Nervous new owner please help!!

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benoit.courtney20

New Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2022
Messages
4
Location
Illinois
I’m sure this is the same thing that everyone does but I want to start off by saying I am not seeking alternative vet advice, my boys are healthy. They have a huge clean rat condo with lots of toys, enrichment, food and treats but I have a concern. Since I brought them home two and a half months ago I have not left them overnight. We play every chance I get when they are willing and I thought we were building a strong bond! However I left to stay the night at my sisters house last night. I made sure they had lots of food and clean water, chew treats clean snuggle blankets etc. but when I came back home tonight they were and are acting different. They are hiding and don’t want to come out. They seem genuinely scared after less than 24 hours of my absence. Has anyone else experienced this? Are they ok? How do I help them and what did I do wrong? Are they mad at me? I’m just scared I don’t know what changed.
 
Do you have any other animals in the house ? If not it could just be a change in the routine that they're unsure of and are doing what rats sometimes do best, hide. They'll probably come around shortly and not knowing where they came from they may have felt like they were abandoned again(depending on if they're rescues or not) so try to give them healthy treats and talk to them like nothing happened and they should see they have nothing to worry about.
 
I don’t have any other pets and I got them both from my friends pet shop when they were young. Or younger I should say as they are both not yet full grown. I did try coaxing them with treats but my older boy won’t even eat it which is worrying because he’s my snatch and run buddy and absolutely goes for treats always even when I first brought him home. My younger boy is curious but still frightened but I guess I will just have to wait and see. I guess I was just excited to see them and play and it scared me when they didn’t feel the same.
 
Well if they seem fine health wise(no slightly off breathing or anything) then I'd say they're probably just still getting used to everything, some take longer than others ! Maybe keep a calm energy around them but otherwise act like nothing ever happened, you can try some new treats to try and lure them out too. If the one is still eating just not taking treats that's not the biggest deal but keep an eye on his body condition more than usual so you can catch if he's losing weight at all.

I hope this makes sense and doesn't feel too rushed, it's 3:47AM and I'm about to knock out for the night !
 
It could be you brought new smells back from your sisters house and it just made them nervous. Mine are very routine based and disruptions in their routine or new smells usually cause a day or two of slight skittishness
 
Well if they seem fine health wise(no slightly off breathing or anything) then I'd say they're probably just still getting used to everything, some take longer than others ! Maybe keep a calm energy around them but otherwise act like nothing ever happened, you can try some new treats to try and lure them out too. If the one is still eating just not taking treats that's not the biggest deal but keep an eye on his body condition more than usual so you can catch if he's losing weight at all.

I hope this makes sense and doesn't feel too rushed, it's 3:47AM and I'm about to knock out for the night !
Thank you for your advice it was very helpful. Both of the boys are business as usual now I think you were right.
 
It could be you brought new smells back from your sisters house and it just made them nervous. Mine are very routine based and disruptions in their routine or new smells usually cause a day or two of slight skittishness
Thank you so much for your reply the boys are fine now and the advice was well appreciated and did make me feel better.
 
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