Help little Missy!

[cottonface]

:happydance: Hey everyone! Im new to this site and really need some help.
Currently i have 7 rats, 5 adults in one cage and 2 kiddies in another (soon to be living with the others ) and ive have never had problems with them until now.
Missy, the youngest of the 5 adults, has suddenly had a total personality change and she is being :stickpoke: bullied by the others quite badly :sad3:
She used to be really sociable and loved cuddles and played with everything and got into trouble all the time!! But for some reason she has now lost complete trust in us and when we take her out of the cage all she does is try and get back in and when she's in the cage she chews the bars and tries to escape. Since the bullying she has become really submissive and will always freeze and give up her food to the other rats. She is also nervous all the time and seems to just want to be left alone.

I've been tryin to help her by making sure she always gets some food and have built loads of new hide-outs in the cage for her (which she uses) and by trying trust building excercises with her and handling her more often. But still she doesnt seem to be improving.

All the others are ok, they play and share and even protect and look after the kiddies when they are all playing.
It only seems to be Missy having the problems.

little Missy ^^^ before she got 'scared'

by the way, all of your rats are gorgeous :hugs:

 

[jorats]

Hi and welcome to the Shack.
How old is Missy now? I have noticed that rats got through a "scared" stage in their life while maturing, like all of a sudden they are aware of dangers and the hierarchy of the others in the cage.
I would pull Missy out and give her extra one on one time for socializing. Hopefully with time, she will snap out of it. Once the two other rats join the colony, she might change again and become more confident.

 

[mamarat]

Make sure your little Missy is not sick. Other rats will "pick" on a sick one sometimes.

 

[ryelle]

I have noticed that rats got through a "scared" stage in their life while maturing, like all of a sudden they are aware of dangers and the hierarchy of the others in the cage.

I agree. My boy used to be so brave, and now if you move fast, or if theres a noise or an unknown shape, he gets very jumpy and hides.
I think your girl just needs some breathing space from the others

 

[cottonface]

she's about 6 months old now. yeh have been giving her space and it seems to be working. she is still getting picked on but she isn't as scared as she was.
watching her though, i think she is the one who starts it sometimes...!
but she does seem to be growing out of it. thanks for the help. its bang on.

 

[jorats]

Aww...that's good. Keeping my fingers crossed so she improves. :joy: