# Socialising rats :)



## iheartsonic (Jan 17, 2011)

It's been 2 days since Salt and Pepper came home. I thought I should leave them be for a day to get used to their new home and then go and say hi. They were so friendly in the shop but they are now pretty nervous, especially Pepper. Is this because of the move? I imagine for little critters like rats, moving home must be a huge upheaval. 

On the plus side though, Salt will take food from my hand now. I won't give it up until she comes to me  Pepper backs in to the corner though and still waits for me to leave her Cheerios somewhere and leave. 

Thanks to the beautiful weather, the cats are spending much longer outside which gives me more time to dedicate to socialising the rats. 

Even the most well socialised rats would be a little bit nervous around new people in a new environment, right?


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

I've only had baby rats once, and they where handleable within hours of being home. They where a little flighty, but they where 6 weeks old. The rats that I rehomed as young adults (1 3 month old, 1 5 month old) settled in really well. The 3 month old was very skittish but she'd never been handled. 

I'd just carry on doing what you're already doing, and maybe start putting them in a pouch and carrying them around the house so they get used to you.


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## iheartsonic (Jan 17, 2011)

Snippet said:


> I've only had baby rats once, and they where handleable within hours of being home. They where a little flighty, but they where 6 weeks old. The rats that I rehomed as young adults (1 3 month old, 1 5 month old) settled in really well. The 3 month old was very skittish but she'd never been handled.
> 
> I'd just carry on doing what you're already doing, and maybe start putting them in a pouch and carrying them around the house so they get used to you.


These two are three months old, Salt is noticably bigger than Pepper though, she is definitely the dominant one. When it comes to picking them up I don't want to stress them out any more so should I wait for them to come to me or go in gently myself?


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

I just pick them up gently and put them in the pouch.


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## Argent (Oct 18, 2009)

Or down your jumper - rats feel safe in the dark, and learn to associate your scent with safety  Babies do tend to be flighty at first, even if well socialised.


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

I sit with my scared ones down my top, they seem to love it lol but they do get free time in the bathroom with us all sat down so they have to climb over us etc


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## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

daynna what you're doing is the best way to do it. as far as i'm concerned anyway, i've had extremely well socialised rats and they were the hardest to get to trust us! whereas 8/10 shop rats took to us in minutes. it all depends on the rat itself as far as i can see, you can't guess by how they react to their original owners as to how they will react when you let them out in your house.

it's just a bit of patience.. young rats, especially girls, are very active and won't sit still for long, they will run around and investigate everything so lots of play time with you all sat there is good. they will find new folk interesting so don't worry about introducing them to other friends of yours or whatevr.

Rats are supposed to be neophobes but tbh i've never really noticed this at all they are very curious and new things tend to make them excited rather than make them hide!

think of the rats as human kids, they will develop at different speeds and have completely different personalities to each other..the fun is finding out what they are, what they can do and who and what they prefer and who's the evil-genius! 

all our runts (evil genius') preferred my husband.. all the alpha rats were mine 

have fun


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