it is scary at times! Though I didn't have any cats, I was just worried where they got into.

Anyway, all I've ever done is call my rats by their name & they catch on.. Just like cats & dogs etc. Some don't seem to get it & that's okay, but others learn very quickly! Like Jorats' crew know what veggie time means! Rats are so smart :heart:
My girl Dakota knows her name and where we lived before (without other pets) when someone would open the door she would sometimes try to run out like yours did. Well, at some point I knew she learned her name because she consistently started responding to it. I'd be talking & see her making a break for the hallway & all I had to do was say "Dakota!" & she would turn right around & run back into the room every time, and there were 5-7 other rats running about but she knew who I was talking to. lol

Good luck & you'll find what works for you & your crew! Mine are all old now & we just hang out on the bed so there's no hide & seek anymore. lol
 
Wow, rats are really smart. That's amazing that between all the other rats, she knew who you were talking too!! I'll definetly try just seeing if they catch on to their names too. Does spending one on one time help with that?? After I got my two boys, they spent almosty all their time in the hood of my sweatshirt and I've only gotten Deacon to cuddle with me on the couch by himself one time. The other times they fall asleep by me is after Free Range when they decide "Mom" is warmer then all the blankets.
Does spending more one on one time with them help them want to just lay on your lap instead of hiding in your sweatshirt??
Thanks again, it's great hearing that story about Dakota :)
 

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