OMG!!! rat owners please help me tame my rats!!!!!!?

Question

i got my two pet rats from pets at home about four or five weeks ago.

i thought i was going ok, but then i looked at this and realised i was NOT doing good:

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArrH6b8OuGGu4UwCdn1Vk_beOhh.;_ylv=3?qid=20080825102619AAGw4VS

this person got her two rats from pets at home and she was able to hold them on the SECOND day! they even picked up her fingers and started to l**k them, mine only bit me when i put my fingers near their mouths.

ok i am able to pick one up- and the other is like a complete rat run when I'm trying to pick her up and its with a towel!

even though i can hold them, i am still not getting anywhere!

the one i don't pick up with a towel always runs everywhere and always trys to get back in the cage when i hold her or when its free-range time. the cutest thing she's ever done on me is wash herself.

i feel bad to pick them up because they would do anything to get down.

they let me stroke them in the hammock but not anywhere else, i think its because there relaxed when i do this.

can anyone tell me what they did/would do if they had rats like this!!?

xXthankyouuuXx

Answer 1

I bought my two females from a pet shop and they were accidentally pregnant. I had 21 and I kept 6 babies so I have 8 females no. My original two girls were very nervous at first, and one still is nervous. Pet shop rats are sometimes wary of humans throughought their whole lives. I have a girl who I think wasn't treated too well before she came to me. Ii'm not saying she was abused, but they didn't love her enough at the pet shop, I don't think. The man who got them out for us looked terrified of them. He was holding them by their tails, which is a big no-no! I think she has trust issues of humans now. Just take it slowly, and count any progress as a good thing. No matter how long it takes, don't rush them. Give them treats, but healthy ones with the unhealthier ones.

I could hold mine out of the cage from the day I got them. They were nervous but I could get them out of the carrier before I even put them in the cage. They hid in a little cardboard box that I'd put in their cage, for most of the day I'd brought them home. After a couple of hours though, one was out and eating.

Mine were complete tame after two weeks, except the fact that one of them is still nervous.

Just be gentle with them.

I hope I've helpd. Good luck, just be nice to them all the time, and take care of them, buy them toys, a big cage(If you have two females,then I reccommend the Furet Plus. the Furet XL is great if you can get it, and the Furet Tower would give them a palace!), and they should calm down.

The towel is probably scaring it, use gloves.

Answer 2

wheni first got my rats they bit me and dident want to be picked up!!! bit like yours

  So then i put on gloves and tried everyday and gave them treats (little yougurt and chocolate drops) after handling and now they dont really like being picked up they try and run away but ther fine they run up my arm and nestle on the back of my neck and onmy shoulders and i feed them treats!!!

Basically what you goota do is handle EVERY day with gloves on ad just stroke them not for too long give them a treat each and leave it at that also to start with when ur wearing gloves just put your hand in and let them have a little explore and sniff around then pick them up.

  It takes time and patience but eventually it will come give them lots of toys and things to do try this website...... http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm#chewto...

GOOD LUCK

Answer 3

You'll probably benefit from starting a topic in the 'behaviour' section of the forums at http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk where you can get ongoing feedback about your progress. It'll help you to feel supported.

Animals should never be bought from a pet shop. You should always go to a breeder or rescue centre. I'm not criticising you, you didn't know any different. The thing is, a responsible breeder would never sell through a pet shop because they need to be able to get feedback later on. This is in case they are breeding hereditary problems in health or temperament.

Pets @ home is very well known for its appalling knowledge of animal care. They've even been known to tell people dumbo rats can't be kept with top eared! This is of course rubbish, especially since they come in the same litter.

Anyway good luck, and maybe I'll see you in the forums where I can be more specific with advice on taming. I'm beetroot there. And one last thing- I'm pretty sure from what you've said that your rats really aren't that bad. You'll get there!

Answer 4

They might just be shy. But your picking them up with a towl?! They are probly afaid of the towl! I would be if I were a rat! Slowly try to beome more social with them.

None of my rats have ever been like that. But then again, not all rats are the same.

goodluck!

Answer 5

hi, thanks for answering my question that you posted in your question. i believe that my rat let me hold him the second day i had him as he is very dominant, unlike his brother, who i have never been able to hold and ive had them both for about 2 months. if you send me your email address i will try to help you

Answer 6

i have a hamster which i got from pets at home too who was just like your rats! Usually, you are meant to leave them in their cage for about a week to adjust to their surroundings... as you have done this you are now ready to start handling them. First get rid of the towel... use gloves. i used my normal winter gloves just to protect my hands in case he bit. My hamster ran and he jumped and was really fast too. Next, all animals sense fear so make sure you are not nervous when you hold them.. be firm but gentle. Once in your hand, just gently let the rat run through your hands over a table so that he does not suffer any injuries from falling from a great height. You have to do this for about a week slowly and then introduce your hand to them. To get them more familiar with you, feed them with food from your hand. This will make the transition from glove to hand much easier. i did this with my hamster and since then, he has not tried to run away or bite me in the slightest! I hope my advice helps you!!

Answer 7

Okay, Well we got some of our rats at pets at home in aylesbury and they would bite us.

So we removed any tunnels in their cage so they had nowhere to hide from us and then we would put our hands in their cage and they would come to us.. eventually they would let us hold them and play with them.

But to do this i put them in a smaller cage. I am also in the progress of taming two rats who are getting better by the day. they are in a smaller cage at the moment and they will climb up my arm to come out.

We also told the store about the problem and they now handle their rats and hamsters.