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Angelrattie
Guest
Sometimes my rats take a treat from me and eat it right next to me/the front of the cage, but other times they run away to a hide and gobble it up there. Does this mean anything like do they feel nervous?
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Some of mine do that as well.. Rats are known to be scavengers so when they get something yummy they don't want it taken away! Do they run back for more once they are done ? If they do then they just are quirky like that !
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Angelrattie
Guest
They may also be stashing it for later! They are silly like that sometimes! If they take it and eat by you, that usually means they trust you. They know you won't steal it or hurt them while they eat. Also, it's not as far to travel for their next treat! LOL 
Gailrin
Member
My girls used to do that when they were younger, took about a year before they realized that I wasn't going to take food away from them. I think a lot of this comes from their lack of personal space with each other. They usually raid each other's stashes and often if one of them gets a treat and eats their treat faster, they'll try to steal their sister's treats, so it's become a game of run away.
ViciousCurse
Well-Known Member
Rats love to store. In every mischief I've had, there is always one packrat. He'll run up to my hand, grab a piece of food, and then run to a hide or corner to make a little pile. It's very interesting watching them very meticulously set it in the pile and then adjust it so it sits just right. Or he just throws it in a hide and comes back later.
Younger rats tend to take food and eat on it a bit of a ways from you, simply because they don't know if you're going to take it or something. Older, more shy/less socialized rats will do this as well. Over time, they'll eat right in front of your hands and take more as they finish. If you notice new rats have a habit of taking a few bites and then dropping the food item, it's them testing if it's safe. Over time, this behavior will end and they'll either store it or eat it.
One of my rats is so used to me touching him while he's eating that I could pick him up while he's eating something. I don't do it frequently, but it is nice to know he'll allow it in case I need to (don't know that I will ever need to do it).
Younger rats tend to take food and eat on it a bit of a ways from you, simply because they don't know if you're going to take it or something. Older, more shy/less socialized rats will do this as well. Over time, they'll eat right in front of your hands and take more as they finish. If you notice new rats have a habit of taking a few bites and then dropping the food item, it's them testing if it's safe. Over time, this behavior will end and they'll either store it or eat it.
One of my rats is so used to me touching him while he's eating that I could pick him up while he's eating something. I don't do it frequently, but it is nice to know he'll allow it in case I need to (don't know that I will ever need to do it).
Most of mine will let me pick them up while eating as well. I've pretty much done this since they were babies, so they know I won't take their food. I feel it's important to be able to pick them up while eating, in case they get something they shouldn't have, or some other emergency. I usually get them used to eating while being held, by holding them on my chest or shoulders, and giving them small pieces of treats that they will gobble up before having time to run back to their hiding spot. Then, I'll put them in a basket close to me, and give them small bites. And while they are eating, I'll pick them up, and set right back down. Or while they have a mouth full, ready to stash, I'll pick them up and give them a kiss, and set them down. They usually will give it a second thought, and eat right there instead of running away. But Mackie, forget it. She'll get her kiss, then run and hide the food, and bounce back for more! Usually while she's gone, one of the other girls will sneak in and grab a treat from her stash! They are crazy and funny little animals!
ViciousCurse
Well-Known Member
I LOVE when one rat stashes and another one steals from the pile. In my original mischief, my little stasher, Amun, would set his food down in a corner very nicely and all perfect, and then his brothers (Gideon and Maddox) would waddle by, spot the food, and then take some. Every time Amun set down a new piece of food, I could see him pausing, as if he was like "Wait, where did the food go?" My Gideon was a half-stasher. He'd take food from my hand, and then set it down a little ways from him. Amun would constantly bypass my hand to grab Gideon's "stash" to put it in his stash. Gideon would sometimes notice, but other times it just seemed like he was helping Amun. Funny little guys, my original boys were.
I ended up giving my rats something with onion powder my mistake. I smelled it and immediately had to take the food item from my rats. It was one of those Lil' Crunchies thing and I felt so bad, but I can see why you think it's important to pick them up while they eat. My Grumpy will eat on me and eat when I pick him up, but will turn his butt to my hand like "I'm still mad about you taking my Crunchie."
Gailrin
Member
She's trying to play the system. Obviously you didn't give her a treat, you should give her another piece, just in case you missed her.
Haha! I love when they steal too! It cracks me up! Especially, if Mackie catches them mid steal, and drops her treat to try to save the stolen one! Another thing that cracks me up, is when two or more fight over one treat, and they go rolling and squeaking to the bottom of the cage, and the triumphant one goes bouncing off with the treat. It's especially funny when the triumphant one sashes it and runs back for more, and someone else takes the stashed treat!
That EXACTLY true! Omg there's no shortage of laughs around these animals!
ViciousCurse
Well-Known Member
My rats will ignore their full food bowls and full "treat" bowls to take it straight from my hand. My hands must hold extra special food. They don't stash those special treats, they just munch on them right in front of me!
This would happen all the time! Gideon would watch Amun like "What are you doing? This is my stash!"
