Getting a shy rat to be comfortable with people

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.
M

MysticMoon

Guest
I adopted an adult double rex rattie, Socks, recently, who I plan to introduce to my younger girls once they're a bit older. She had been surrendered by a previous owner for being "aggressive" and while she's genuinely nervous and shy of people, she's failed to bite me yet. I'm wondering what methods people would suggest for socializing her? She's not terrified, but she definitely wants nothing to do with people. She doesn't want out of the cage. When I try to sit with her she just tries to run away and bruxes. The only way I've been able to actually hold her was sitting with her, very still, with her cupped against my chest. I was able to hold her for thirty minutes this morning like that without restraining her, but I'm worried this isn't the best approach. She also won't take food from me. Puffs, which all of my other rats eat with gusto, won't even be sniffed by Socks. What to do?
 
Talk to her a lot, and spend a lot of time near her.
Please see joinrats.com for good ideas

You can try forcing socialization by putting on a tight shirt with a loose shirt over it and putting her on you between the two shirts for 20 minutes to half an hour at a time while you sit and read or watch tv, that way she will feel safe but will get used to you and your scent.

Please let us know how it goes
and we love pictures :)
 
xLzxerS.jpg


Socks is on the right, her sister that she was with on the left. Both double rexes, but polar opposite personalities. Her sister is out going, social, bruxes and grooms us, and is a glutton for treats. I know I shouldn't have, but I gave her a lick of my vanilla frosty on the way home. Socks is just shy and fearful, won't take food from us, and when we have her out, when she's not moving as fast as she can to run away, she just freezes up. No bruxing at all, no desire to play, very unnaturally still. And if we try to remove her from this spot, she does her damned best to run back to it and continues to freak out. We'll definitely be trying those tips
 
I wouldn't be clothing them. That can be stressful on rats. Some rats need a lot of time to adjust. I would make sure her cage is in the main room so she can hear and see everyone all the time. Lots of talking, singing, treats and such.
 
Back
Top