What Happened to my Social Boy?

[her.corner]

Lenny was the most social, happy boy ever. He loved getting outside his cage, getting into everything, running, jumping, sitting with me at my desk, sleeping outside the cage-and bruxing all the time. Now he's terrified and doesn't want to leave his cage at all.
A little background:
I've had Lenny for a week and a half and just before he got terrified I left the room last night for about 10 or 15 minutes to go to the bathroom and such--my room is completely rat proofed.

I can't think of what could've went wrong in that span of time to have such an affect on him. It's as though he's become a completely different rat over the course of a few minutes.

The only thing I can think of at all is that my newest addition Dee Dee, who has been trying like mad to climb up the ferret nation to get to my girls on top, despite my doing everything to prevent her--such as putting up cardboard along the bottom of the cage to prevent her from climbing up--managed to somehow climb up and thus got scared by something, which scared him in turn.
But would that really be enough to terrify him? It's breaking my heart to see this. What can I do to help him? It's killing me.

 

[lilspaz68]

Deedee is a cat/kitten? If so, there's your answer.

 

[her.corner]

Dee Dee is a rat and Lenny's cagemate. sorry i didn't make that clear

I have 4 resident girls at the top of the ferret nation and 3 new rats, Lenny, Dee Dee and Josie, who have not yet been introduced to the girls on top

the 3 new ones live at the bottom of the ferret nation

(in an earlier post I referred to dee dee as shirley, but have changed her name since adopting her)

 

[lilspaz68]

OK more history needed, how old is Lenny?
Is he or Dee Dee/Josie altered?

 

[her.corner]

I was told that Lenny is around 8-12 months. All are altered.

 

[her.corner]

could he have gotten into a fight with one of his cage mates, and is extra sensitive about it. even so, his reaction still seems a little strange to me.
i'm curious to see how he does tonight when it's their playtime. i'm hoping he shows some improvement.

 

[lilspaz68]

could he have gotten into a fight with one of his cage mates, and is extra sensitive about it. even so, his reaction still seems a little strange to me.
i'm curious to see how he does tonight when it's their playtime. i'm hoping he shows some improvement.

if you have only had him for 1.5 weeks then his true personality may not have come out. What were his circumstances before you took the newbies in? He may just be adjusting.

 

[jorats]

Yep, I think he needs more time adjusting. And if the other rats in the room are sending "bully" signals, that could affect him.

 

[her.corner]

well things were much, much better tonight! i got him out of the cage and was able to lure him away from the cage with treats, while slowly moving further and further away. as long as i was with him he was fine. he stayed by me and moved away from the cage further and further as i moved away.
after about an hour of him hanging by me he eventually felt comfortable enough to wander a little bit on his own, which made me very happy.
he even felt well enough to flip over the girls a few times and sit on them for a while.
anyway, it looks like things might be getting better.

 

[jorats]

That's great!

 

[*Rebel_Angel*]

That's good to hear. And congrats on the new kiddos!