Mean rats

[Adrienne]

so the first 2 rats that i have gotten in from our rescue are not very well socialized...when you give Nova A treat doesnt matter what it is he jumps at it and has nipped me once... when we try and pick them up to clean the cage they run and hide and they dont want to come out on there own. last night i was cleaning the cage and after trying to get them to come out i gave up and started cleaning around them well Tucker lunged at me and bit me... and he is the calmer one of the two... he is gentle when he takes treats and he gives kisses.. I am not sure what is going on?!?!

 

[lilratsy43]

Sounds to me like your boys may have some aggression issues around their cage. Do they do this outside the cage? If its aggression they may need to be neutered to become nicer ratties. It could also be their lack of socialization, give them a bit of time they may come around...

 

[bruxxy]

They aren't "mean rats"; they have obviously just had bad experiences with people so you can't expect them to trust you right away. If you are going to claim to run a rescue, you are setting yourself up to be in a situation where this kind of stuff is going to happen all the time. And you should at least know the basics of rat behaviour if you expect to be successful, and it honestly sounds like you have a lot to learn. I'm sure you love rats very much and I think it is great you are trying to help needy rats. The world needs more compassionate people willing to take in homeless pets. But it's a HUGE responsibility you are taking on so I'm just giving you advice. If you don't know rat basics how do you expect to successfully run a rat rescue?

It is so easy to become overwhelmed with homeless rats...especially when you claim to be a rescue. Just ask most serious rescuers on this forum and they will tell you it is incredibly difficult even to rehome "perfect" rats. Not to mention it can be nearly impossible to rehome rats with behavioural issues. Generally if you take on hard-to-place rats, there is a 95% chance you will have no choice but to keep them. That is why it is your responsibility to know your stuff so you can work with them and reach your ultimate goal of finding them a loving forever home.

You should really learn more about rats before you start getting too involved IMO. Keep your numbers small...work with the ones you have...find a good rat vet and build up a good relationship with them and post here often so you can learn how to deal with all the problems you are deffinately going to face. You are already on your way by asking for help for your 2 new boys. :thumbup:

It sounds like your boys aren't socialized and will need lots of time to get used to people. Be very patient with them and give them lots of encouragement as well as treats. Speaking in a soft voice helps them to understand you’re over all energy as well. They will probably need a neuter too since that always help a lot.

Do you know where they came from? What their history is? Chances are they weren't treated very nicely which is why they are so scared of you. With lots of love and understanding...plus a neuter if you can...they should come out of their shell eventually. :wink2:

good luck

 

[jorats]

How long have you had them?
Tucker is being very protective of his cage, it happens especially when rats have been moved around a lot, without security, they become fearful. They will take a lot of time and care to socialize. Also, it may be that Tucker will need a neuter to help overcome his stress and fear.