Moon's Graden

Hi...
I just got a rat from a Petco (I know, please don't lecture me on petco's)
and I think his cage is too small (it's an aquarium and I just found out
that it's a bad idea to keep a rat in aqarium so I'm going to rectify it
soon), and that he might be bored. When I reach in to pick him up, he
either hides in his little house or runs away from me. I read that he
should be handled as much as possible to get him socialized but he's
started to bite me. The same site suggested wearing gloves for a rat that
bites, so I tried that but I'm worried that it will hide my scent.

I think that maybe my rat has problems because he came from a pet store
where he could not be properally socialized. I wonder if there's a good
way to socialize him now, or if I will just have a rat with behavior problems?

Can you go back to Petco and get your little guy, a buddy that was in the
same cage as him? If not can you get him a buddy as soon as possible? A
buddy is more important than a bigger cage right now. Then, you can focus on
a better cage. Your guy is stressed out and scared. He will do much better
with a buddy. Together they will bond and become more secure. In the
meantime, I would try and drag that little guy out and socialize him as much
as possible. Is he biting in an attacking way or just nipping at fingers? If
he's just nipping and not drawing ***, then try and grab him anyway. Put
him down your shirt for a couple of hours. Let him associate your smell to
"nice cozy dark place". Put him in between a sweatshirt and t-shirt so he
can mess on the shirt and not you. lol Do this several times. When you get
the new buddy, put them both down your shirt. With time, the rats will bond
not only with each other but with you as well.
If your rat is between the ages of 5 to 10 months, he may be biting due to
aggression tendencies caused by hormones in which case a neuter would be
best for him. But he still needs a buddy. ;)
Good luck and let us know how the two of you are getting along!!
--
Joanne
Mom to 11 rats
http://www.moonsgarden.com/

problems?

Hi Sara.  Click on the link below, it takes you to some good tips on dealing
with rats that bite.

http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/information/guides/guides.php?subject=rat...
te

Tracey

Hi Sara!  Last June I bought a rat from Petco -he was in a cage all by
himself and I just knew he was destined to be eaten, so home with me he
went.  I've become quite relaxed in how I socialize my rats -basically, I
let them choose when they will trust me.  I would sit by the cage (it was at
chair level), my knee would be close to the door, and have treats in my
hand.  I started out feeding them treats in their cage, cooing at them and
talking sweetly and softly, in a short amount of time they were venturing
out on my knee for treats -before long they were crawling all over me and
being tickled and tickling me back, etc.  Debbie Ducommum's website
(http://www.ratfanclub.org/trust.html)  has been SO HELPFUL to me -she talks
about trust training, and in my limited experience, it's central to your
relationship with your rat.  There are some rats that just won't trust
you -it's a fact of rat life -I've had two like that.  But I've also had &
have several rats that bonded with me very strongly.  Two have passed away,
but I remember that in their last days, they drew comfort from being with
me, one even bruxing as best he could as weak as he was, just a few short
hours before he died.  Rats are alot like people -some are open and generous
and caring, while some are closed off from us and guarded.  But even those
unloveable ones can love too.  Like the others have said, your little guy
may just be frightened, having a little companion for him would help.  At
the same time, trust training will show him that your hand means good things
and safety.  I've tried the forced socialization of making our little ones
sit on our shoulders for 20 minutes a day -and those nervous guys just seem
to be more nervous -so, I give them the option.  I am able to block off one
room in our home-then I open the cage door and allow them access to the
floor.  One of my rats is very nervous and always runs from you-so I give
him the option.  I lay on the floor and talk and chatter with them all, and
the nervous boy always ends up sitting on my back and eating treats and
cleaning himself -and occassionally have a wrestling match (which does not
feel very good if your shirt is thin.)  He likes to be around me, but
doesn't like to be held.  He allows it for brief moments, but that's it.
Give your boy time, feed him treats, and give him the option -it might work
in your situation.
Hope I've helped!

I had the same problem with I bought my first rat, Lily, from a Petco.
However, it turned out to be Ok. How hard does your new rat bite you?  If
she really was trying to hurt you, she'd sink her teeth all the way to the
bone - seriously.  If she hasn't done that, and has only taken little
fearful nips, then she isn't attacking you - she's just scared.

You can get through this with her.  Before opening her cage, talk to her
gently for a few minutes. After that, open the door to her cage and slowly
put your hand in,***closed, and just leave it somewhere near her.  Let
her come to your hand and sniff it; if she gives it a little nip, try _not_
to jerk away.  Just let het get used to the presence of your hand, its
shape, its scent.  Do this five or six times a day, each time moving slowly,
and talking to her gently. Don't even try to pick her up.  After a couple of
days you will be able to pet her with ease.  After a couple of days with
that picking her up should be an option.

Lily was an especially fearful rat at first, and we couldn't pick her up
from her cage at all for the first two months.  Rather, we did the above so
that she got used to us, and eventually let us touch her - but she wouldn't
let us reach in and pick her up.  Instead, when we wanted to play with her,
we moved her cage to the floor, and built a little ramp from her cage door
down to the floor (she was at first afraid of falling.)  Once she came out
of the cage on her own she let us pet her and play with her.  Still, she
wouldn't let us pick her up. Instead, she crawls up on our laps, or
shoulder, but she has to do it herself. A year later she is still like that.
Friendly, but she has to come to us; we can't pick her up (at least not with
ease).  Here sister, however, doesn't mind being picked up at all.

Shalom,

Robert

Hi Sara!

If your new rattie is still trying to hide, take heart. He's probably just a
little scared, and if you take it slow and easy he should come around just
fine. One of the first rats I ever had wouldn't hide, she'd attact. No one
could get near her cage without getting bitten, every single time. She'd
lunge through the bars to bite and would draw ***, every time. That was
not a happy situation. But take it slow and easy, talk to him, let him get
to know you and let him reassure himself that you're not going to eat him.
:-)

DnA
"Sara"  wrote

I recently bought my first pet rat and it took her a while to get used
to her new surroundings. She was terrified from me to begin with but
she eventually got used to her new home. Now she greets me every
morning when I let her out for a wee scurry. She is quite ***,
nibbling at the wall paper and furniture but she's starting to learn
its not allowed. I ended up putting a rag in her cage for her to
nibble on which she loves!! Since she's stopped biting as much and
only nips at you if you waken her up by poking in her cage. I don't
blame her!

I recently bought my first pet rat and it took her a while to get used
to her new surroundings. She was terrified from me to begin with but
she eventually got used to her new home. Now she greets me every
morning when I let her out for a wee scurry. She is quite ***,
nibbling at the wall paper and furniture but she's starting to learn
its not allowed. I ended up putting a rag in her cage for her to
nibble on which she loves!! Since she's stopped biting as much and
only nips at you if you waken her up by poking in her cage. I don't
blame her!