Parents of Rats - Discussion

[Miss Stoddard]

I am currently a rat mother of four. One is my heart rat, Seven which is proudly featured in my avatar and signature. I've had her for a few months, and is now approximately a year old. Mary-Jane [black hooded] and Snowfluff [dumbo Himalayan] are my boyfriend's girls who are both very sweet and loving, not to mention beautiful. And then there's Chuck [double-rex], who has no cage-mate and has some flaws that we're working on. Sadly, we're looking for a new owner for him, with little luck so far.

I love all four, but as bad as it may seem, the girls are our pride. Chuck could be a wonderful pet, but we got him in a sort of bad situation. He'd spent what I'm guessing would be the majority of his life thus far in a pet store that poorly manages their rats, mice, and hamsters. A tiny glass aquarium with mixed males and females. There was one with a momma rat and her littler. We'd of taken a baby if they'd only been a couple weeks older.

Beyond that, we decided to take Chuck in hope that we'd be able to give him what he needed in a home. While he has good shelter, daily food and water, and a roomy cage, he's also very nippy and difficult to hold. He's shy, and usually dislikes being touched unless you take the time to very gently pet his back - during these times he gets sleepy, even with his head buried in the couch cushions.

Our three girls are a different story, all having come from PetSmart in Joplin, MO. I like getting rats there because they're all vet-checked and quarantined before being put out. I've never taken any of the girls to the vet due to a health complication, and they're all curious, active, and nosy. My little Seven being the more spoiled "mommy's girl" of the bunch. :P

Tell me about your bundles of joy!

Also, any helpful advice for Chuck from pet-rat-owner to pet-rat-owner? :/

[spoOk]

I am currently a rat mother of four. One is my heart rat, Seven which is proudly featured in my avatar and signature. I've had her for a few months, and is now approximately a year old. Mary-Jane [black hooded] and Snowfluff [dumbo Himalayan] are my boyfriend's girls who are both very sweet and loving, not to mention beautiful. And then there's Chuck [double-rex], who has no cage-mate and has some flaws that we're working on. Sadly, we're looking for a new owner for him, with little luck so far.

I love all four, but as bad as it may seem, the girls are our pride. Chuck could be a wonderful pet, but we got him in a sort of bad situation. He'd spent what I'm guessing would be the majority of his life thus far in a pet store that poorly manages their rats, mice, and hamsters. A tiny glass aquarium with mixed males and females. There was one with a momma rat and her littler. We'd of taken a baby if they'd only been a couple weeks older.

Beyond that, we decided to take Chuck in hope that we'd be able to give him what he needed in a home. While he has good shelter, daily food and water, and a roomy cage, he's also very nippy and difficult to hold. He's shy, and usually dislikes being touched unless you take the time to very gently pet his back - during these times he gets sleepy, even with his head buried in the couch cushions.

Our three girls are a different story, all having come from PetSmart in Joplin, MO. I like getting rats there because they're all vet-checked and quarantined before being put out. I've never taken any of the girls to the vet due to a health complication, and they're all curious, active, and nosy. My little Seven being the more spoiled "mommy's girl" of the bunch. :P

Tell me about your bundles of joy!

Also, any helpful advice for Chuck from pet-rat-owner to pet-rat-owner? :/

how bizzare! I used to have a rat called seven!
as far as advice for chuck....I would take a page from my dog trainer background and try food.
offer him a treat that takes some time to nibble and hand feed it to him.
while he's eating it pet him with your other hand.
work up to having him held while receiving treats.
when the treat is done the handling is done.
also get him accustomed to your hands being in the cage or touching him while he is eating regular ratty foods.
this gets him people accustomed and eventually used to being handled.
work up to eventually handling and petting,with treats after wards not during.
he is probablyonlyused to people tapping his glass aquarium at the pet store and no real people interaction.

