twitch
Well-Known Member
perhaps that rat was just like that in reference to staying still on the shoulder. i've had one rat like that. little kakushi. she loved the shoulder and would cuddle up to my neck and sniff then sleep. often times she would not move for a long time (i suspect she was asleep or about to dose at that time, can't really see when a rat is under your ear). but she was always like that, even when she was a small baby. she wasn't very trusting of the world but she trusted me and was quite content to watch the world go by from my shoulder. she wasn't afraid on my shoulder and i didn't train her to stay still, she just did. this could also be the case with the rat girl you mentioned.
having said that i've also had rats that could not keep still and an outstretched arm was invitation to go investigate. we love ink to pieces but she is trouble because she is so trusting of everything and everyone that she just expects you to catch her when she jumps for you or dives for the floor from your shoulder. she'll scale us like a mountian goat when she wants our attention and she's on the floor. then there is chancey whom, though he is getting better about it, is still afraid of heights. we don't have to cover his eyes anymore when we pick him up but he won't shoulder ride unless you're laying on the bed or couch. however, he will get himself comfy on your lap and lay there for hours, he is only about 5-6 months old. yes, he is a boy but he is a young boy that should be interested in playing still, instead he's much happier being a couch potato. wagner is about the same age as chancey and is his exact opposite. he loves the shoulder and he loves everything, people, cats, other rats, ears, dirty laundry... he is into everything all the time and its only when he's completely wiped out that you ever see him still. as others have said before me, different strokes for different folks, that includes rats.
as for the training, i don't think the water bottle is such a bad thing. its not in the face and its only water, they'll be busy licking it off more then be offended by it. now, how effective it is a training thing when training to get off of the couch... yeah.. that i'm not sure about. but it does offer distraction during intros and can be a handy tool then. way back when i had my first rats i had trained pocket to recognize her name, to roll over and to cross the bridge (go from my outstretched arm to whatever that arm connects to) among other tricks. she was a fast learner and loved to learn. her cage mate lyiint on the other hand... well she learned her name and learned what nums-nums meant... she would follow pocket across the bridge but wouldn't do it on her own. it wasn't that she was less intelligent the pocket, she just wasn't as interested. the training method was part luck on what pocket was already doing or wanted to do that was then recognized and reinforced through treats and/or affection. for the rolling over, she would chase my finger like quite the goof, so when i happened to make circle motions in front of her she rolled over. i was quite amused and made a fuss over then gave her a treat. the next time i made that motion she did the same thing and so did i. i have not been able to "train" another rat to do that since though... none of the others want to follow my hand around nearly as much or as goofily! :lol: so i don't think training is that bad a thing either, i just doubt how effective a water bottle would be in what they are trying to train.
as for taking them out, i think the others have thoroughly covered that. once again, its a different stroke for different folks type of thing. i've had rats that loved to go out for walks, others that i couldn't trust to not jump off to explore on their own (*cough*ink*cough*).
as for running in a hamster ball. yeah, i think those balls a bit small for a rat to actually move in once they are an adolscent. they make great hanging huts in the cage though. however you can get some rather huge balls that if the rat had the strength to move it there would be no stress on their back. have you seen some of the ferret or rabbit ball sizes that they make? freaking huge balls.
having not been there myself i can't tell if i should be worried about anything that's going on really. the rats sound ok and the owners sound dedicated and loving. so from the sounds of it with the information given here, i personally would not worry about any of their practises.
having said that i've also had rats that could not keep still and an outstretched arm was invitation to go investigate. we love ink to pieces but she is trouble because she is so trusting of everything and everyone that she just expects you to catch her when she jumps for you or dives for the floor from your shoulder. she'll scale us like a mountian goat when she wants our attention and she's on the floor. then there is chancey whom, though he is getting better about it, is still afraid of heights. we don't have to cover his eyes anymore when we pick him up but he won't shoulder ride unless you're laying on the bed or couch. however, he will get himself comfy on your lap and lay there for hours, he is only about 5-6 months old. yes, he is a boy but he is a young boy that should be interested in playing still, instead he's much happier being a couch potato. wagner is about the same age as chancey and is his exact opposite. he loves the shoulder and he loves everything, people, cats, other rats, ears, dirty laundry... he is into everything all the time and its only when he's completely wiped out that you ever see him still. as others have said before me, different strokes for different folks, that includes rats.
as for the training, i don't think the water bottle is such a bad thing. its not in the face and its only water, they'll be busy licking it off more then be offended by it. now, how effective it is a training thing when training to get off of the couch... yeah.. that i'm not sure about. but it does offer distraction during intros and can be a handy tool then. way back when i had my first rats i had trained pocket to recognize her name, to roll over and to cross the bridge (go from my outstretched arm to whatever that arm connects to) among other tricks. she was a fast learner and loved to learn. her cage mate lyiint on the other hand... well she learned her name and learned what nums-nums meant... she would follow pocket across the bridge but wouldn't do it on her own. it wasn't that she was less intelligent the pocket, she just wasn't as interested. the training method was part luck on what pocket was already doing or wanted to do that was then recognized and reinforced through treats and/or affection. for the rolling over, she would chase my finger like quite the goof, so when i happened to make circle motions in front of her she rolled over. i was quite amused and made a fuss over then gave her a treat. the next time i made that motion she did the same thing and so did i. i have not been able to "train" another rat to do that since though... none of the others want to follow my hand around nearly as much or as goofily! :lol: so i don't think training is that bad a thing either, i just doubt how effective a water bottle would be in what they are trying to train.
as for taking them out, i think the others have thoroughly covered that. once again, its a different stroke for different folks type of thing. i've had rats that loved to go out for walks, others that i couldn't trust to not jump off to explore on their own (*cough*ink*cough*).
as for running in a hamster ball. yeah, i think those balls a bit small for a rat to actually move in once they are an adolscent. they make great hanging huts in the cage though. however you can get some rather huge balls that if the rat had the strength to move it there would be no stress on their back. have you seen some of the ferret or rabbit ball sizes that they make? freaking huge balls.
having not been there myself i can't tell if i should be worried about anything that's going on really. the rats sound ok and the owners sound dedicated and loving. so from the sounds of it with the information given here, i personally would not worry about any of their practises.
