PLEASE HELP ME!!!! Scared Rat! What can I do?

Question

Hello. I just got 2 baby girl rats yesterday. Shawn is very adventurous and goes to explore the whole cage. But maisy just hides in the house all day. I sometimes put their cage on my bed and open the door so they can come out if they want. Maisy just huddles up in a ball in the corner. She seens really scared. Even when the cage is in it's normal spot, not open, she is still frightened. Shawn is like her little protector. She lays on top of Maisy when she is scared. Please help me. I'm really worried that this might be a perminant problem with Maisy. How do I make it so she is not so scared?

(p.s. They don't seen to be eating at all. Why?)

Answer 1

ITs unusual to have rats as pets.nevertheless they will start to eat once they feel secure in their surroundings. But if u are going to keep them then please have them vaccinated as rats are carriers of Rabies.

Answer 2

My rats where like that when i first got them all you need to do is offer her food and talk sweetly to her and she will will warm up to you. Don't pick her up to much until she gets more used to your hands are big and she will just be scared let her come to you and sniff your hand and give her food. Watch this video it helps.

Answer 3

Maybe she's still getting used to her new surroundings. Give her time, and offer her treats from your hand.

Answer 4

get some yougart drops from the pet store rats love these and offer her one she will eat it and look for more once a day give her one then when she gets used to that hold the treat in your hand in your palm she will start eating from your hand in no time and so will the other one.

shes in a new place its all different to her some rats get used to it in no time others take up to 2 weeks to get used to its new home.

Answer 5

First of all................don't listen to nEzZie and  Ritu Wazirchand!!!!!!!!!  nEzZie should change her name to Blonde as she did not read that you obviously have these rats as pets.  Ritu needs to be informed that pet rats are not the only animal who can carry rabies and I would bet my life...99 % from a pet store will not ever have rabies unless it gets out and is bit by another infected animal.  I think you should seperate them.  Maisy could be scared of Shawn...and there can be a dominate in a pair and the one will be scared the entire time you keep them together...including not eating.  Most rodents eat at night mainly, although my rats ate all the time...lol.  Spend extra time with maisy, put her on a towel and sit her on the table, with treats and pet her...she should warm up to you.  Just because the pet store claimed Shawn is a girl...doesn't make it true...I hope you are positive  or you could end up with babies that contribute to an already overpopulated problem.  Also, rodents hide their food, so...you may not notice them eating, but they will.  If the one is dominate over the other...it could kill her eventually.  GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

Answer 6

relax! they just need time to settle. maisy is not ready yet. just wait a few days and she'll be better!

hope this helped!

Answer 7

first of all rat could give you infesction so you must call the pestiside killer.

Answer 8

You've only had them for a day! Of course they are scared, they need time to settle in. They are likely eating when you aren't watching. They won't starve themselves I assure you.

Some trust-training tips:

http://www.ratfanclub.org/trust.html

http://www.afrma.org/trusttraining.htm

http://members.aol.com/juliesrats/behavi...

Answer 9

Give them time to relax, one day is a very short time to become relaxed. Leave them alone for a day. Then just handle Maisy gently and for short periods so she will trust you. Good Luck

Answer 10

This is like what happened with my hamesters one was scared one was adventures. Well this is what i did, i took it out of the cage alot and held it alot to get it more used to humans and i kept doing that until slowly but surly she started being adventures too

Answer 11

relax, she just needs a little time. give her a few days before she gets used to you.   She might not walk right out of the cage and run to you right away.  Take her out, give her a tiny bit of peanut butter as a reward, trust isn't given with some animals its something that takes time and understanding.    

As for the eating, again give it a few days, if they are still nerveous they might not eat or eat when your watching but if they have food they will do it eventually.  When I had my first ratties I freaked out because I thought I was doing everthing wrong but everything was ok once we all got used to eachother

response to all those people saying that rats are odd pets.   No they aren't...actually they are very common pets.  Why would she need to get her rats vaccinated against rabies?? She didn't get them from the wild, she got them from a breeder or pet store and unless shes keeping them outside how would they come in contact with animals who carry rabies?!    They are social creatures, can be tamed, trained, and LOVE being with people unlike gerbils, hamsters, and mice.   Few of the rats I come across bite.  And to the person that said something about an infestation.....how do you expect that to happen with two females who live in a cage?

do you people actually think before you type.....or maybe you actually think that what you say is logical?   at least go oneline, your on the computer already and get some knowledge.

Answer 12

They need time to settle.  Pu the cage in a quiet place and leave it alone completely for a day.  Then the next day start talking softly to them.  Then the next day open the cage and stroke them if they want to be stroked.  Then go from there and take them out of the cage to be held and to run about after about a week.  Maisy is just frightened.  Shawn is the dominent rat and always will be but Maisy will come out of her shell in time.  She should eat when she is confident she can come out of her house without you seeing.  If you become very worried put the food and water right near her bed and maybe some veggies inside her house.  I had to do that to get my new guinea pig to eat once!  It did the trick.

Answer 13

run!........

Answer 14

put them on your shoulder and hold them and get use to them.

hope i helped.

  !good luck!