What is your favorite socialization technique? (Poll)

[ratamataz]

I would like to know what everyone's preferred methods of socializing are!

Do you spend hours by the cage everyday until they come out on their own? Do you plop them down in a play area until they get used to it? Or do you spend time with them in places where they can hide, like in a shirt or a blanket?

This isn't a thread asking for advice, I am just curious about what others prefer to do, there are so many different techniques and I would like to see which one is the most popular! Personally I have tried them all. I find it really depends on the ratty for which method works best. But I am still curious to know which method the majority chooses.

Thank You! :mrgreen:

 

[Moon]

Well, I suppose the "Down the shirt" approach is really the same as "forced socialization". But I do think it depends on the rat.

For a typical situation I'd do dts/forced socialization. A rat who was fear aggressive I'd do more of a trust training/in their own time combo.

If they have a problem with hands specifically, I'd do a lot of "in their own time" to begin with, hand in cage, followed by trust training by adding food, since hands can be such a point of contention.

So I guess I'll vote "all of the above", LOL

 

[Rachael]

In their own time.

 

[ratamataz]

You're right Moon, they are both forms of forced socialization, I guess I should have said forced handling.
For instance, the rat has to stay in your hands, being held, pet, flipped on its back, etc, for 20 minutes straight.
With the down the shirt method, the rat can just hide in the sleeve, or hunker down around the sides and back, or basically slither away into an unreachable spot. It's still allowed to be in an environment where it is protected and undercover, whereas the other method forces the rat to be out in the open/being held and in the danger/fear zone.

Thanks for the votes so far everyone, keep 'em coming!! :mrgreen:

 

[Rachael]

I do some of the other things like down your top and if they are biters 'forced' socialising, but it's always in their ow time and let them build the trust up a bit before I force them into anything and it has worked fine.

 

[jorats]

When I have too many rats, I have done the "on their own time" because I simply don't have the time for forced socialization and the shirt tritck but all it has done is make them comfortable and secure without human interactions. I end up having to love those rats from afar. I won't be doing that anymore. I'll be forcing them from now on because I prefer my rats to run to me, to want to be on me rather than having them be more comfortable with small pats on the head and no grabbing for kisses.

 

[Argent]

I prefer to do down the shirt technique. If I'm not confident holding the rat because of their behaviour, I let them come around in their own time, which can work just as well, just takes longer.

 

[ratamataz]

We had one really wild boy, Stanley, who would literally leap five feet out of our hands to get away from us. He wasn't scared of us, though, he was just wild! My hubbie is like "the rat whisperer", rats who wont relax with me go to to putty in his hands. He had that crazy rat on his back, grooming and eating treats while in his hands. The second you let him go though, good luck catching him, and he never came to us on his own, either. He was like this till the very end, we had him since he was a tiny baby, and my hubbie handled him every single day.

I love these pics of one of Stanley's handling sessions! :lol: Not sure what Stanley is munching on, possibly a froot loop.

LOL I could NEVER get Stanley to do that with me! My hubbie, the rat whisperer! :heart:

 

[Rachael]

When I have too many rats, I have done the "on their own time" because I simply don't have the time for forced socialization and the shirt tritck but all it has done is make them comfortable and secure without human interactions. I end up having to love those rats from afar. I won't be doing that anymore. I'll be forcing them from now on because I prefer my rats to run to me, to want to be on me rather than having them be more comfortable with small pats on the head and no grabbing for kisses.

I think I was a bit unclear, I agree they could end up like that and prefering no human attention. If they weren't starting to be happier in their own time coming to me for attention then I would use 'forced' socialising. When I say in their own time I sit by the cage and talk to them, handle them every day and sit with them when they free range and they become confident bit by bit. :cuddle:

 

[ratamataz]

I've had a rat where giving him his own time worked. He was a bit nuts when we got him, he had been a single rat, and was very tense, but brave. After we neutered him and got him integrated with the gang, he became a good ol' rat with hardly any prompting at all. One of my friendliest in fact. When my mom came to visit she loved the ratties and he was her favorite.

Thanks again for the votes so far peoples! :mrgreen:

 

[mamarat]

I try all of the above and if it doesn't work I yell for Jo. lol

 

[mamarat]

Nominate for RPOM. This is too cute.

 

[ratamataz]

Thanks mamarat!
He is rather adorable in that pic if I do say so myself! :cheeky:

 

[Rachael]

I will second that.

 

[Sharlees rattakisses]

Since I have Cerebral Palsy I have to keep my hands free. :goodidea:
It's always been "In the Shirt" boob cuddles for me which they love. :cheeky:
LOTS of cuddles and handling makes everyone happy!! :heart:

 

[ratamataz]

I will second that.

Thanks!!
Wheee, how exciting! :mrgreen:

 

[ratamataz]

So far it looks like the majority is choosing "all of the above." That is what I do as well.

What really intrigues me is that no one chose "trust training". I suppose that would be included in "all of the above", but I did think it would be a popular one on its own. Very interesting and thanks for your opinions thus far peoples.