[Miss Stoddard]

how bizzare! I used to have a rat called seven!
as far as advice for chuck....I would take a page from my dog trainer background and try food.
offer him a treat that takes some time to nibble and hand feed it to him.
while he's eating it pet him with your other hand.
work up to having him held while receiving treats.
when the treat is done the handling is done.
also get him accustomed to your hands being in the cage or touching him while he is eating regular ratty foods.
this gets him people accustomed and eventually used to being handled.
work up to eventually handling and petting,with treats after wards not during.
he is probablyonlyused to people tapping his glass aquarium at the pet store and no real people interaction.

We've had him for a few months now, and trust me - I've tried a few methods that haven't worked. He squeaks when we try to pick him up, and I know he isn't hurting, he's just being cranky. How do I know this? He usually does fine until he starts getting into his own thing while out for playtime, so when you go to pick him up he gets irritated and squeaks until you put him down so he can keep on doing whatever he's doing. And he just bites. Sometimes he'll sit there and stare at you, then put his teeth around your finger before letting go and trompin' off. Sometimes he just downright lunges. I've done my best so far, and we've ever tried "forced" trust work, but where I think we should have had some success, we've had pretty much none. Anymore I just let him run around for awhile, feeding him treats and leavin' him to his own devices until he starts to try hiding in a corner.

It's why I feel hopeless with him.

[spoOk]

We've had him for a few months now, and trust me - I've tried a few methods that haven't worked. He squeaks when we try to pick him up, and I know he isn't hurting, he's just being cranky. How do I know this? He usually does fine until he starts getting into his own thing while out for playtime, so when you go to pick him up he gets irritated and squeaks until you put him down so he can keep on doing whatever he's doing. And he just bites. Sometimes he'll sit there and stare at you, then put his teeth around your finger before letting go and trompin' off. Sometimes he just downright lunges. I've done my best so far, and we've ever tried "forced" trust work, but where I think we should have had some success, we've had pretty much none. Anymore I just let him run around for awhile, feeding him treats and leavin' him to his own devices until he starts to try hiding in a corner.

It's why I feel hopeless with him.

:/

maybe he's just an ornery wanker?

[Miss Stoddard]

:/

maybe he's just an ornery wanker?

It's a possibility! I've actually thought about that. He usually doesn't seem as scared, just more or less like this: "Don't pick me up, don't touch me, I will eat your finger."

I don't know, maybe I haven't tried hard enough, either. When he's out, he'll crawl all over me, but the moment I go to pet him or something, he spazzes out, throws a fit, and hides his face. Perhaps it's just his personality.

[Catherine]

Perhaps it's just his personality.

That's what it sounds like to me.

It's been a long time since I've been a rat mommy, but I've had many, many rats. They're all different. Different wants and needs, different personalities, etc. It sounds like Chuck just wants to do his thing and be left alone.

As long as he's eating, running about and doing normal rat things, I'd leave him be. I'd still talk to him, give him things to play with, etc. but I wouldn't keep trying to handle him if he doesn't enjoy it.

The biggest problem you could face with not handling him much would be if he starts to get a lump somewhere or an infection. You might not notice it soon enough. Then again, he's hairless right? So you might be able to see it if that happened.

I rescued a rat once who actually tricked me into thinking she'd be a cuddly one. She was supposed to be food for a sick snake. The owners (friends of a friend) kept putting her into the snake's tank, but the snake wouldn't eat. Then they'd put her back into a tiny plastic carrier. Over and over they did this. She was pretty traumatized.

Anyway, I convinced them to get the snake to the vet, and to give me the poor little rat. Well, she ran up my arm and hid in my hair. She stayed there until I got her home and all set up in her new digs. Once she knew she was safe, she was over the whole contact thing. She never liked to be held, or pet. She would squeal, bite and run off no matter what I did. That's just the way she was.

Like I said, in my experience they're all different. I had one who used to like to hang upside down by her feet from the cage lid. Another who only bit people when they put their fingers through the cage bars, he hated that. Two brothers who would hide under furniture, wait for someone to walk by, then dash out, grab their toes and run back. It was game they played.

