Non existent attention span

[Mateusz]

Hi, I'm having a problem with my rats, or at least I think it might be a problem. It's just that they have no attention span at all. Whenever I try to play with them, pet them, or try to teach them some tricks they'd just cooperate for 2 seconds and then run around sniffing everything. Recently I've moved to a new flat, so there might be that but I've had the same problem even before that. Rats are about 5-6 months old, and i've got them from a pet store (which was before I learned that I shouldn't do that). Thing is that I thought that after living with me for few months they'd become more calm and I'd be able to cooperate with them about anything, which is simply not possible, as i'm really unable to do anything apart from feeding them. Am I doing someting wrong?

 

[jorats]

Super active rats are healthy rats so at least there's that. But I think with the right treat, you might get their attention. Maybe let them run around a bit before trying to teach them anything, get that energy out and then have them near you with treats and start slow and small. An easy one would spin. Make them follow the treat into a spin say yes and reward. Only do this for a couple of minutes and then let them go play again. Short sessions are best.

 

[Dena]

Also, after they get their exploring, and playing done, then offer a SMALL bit of treat to entice them, then try to teach a bit of the trick (think super small parts), the reward, teach a little longer, reward, and so on. I usually give longer periods between rewards as I go along, so that they have a chance to see I expect them to do something. Rats are intelligent, and very food driven. Find the right treat (plain or strawberry yogurt (I do baby yogurt) or meat baby food is a favorite with my group., and they will give you their attention for a bit. When they seem to lose interest, I let them play a bit, but they will always come back to try to earn a reward again.

 

[ViciousCurse]

Rats, especially if female, tend to stay very energetic even as they age. You're doing everything right-- your rats are happy, healthy, and running around!

Similarly to dogs, if teaching a young dog a trick, it's best to tire the dog out physically, a walk, a run around the yard, etc. Then you bring the dog inside to a low stimuli room (bathroom as an example) and begin the basics of trick training. Since rats are often referred to as small dogs, this should be the same lol. Younger rats often can't handle learning for long periods of time. They get bored and their brains tire easily. The same with dogs. Training sessions with dogs, especially puppies, can only last an average of ten minutes.

But the thing is, you can train them for ten, let them sleep or run around a play for a couple of hours, and then resume some training, so long as the training is simple.