I've had 2 male pet rats?

Question

ive had them for around 1 month now and 1of them lets me stroke them but the other doesnt come any where near me what should i do?

Answer 1

Try to earn its trust by spending more time around the cage. But don't stare it, mess with the cage, do anything too noisy, or make any sudden movements (ex: you could read a book or something). By doing this, it will get used to your presence. It may take a while though. After a week or two of this, offer it treats through the cage bars. CAUTION: Even though it may be by accident, the rat may nip you when it grabs the food. So I suggest something big (like cut baby carrots into 4ths and that way your fingers are spaced from its teeth). It may not even come near at first, but have patience! After doing this for a week or two, offer it food from within the cage. But let it come to you. After a while of earning its trust it will probably allow you to pick it up or pet it. Just remember to take it slow and make sure the rat never feels threatened-- trust me, I've been bitten through the fingernail by one (it was an aggressive one and I was just replacing the food!), and you do not want that to happen to you! Good luck!!!

Answer 2

It always saddens me when I hear people say they have a pet rat and they can't/don't handle them.  Of the seven rats I have had, all have enjoyed, and even welcomed human contact. Some were shy to begin with but with a bit of work all have become used to being handled and are happier healthier rats for it

Not handling your rats only re-enforces the shy behaviour.  The less you handle them the less they will want to be handled.  Handling them now while they are young will help to build a bound between you. You should try handling them  as much as possible. They need to be out of their cage and handled for at least one hour every day.(mine usually get 4 or 5 hours out of the cage either being directly handled or being allowed to free roam.) The more you handle them the more comfortable and confident they will become.

Young shy rats will not want to be handled but this does not mean that you should just leave them in their cage. Their basic instincts are to try to hide from you, but with a bit patience they will become very friendly.

Before you handle them open the cage door and leave it open for a while so they are not surprised.  I find that before trying to pick them up making a little bit of noise lets them know that you are there,  My rats respond best to high pitch or clicking noises,  click your tong or whistle  for instance  gets my rats to prick up their ears and come investigate.  

When you do go to pick them up your rats will know if your are nevus and react to your nerves,  try to be firm but gentle.  When holding them cup them in both hands as this will give a better feeling of security for them.

Take them both out together as this will help to give them more confidence and they will have a companion who smells familiar which will be very reassuring

I find that few rats like being held in your hands but are far more comfortable sitting on your shoulder or in your lap  young rats in particular will be uncomfortable being held as they like to be able to hide away, and being out in the open can be scary for them. Wear an old hoodie and either let them go up the sleeve/down the front or gently put them in the front pocket. This way they have somewhere to hide where they can feel secure and at the same time can get used to your smell.  

When you handle them give them some treats as this will help to reinforce their comfort with you.

Another way of allowing you rats to build up their confidence is allowing them to run freely in a room. You obviously don’t want them to go just anywhere, but I find that my bathroom is the ideal place for them to wander round. You obviously need to have the door shut and check round that there are no small holes they can get into , no way they can get under the bath and everything that could be hazardous has been removed.

I wiuld start off by putting the cage in the room, sit next to it and see if you can at first intiice your rats to the door with a bit of food,  then see if you can get them to come a short distance out of the  cage once they  are comfortable coming in and out of the ccage on their own, let them roam around.  

If you sit on the floor and just let them run round they will gradually get used your presence. So long as you don’t make any sudden threatening movement they will start to come and investigate you. Sit on the floor read a book, play on your Nintendo DS or whatever entertains you and just let them roam.

Answer 3

put treats on your hand once they start eating off it and get use to it sitting on your hand gently lift it and inch or to off it cage floor once it gets use to that u can hold it

Answer 4

Bribe them with little chicken bones with some chicken on them or  corn on the cobb and some yogurt on the end of a popsicle stick, mine use to love this.  Give them an offering once a day if you can and they will relate you to good stuff...LOL

Answer 5

one of my male rats is like that, i cant even pick him up, but i can stroke his back. just try putting some treats in your hand and lie it in his cage

Answer 6

http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/information/...

That's a good article on taming rats.

http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/community/in...

This is a great website. There's lots of useful advice and people with lots of experience keeping rats, and if you make a post there then you'll get good advice from people who know a lot about rats.