They're very interesting animals, for sure.

[Miss Stoddard]

That's what it sounds like to me.

It's been a long time since I've been a rat mommy, but I've had many, many rats. They're all different. Different wants and needs, different personalities, etc. It sounds like Chuck just wants to do his thing and be left alone.

As long as he's eating, running about and doing normal rat things, I'd leave him be. I'd still talk to him, give him things to play with, etc. but I wouldn't keep trying to handle him if he doesn't enjoy it.

The biggest problem you could face with not handling him much would be if he starts to get a lump somewhere or an infection. You might not notice it soon enough. Then again, he's hairless right? So you might be able to see it if that happened.

I rescued a rat once who actually tricked me into thinking she'd be a cuddly one. She was supposed to be food for a sick snake. The owners (friends of a friend) kept putting her into the snake's tank, but the snake wouldn't eat. Then they'd put her back into a tiny plastic carrier. Over and over they did this. She was pretty traumatized.

Anyway, I convinced them to get the snake to the vet, and to give me the poor little rat. Well, she ran up my arm and hid in my hair. She stayed there until I got her home and all set up in her new digs. Once she knew she was safe, she was over the whole contact thing. She never liked to be held, or pet. She would squeal, bite and run off no matter what I did. That's just the way she was.

Like I said, in my experience they're all different. I had one who used to like to hang upside down by her feet from the cage lid. Another who only bit people when they put their fingers through the cage bars, he hated that. Two brothers who would hide under furniture, wait for someone to walk by, then dash out, grab their toes and run back. It was game they played.

They're very interesting animals, for sure.

I love how full of love and personality each of them are. I'm a little depressed to know he's like that and dislikes contact with me. With that as a fact, I guess I'll know to find someone who probably doesn't have much time, but still likes to watch him play. <3

[Catherine]

I love how full of love and personality each of them are. I'm a little depressed to know he's like that and dislikes contact with me. With that as a fact, I guess I'll know to find someone who probably doesn't have much time, but still likes to watch him play. <3

If it were me, I'd keep him. At least you already know about his personality quirks and he wouldn't have to go through the trauma of adapting to a new environment again.



Just a thought.

[Miss Stoddard]

If it were me, I'd keep him. At least you already know about his personality quirks and he wouldn't have to go through the trauma of adapting to a new environment again.

Just a thought.

Well, that's why I'd explain what bit I do know. I also already plan giving up his cage with him. The fact is, he's a lonely intact male with no cage mate, and isn't let out much because of his tendencies. He usually acts like he could care less where he is as long as his cage is within his view. I'm also kinda moving out, and the girls will be more than enough for the moment. Since he's not as attached to us, I'm just going to try to re-home him. :/

[Catherine]

Well, that's why I'd explain what bit I do know. I also already plan giving up his cage with him. The fact is, he's a lonely intact male with no cage mate, and isn't let out much because of his tendencies. He usually acts like he could care less where he is as long as his cage is within his view. I'm also kinda moving out, and the girls will be more than enough for the moment. Since he's not as attached to us, I'm just going to try to re-home him. :/

Well, you did ask for advise. IMO, explaining about his personality quirks to a new owner doesn't change the fact that Chuck will still have to adapt to a new environment, again.

You say he doesn't have a cage mate. Is that because he fights with the other male rat? If so, then he probably doesn't need one. In general they are very social creatures, but chuck might do better without a cage mate. Some rats do.

I have to be honest, here. I'm getting the impression that because he's not affectionate and cuddly like the others, you just don't want him. That frustrates me because I've seen it happen too many times. People get unusual pets, then when they don't live up to the persons expectations, they wind up bouncing from home to home, not getting the kind of care they need and deserve, and live very sad lives. It's not fair.

Obviously, if you can't take care of him you should give him to someone who can. I would advise in the future not taking in more animals than you can realistically care for.

Good luck, I hope you find someone who will love him quirks and all.