Should I be concerned...

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A

arresai

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
942
Location
bc, canada
Dobby, my new boy, is so incredibly calm that I'm starting to get worried. He doesn't play per say and only goes from one hidey-hole to the next. He doesn't run around or climb much if it all and when I have him out on my shoulder or chest, he doesn't "explore" he pretty much stays put. Not that I'm complaining, I love the cuddle time but it worries me. My husband and I have started to wonder if he's blind ( come to think of it, I can't recall ever seeing him close his eyes) but, how do you tell with a rat? Or, is it because he's all alone? :(
 
I had a rat that did that. She just wanted to hide. But if your rat is alone that could definitely cause depression and that kind of behavior. I would get him a friend ASAP :D Good luck :hugs:
 
If a rat is blind, they sway back and forth a lot to try and put everything in focus for them.

It is possible that he's scared.
My rats were like this the first week I got them.

Try taking them out a few times a day for 20-30 minutes, and hide him in your sweater.
Putting him in your sweater will get him used to you and your scent and to trust you more!
He probably wouldn't be scared anymore! Worked for me :)
 
Rats don't rely on their sense of sight so even being blind wouldn't have anything to do with it much.
He sounds like a scared little boy and yes, being alone can do that to a rat. Are you planning on getting him a buddy?
 
Tried the intro on neutral territory a/k/a the bathroom and all went well for 20mins. with the usual butt sniffy etc... and then it happened....I turned away for a second and boom...my poor little sugar cube was bleeding from in between his shoulder blades!!!! [schild=26,1,000000,C0C0C0:15r0pelx]No!!!!!!![/schild:15r0pelx] Poor Dobby :sad3: I feel like an incredibly bad rat mommy :gaah: I immediately applied pressure with a cotton ball and stopped the bleeding. What can I get to make sure it doesn't get infected?
 
Where he was slashed is a typical area. Alpha gets on top, ready to power groom and the one on the bottom get scared and moves to quickly and voila, a gash.
You can flush it with water and salt but it will be healing by tomorrow.
 
:panic: omg! scary!
thank goodness you have jorats to reassure you, i would've taken it as hostility too and been too scared out of my witts to do it again! im soooo glad my intro whent well, i dont know what i would have done.
i hope he gets better asap :( :hugs:
just keep an eye on him (as im sure you will lol)
 
Oh, thank God it's not aggression. I did put them together during playtime again and they virtually ignored him. They checked a/k/a butt sniffed him a few times but nothing nasty.
I got a pic of his owie (still looks ugly):


 
Dobbys cut is healing great, it's almost completely gone but problems still remain. I keep including him in free play time with Remi and Dexter but he won't interact with them. They aren't aggressive towards him in any way but he still cowers and hides. He still doesn't play, run around or climb! He doesn't even come out for treats. What am I doing wrong??? HELP!!!!
 
He's a particularly scared rat, probably, so he will need a lot of time. I have a rescue like that. she is still extraordinarily timid, shrieking if another rat even sniffs her.
 
Remi is being too pushy for your sweetie. When Remi goes for Dobby, gently pinch Remi between the shoulder blades and push to the ground, that is an alpha move and will show Remi that you are alpha and he's got no business going after Dobby that way. Give that a try and report back here. :thumbup:
 

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