Overcoming shyness! (Need bonding tips)

[spookie.cookie]

hey everyone!

i am a newbie i have a question regarding bonding process. i have been getting mixed opinions regarding this topic.

my rat is a 3 months old girl. she is very very shy. when i saw her at the shelter, she was hiding from her siblings. she was the one left, so i took her in, but will find her a new friend soon. she has been with me for only 4 days and it has been stressful because of all the travelling and moving around.

she has a very submissive personality. she checks me out when i go close to her cage and smells my hand, but if i attemp to move forward or even the slightest movement, she would back up and run into her hammock! she does not want to come out of her cage at all.

i have been shaping her behaviour to build her confidence outside of the cage. i offer her treats when she does. i also let her explore my hands and give her treats with my hand. i also let her lick baby food off! she does all that and finally got it that my hand is not food. however, she does not come out of her cage and hides in a hammock a lot. i think she kinda trust me because she does smell my hand and face when i am near the cage, but ANY attempt to hold her would result in her freezing or hiding :doh:

she is so shy and scared! i have got some opinions to help with the bonding process which is to let her be around me while i am wearing a hoodie, and if she does not want to leave her cage, i simply pick her up. i don't know if i should try that because she will be sooooooo scared. i want her to trust me too!


any advice would be helpful with dealing a shy rat

 

[SQ]

Here is a discussion on trust training:
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=3794&hilit=trust+training

and an article:
http://ratfanclub.org/trust.html

 

[Godmother]

I have a very timid new ratty girl also. Looks like it will take her a while to come around, but she is getting bolder. She comes out to say hello when someone walks into the room or talks to her.

Keep up the good work. I have been told of some very shy rats who learned to love people lotsa! For example, some baby rats that I fostered had been rescued from a snake owner who kept the rats just above the snake tank. When I got those 15 babies they would cling in terror, like little bats, from underneath the shelves in the Martins cage. They grew up to be very comfortable with people.

 

[spookie.cookie]

thanks

 

[spookie.cookie]

hello:

just a little update because i am really happy with this bonding process. my rat now answers to her name more and doesn't mind my hand that much lol. she is a little scared of sudden movement and loud noises, but it's nice to see her not run away when i put my hand in.

also, i tried the hoodie trick and "forced socialization". it works a lot for her to overcome her shyness and trust me. now she sees me in my hoodie she comes running into me to try to cuddle LOL. she is still a little shy when i look directly at her, but she is getting better and it has only been 5 days.

she doesn't like being picked up though, but maybe she had bad experiences with hands when she was still a feeder rat.

i read that hoodie trick and "forced socialization" works better for skittish rat, but it works for us so far. i also used behavioral shaping to encourage her to not hide in a cage so often- it's working. i guess patience is the key.

anyway, thanks to those who suggested all these tips

 

[Moon]

When my kids go through their scaredy stages, I just sit beside their cage with a hand laying in it... watch tv or read, with one hand just sitting in the cage for a while. You feel silly but it helps make your hand just... a part of life.

And remember to scoop from the bottom. If you can get both hands under her when picking up instead of grabbing at her, that should help.

 

[spookie.cookie]

thanks!