in early January I got two baby girls from a rescue, they are half sisters, born the end of Sept. so, under 4 mos old when I got them
In the rescue, one of the girls was always escaping, and apparently was just grabbed up and stuffed back in the cage, because she HATES being handled at all, and will run from my hands (she will also bite them but only if she doesn't realize they are my hands, she is a pink eyed girl with very poor eyesight, which only makes her more nervous )
I honestly did not spend a lot of time working with them when I first got them, because Elyse, my older girl who passed away, was sick and also, frankly, enjoyed my company, so I just spent more time with her.
I can see now what what a mistake that was, believe me.
The girls have seemed to become even more afraid of me as time goes by. They will come for treats, they know their names, they know simple phrases such as, come downstairs (for when I leave a bowl of veggies on the bottom of the cage) or alternatively, go UPstairs, if I've left it on top LOL
they know "it's time to come out" and "it's time to go home"....
but they still do not seem to know or realize that I am not going to hurt them.
the stupid thing is, when a rat acts afraid of me, it blows my confidence and I almost become a little afraid of them...I can't explain why or how that happens, but it seems like fear is very contagious :/
what would be the best way to try to turn things around? I have a bonding scarf and have put the little ones in it, but they never settle down and relax, they just kind of wait for me to let them out. Sometimes the braver of the two will come out and then try to jump off my shoulder...
I have an older girl Pippa who is about er 21 mos old now or so? she was always a bit on the shy side, although she tolerates me picking her up and will on rare occasions climb up on my shoulder (and bite my hair, sometimes, goober!)
but she seems to have gotten more nervous around me since adding the younger girls!
I am possibly/probably getting two girls later this week, they are just about a year old and are described as active but friendly- can be handled, and apparently get along well with other girls (they are in a colony with 4 others right now)
I am hoping that these new girls like me enough to convince the other 3 that I am not evil!!
it's sad to see them run from me. sometimes it almost seems like a bad habit, I think Emma, at least, knows that I am not going to hurt them
and they also know that they can have a TON of out time, they have had up to 6 hrs out of the cage, although they usually "put themselves away" at some point, but if I leave the cage open, will come back out later... so they can't be worried about that.
I just don't know why they don't see me as the lovable giant that I am :lol:
In the rescue, one of the girls was always escaping, and apparently was just grabbed up and stuffed back in the cage, because she HATES being handled at all, and will run from my hands (she will also bite them but only if she doesn't realize they are my hands, she is a pink eyed girl with very poor eyesight, which only makes her more nervous )
I honestly did not spend a lot of time working with them when I first got them, because Elyse, my older girl who passed away, was sick and also, frankly, enjoyed my company, so I just spent more time with her.
I can see now what what a mistake that was, believe me.
The girls have seemed to become even more afraid of me as time goes by. They will come for treats, they know their names, they know simple phrases such as, come downstairs (for when I leave a bowl of veggies on the bottom of the cage) or alternatively, go UPstairs, if I've left it on top LOL
they know "it's time to come out" and "it's time to go home"....
but they still do not seem to know or realize that I am not going to hurt them.
the stupid thing is, when a rat acts afraid of me, it blows my confidence and I almost become a little afraid of them...I can't explain why or how that happens, but it seems like fear is very contagious :/
what would be the best way to try to turn things around? I have a bonding scarf and have put the little ones in it, but they never settle down and relax, they just kind of wait for me to let them out. Sometimes the braver of the two will come out and then try to jump off my shoulder...
I have an older girl Pippa who is about er 21 mos old now or so? she was always a bit on the shy side, although she tolerates me picking her up and will on rare occasions climb up on my shoulder (and bite my hair, sometimes, goober!)
but she seems to have gotten more nervous around me since adding the younger girls!
I am possibly/probably getting two girls later this week, they are just about a year old and are described as active but friendly- can be handled, and apparently get along well with other girls (they are in a colony with 4 others right now)
I am hoping that these new girls like me enough to convince the other 3 that I am not evil!!
it's sad to see them run from me. sometimes it almost seems like a bad habit, I think Emma, at least, knows that I am not going to hurt them
and they also know that they can have a TON of out time, they have had up to 6 hrs out of the cage, although they usually "put themselves away" at some point, but if I leave the cage open, will come back out later... so they can't be worried about that.
I just don't know why they don't see me as the lovable giant that I am :lol: