Rat became apathetic and bored, dosen't like me anymore

[Skaven]

Hi all!

So I'm worried about about one of my rats - Taco. When I brought Taco home he was incredibly skittish, but warmed up after about a week, so I could pet him. He was sleeping all the time, and never did anything, so I got him a friend, Burrito, a week later. They are now around 10-12 weeks and have been living together for almost 3 weeks.

So Burrito is hyper-active, eat-first-think-later boy, who's always running around, but they got along right away.
At first Taco was winning their fights, but now he's the one being under. Burrito also pees on him all the time. To be fair - on everything else, too
They both were grooming my hands and each other, everything was awesome, but then Taco has changed.

He doesn't groom me anymore, back away, if I want to pet him, and the only thing he does is sleeping alone and hiding. He's not really into foods - he usually take treat, munches on it a little, then Burrito comes after finishing his own treat and will take yummy from him He's not that hyped about any yummies, can drop them after a bit.

Taco is really sensitive to sounds - rustling paper bag will send him flying. He's not interested in hammocs or tunnles and stuff in the cage - just sleeping under the shelf all the time. On the free range time he just hides under the pillow, but comes out when called to get a treat. He backs away when I want to pet him, and if he's sleeping and I pet him, he'll wake up and slowly crawl away.

If I'm not playing with them, he'll come nearby, walk over me a bit, and will stay there as long as I'm ignoring him. The moment I move even a little, he'll run away.

I'm worried he started to hate me because I'm giving him oral meds - he has upper respiratory infection. He's on the meds for week and a half, only sneezes occasionally now.

He liked when I gave them tucked paper roll with treats inside, that got him moving, but not for very long.

Why could he suddenly become so weird? Is he in pain from respiratory infection? Does he hate me for giving meds? Is Burrito bullying him?
Maybe somebody has something similar and can advise?
Thanks!

 

[Fidget]

I see you had no answers here - how is the situation now Skaven?

 

[Skaven]

I see you had no answers here - how is the situation now Skaven?

Thank you for asking! They both discovered hammocks and favourite foods, both come to crawl on me sometimes, but Taco hates being touched and goes away if I want to touch him or even look at him directly. He takes my hand and pushes away with his teeth or hands. He seems to want to be independent, and I just give them both treats and spend time with them, but don't force anything with Taco. I'm trying to teach them simple tricks, like spinning, and both are doing farely well. When Taco is sleepy I do pet his head a little and stop just when he's about to get up and go away.

Taco is always trying to hide, I'm putting blanket on the couch when they are there, since they wee everywhere all the time, but Taco spends most of the time chewing / digging through them just so he can hide. I tried distracting him, giving him other toys and hiding boxes, layering blankets, so he can stil burrow, but keep the couch safe - all the same result.

 

[Fidget]

So Taco seems healthy? It sounds like you're doing the right things, he's just his own little personality, and you're being respectful of and accepting his comfy level of interaction and are ok with it?
Keeping your couch safe might be an ongoing battle tho, maybe he doesn't like you looking at him cause he's planning to chew to chew thru the couch Sorry...
I've had some more stand-offish ones too, it just makes any strides between us that much sweeter I think

 

[Skaven]

Yes, he seems healthy, I'm so grateful for that.
To be honest, I think he's really smart - I kinda piled up lot of toys and boxes in the corner of the couch, thinking he'll give up, but he pulled out every single one of them, all on his own, even heavy ones.
I'm planning on trying to teach him tricks, looks like he might be enjoying that, as long as I don't pet him

 

[jorats]

When a rat is sick and being forced meds, they will have a personality shift. But that's normal. What I used to do is give a super yummy treat after meds, sometimes it helped make the rat not so upset.