Playtime/socialization questions

[KristyR]

Ok, so I've finally got all 18 boys where I can have them all out during playtime at one time without fur flying. The PEW boys are still so skittish. They hate to be handled. They don't bite or anything, they just run away, and eep like mad when I do pick them up. I've been trying to just let them get used to me and come to me on their time, but it's not going anywhere. I've never had this kind of trouble. Some of my boys, given the choice between food and kisses from mom, will get kisses first and then go for food. For real. So do I keep doing what I'm doing with these guys, or try to make them be more interactive with me? I don't want to traumatize them, but I don't think they're having much fun this way either.

My other issue is Larry. He's the one that was in the fight with Cyril where I ended up getting the crap bitten out of my finger. Well, during playtime, he won't do anything but sit on my shoulder. Now not that I mind having a good shoulder rat, but he won't play with the others at all, and the others like to climb all over me too. When anyone gets up over on the shoulder he's on, he makes the most pathetic sounding squeak. I don't want any fights breaking out on my shoulder, for sure. I want to make sure he's got out time, because I haven't been able to find anyone he will live with yet, so he's in a cage by himself. He is perfectly happy as long as he's with me. He just doesn't like rats.

Any insights or suggestions? Thanks!

 

[jorats]

How long have you been doing a big out time play for them? For the skittish ones, you might never get them out of that fear. I've got a couple that just never enjoyed having me pick them up. And since you've got rats that totally love you, even choosing you over food means you are doing a very good job at being a great rat mom.
As for the one on your shoulder, he will continue to be scared because he lives on his own. Until he's properly introduced and ends up living with buddies, he will probably always be very scared. A neuter might help that. It sure did for my Captain.

 

[KristyR]

They've been doing play time out all together for about three weeks now. The skittish boys will come up and sniff me now, but freak out if I try to pick them up. They are doing a lot more interacting with the other rats now, though, instead of just wide-eyed eeping. So it's moving forward - just not at my pace, I guess.

I've got three groups of boys right now, plus Larry the shoulder rat.
Group #1 are my super lover boys who will choose me over food - Roger, Bob, Giovanni, Dante, Elwood, and Milo. It's possible I could introduce Larry to live in this group. The first intros with these guys, Larry bit Giovanni on the nose, but there haven't been any scuffles since then.
Group #2 are all brothers, one of whom is Cyril. No way Larry could live with Cyril without both of them being neutered - they'd kill each other.
Group #3 are the PEWs. Larry has had no problems with these guys, but they haven't interacted much, either. If I could get these guys living together, that would make three cages of 6 rats each. And that would get these guys their own FN, which would be great for them and me.

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

My Rose HATES and I mean HATES being picked up unless it is what she wants. If I am assisting her to the other levels for veggies then she will gladly get in my hand. But if I pick her up to feel her over (my version of a health check) she protests, gets this wild look in her eyes and after a few seconds she starts to wiggle loose so I just gently put her down. She will on occasion come and get in my lap but I if I touch her she will take off. So I figure just letting her do what she wants is better than forcing the issue.

With Larry is there anyway to force him on the floor with the others and maybe stand-up and when he tries to get on you put himn back on the floor. That's what I would do and just be ready with a towel in case a fight breaks out.

 

[KristyR]

With Larry is there anyway to force him on the floor with the others and maybe stand-up and when he tries to get on you put himn back on the floor. That's what I would do and just be ready with a towel in case a fight breaks out.

I guess I'm going to have to either stand up or put a chair in the room or make them a playpen that I can stay out of to get Larry to interact with the rats. I did try putting him on the floor repeatedly last night, but with me on the floor, he was back on my shoulder in a matter of seconds.

 

[jorats]

Ya, the first few intros, I had to do without me in the enclosure but I was close enough to dive in, if a problem should arise.