I bought a rat today for my daughter, and right now, he's understandably a little stressed, what with being introduced into a new home. Thing is, though, when I go to pick him up, he squeaks. I had rats as a kid, and I don't remember whether or not this is normal behavior.
Also, how long does it generally take for a rat to become acclimated to a new home?
Any other advice, tips, pointers, thoughts, reflections, or ruminations that might be of benefit to a new rat owner would also be appreciated>
2006-07-10 11:25:58 · 16 answers · asked by kevinb671 3 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Rats do make squeaking noises, but generally I only hear it when my rats are playing, grooming or fighting with each other. It sounds like the little rat is scared. Give him a day to get used to his cage, surroundings, smells and noise. Talk to him softly through the cage, he will learn to recognize your voice.
Tomorrow when he's more at home offer him some treats so he will learn that hands aren't big bad things :) If he's scared, let him check out your hands on his own. Don't just grab him out, that will probably scare him more.
Most baby rats, even if scared will turn around. When I brought home 2 rescues (they were supposed to be snake food) they were terrified of me. I kept the cage door open and put my hand in, when they felt more reassured they came over and checked it out. I later put food in my hand and they learned it meant yummy treats were comng! Within a week they would happily go onto my hand to come out.
You just need to associate people with good things and work with him slowly over the first few days since moving into a new home is a big change!
2006-07-10 11:36:15 · answer #1 · answered by Shelley 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you just got it today then you should really leave it in it's cage for now becuz it's probably really stressed from being away from it's brothers and sisters. I have 4 rats and it didn't take very long for them to get used to me so I don't think it should take more than a couple of days until it is atleast a little used to it's surroundings... They usually spueek when they get hurt but also when one rat is grooming another or they are playing (I don't know if you got one or two rats but when they play it might look like they are trying to kill each other but that is normal play for rats, unless they are boys)...
2006-07-10 14:03:08 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rats are very vocal but we don't hear most of it because their voices are so high pitched. The sounds we hear are the lowest tones they make. When tickled, rats laugh, we just can't hear them.
I recommend much handling and contact. The more he's with you, the more he'll want to be with you.
A very large cage up on a table makes a pretty good home. Make sure there are a few cardboard boxes to hide in in the cage and to stash his treats in. Cut a little hole in the side for a door.
He needs nesting material he can move around -- unscented toilet tissue seems much liked; it's probably impossible to give him too much, he'll pull it into his nest and use it to fill the doorway. It give's him something to do.
If there are no large dogs around, I recommend leaving the cage door open, maybe cutting a second door on the top (roof), so "Ratty" can climb around on the outside of the cage. We put a nest box on the roof as well.
Unless you wire the boxes to the cage, he'll push them around and may not be able to use them to nest in. One other thing, Put flattened cardboard down on the floors if it's a wire cage so he doesn't have to stand on the wire all of the time.
Good luck.
2006-07-10 11:49:10 · answer #3 · answered by Rick A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
(1) He's just scared especially if to many people try to hold him. Just give him a little time to adjust. (2) Make sure he has plenty of rat food and water plus an exercise wheel. (3) Make sure he doesn't get to cold or to hot. (4) Rat's love attention and they'll be just like a hampster. (5) If you have a female rat and it ever has babies never stick your hands around her while she's with babies and after she delivers don't handle the babies. She'll bite you good. She's just being tempermental and she's just trying took look out for the babies. Never buy a grown rat. Mistake. Most will also bite you. If you didn't raise them you don't know them and they don't know you. It breaks the skin, too. Hopefully you started with a young rat.
2006-07-10 12:16:37 · answer #4 · answered by LARRY P 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it's perfectly normal for a rat to squeek when you go to pick him up; this is likely to happen for about the first week or so until he gets used to his new home.
You might want to litter train him too, it makes cleaning the cage a lot less disgusting. Don't use clumping litter though or litter that causes dust (it can increase the chances of respiratory illnesses). They have small animal litters at most pet stores (Petco, Petsmart, etc.)
Make sure he has stuff to chew on, so that his teeth don't get too long.
Make sure that he gets sociallized, otherwise he could become agressive.
hope this helps!
ps, don't use a wood based bedding or litter! When he pees on it, the fumes/oders it sets off could kill him!
2006-07-10 11:34:57 · answer #5 · answered by Stacie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's perfectly normal when a rat makes noise, (in fact, two of mine make a repeated grunting noise as if they were trying to talk!) If you read my first letter, it's not hard to see that I know quite a bit about rats, and I'm telling you now, that it's fine.
Love and enjoy your rats,
Future Rodent Veterinarian
2006-07-16 18:35:19 · answer #6 · answered by WenckeBrat 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hahaha. i remember when i got a rat when i was little. awesome pets. i kept mine in a big tank with wood chips for the ground. she slept in a pop-tart box.. she'd eat through one every two weeks or so.. noises are natural. he's just nervous and ocnfused. give him a few days to get fully acclimated. it's being overloaded with all sorts of new sensory information to sort through and get comfy with, so play with it, feed it, all that good stuff, and it'll help him get along. for the first few days, give it a lot of attention, but don't handle it if it's completely terrified fo you. let it get used to your daughter and such so that he builds a comfort zone, then gradually let him out to hang out more and more. watch it carefully when you let it out of the cage.. my mom had mine out but for whatever reason forgot about it. she went to vaccuum and saw the rat run across the floor; startled by the sound. it ran all the way up her leg and crawled into her shirt pocket. but, anyway, have fun with it, take care!
2006-07-10 11:31:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a hamster and when I first got him he squeeled like crazy. I believe that it is just a stress response. Give him some time and he probably won't do it so much. Now (a year later) my hamster rarely makes any noise, hope this helps.
2006-07-10 11:38:03 · answer #8 · answered by murphly 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, Rat's make noises, and he/she may be calling out for some lost mates...
Did you know rats have a sense of humor...they laugh(we can't hear it)! Strange, but true
2006-07-10 11:29:28 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
he might be just a little scared to be picked up.put your hand in there for a while then pick him up.he has to get used to it.
2006-07-10 11:28:49 · answer #10 · answered by maxie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