i have a pet rat,?

Question

he's 8wks old,the first couple of days he seemed fine,BUT,he's bit my daughter,& tryed biting myself,5 times,i do handle him alot,he's very skitty,darts around his cage,he seems to hide in the same corner,iv made his cage as interesting as i can,but doesnt seen interested,is there anything i can do,or stop it from doing these things,can you give me advice plz

Dolph,my daughter is 10,she is very gentle with him,she doesnt hurt him.

Answer 1

Do you really mean bite or just nipping? Bites bleed a lot. Nips just scrape and don't break the skin. A bite can mean the rat is really afraid or that he's protecting his territory. Some bite when they are startled too. Nips are usually exploratory - testing to see if you're food or potential nesting material. Rat's teeth are extremely sensitive and they use them to "feel" new items by gently (or sometimes a bit firmly) grasping them in their mouth. Whether it's biting or nipping it can usually be prevented.

Many of the other answers have some good points but I'd like to add my (rather long) bit too:

First, is his cage in a central place in the house? Somewhere noisy and exposed? When rats first move in they tend to benefit from having their house in a nice quite place so they can adjust to all the new smells and noises without feeling threatened. It only needs to be for a few days, maybe a week, but I find it really helps them feel settled and confident. If they're constantly exposed to noise and new smells, they become frightened and overwhelmed making them skittish and sometimes bitey.

Also, although it's great you're working on handling him, trying to help him get used to you and to realise you're not a big scary monster (which is how we must look to tiny frightened rats!) etc, it might help to slow it down a bit. If he doesn't feel comfortable being held and it freaks him out when you next try to pick him up he will remember it was scary last time and get frightened as your hand approaches. If he feels relaxed in his environment he will also feel more confident and be more likely to actually approach you. Then you can let him choose to explore you (climb up your arm, go down your jumper etc) and he'll get more used to your smell and the noises you make (not just your voice but the sound of your breathing and heart beating which are quite noisy for rats). Try to only talk softly and move smoothly - if you jump so will he. Obviously, you have to still teach him that being picked up is okay but try to slow it down just a bit and go more at his pace.

Others are right: rats are not keen on constant changes, especially at first. They do love challenging and interesting things to do but they also need a degree of sameness to make them feel at home. As he's only just moved in, you should probably leave his cage the same for the first week at least so he can get to know things. Make sure he's got several places to hide. I wouldn't even change the bedding / empty his litter box for the first week so that it really smells of him and he knows it's his territory now. In the same vein, the suggestions of giving him a worn item of your clothing (which he will destroy to make a good nest, so not something you intend to wear again!) and rubbing your hands in his bed are good ways to make you smell more friendly.

Once he seems more relaxed, do try feeding him treats by hand. It shows him that good things come from you. Make sure you give him your hand treat-first so that he doesn't accidentally bite you instead of the treat. (Sometimes they can get quite excited when they smell something yummy and will nip at the first new thing they find!)

Personally, I would advise against gloves unless he really is biting hard and drawing blood. If you wear gloves your rat must first get used to the gloves handling him and then get used to your hands afterwards anyway.

To tell him that nipping (and biting) is wrong; as soon as he does it squeal. Make a high pitched short sharp peep - speak to him in his language! If he is still really skittish don't do it too loud as it can frighten him more, but once he's a bit more confident and still doing it let him know it's bad and it hurts.

Have you considered getting him a cage mate? Rats really are happier living in pairs or groups. They are ever so social and having a friend may make him feel less threatened and alone. While he's young, introducing him to a new same-sex friend of the same age or younger should be quite easy. It gets a little bit difficult when they get older, particularly with boys. I really would advise getting him a friend as I'm sure it will boost his confidence and he'll have someone to talk to! Would it be possible to bring home a brother of his from the same place he came from?

Just remember to go slow and do as little as possible to make him more frightened.

I wish you luck and would advise you join one or both of the groups below where there are lots of people with lots of rat experience who can help and advise you in almost every ratty-situation!

Answer 2

For starters, you should have given the poor boy two days to settle into his new home. Remember, hes only a baby, just come away from his mum, and probably been moved to a noisy pet store and now, he's in another new place with people pulling him around. He's going to be nervous. He wont be like a dog. You have to earn his trust. Begin by trying to stroke him gently in his cage, usually his safe spot, and maybe give him bits of food. It will take a few days to get used to this, but after that, you can start picking him up in the cage. He's still secure and he'll feel safer. Once he's accustomed to being handled in the cage, you can start bringing him out for a few minutes. It will take time, but male rats usually are the tamer, and because he ison his own he will soon look to you for comfort and play. I'm very surprised he has bitten, but remember he is a rodent, but easier totame than a hamster. Give him time and don't push him.
WE have a male rat the same age, but he is very calm..we were lucky really, but its all about making sure you pick the one for you. I hope this helps

Answer 3

http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/rat_lovers_uk This is the forum I joined last year because I own 3 male and 4 female rats (I have owned rats for 2 years)and there is a lot of rat owners, breeders and experts on hand to give you advice and answer any questions about rats you may ask. Do you have only 1 rat it may help getting a 2nd one as it is preferred to have 2 so they keep each other company.
The biting will stop eventually he is probably still a little scared but should calm down when he is settled. Handle him everyday even let him on the sofa but keep a close eye on him so he wont run off on the floor etc and let him get use to your smell feed him treats with your hand and let him come to you, He will sniff your hand but don't pull away if you think he will bite because I did the same with my First rat Angel (rip) and all she did was nibble then lick my finger she was a lovely rat. The forum address above is great and it has every bit of info you could want on rats.

Hope this helps you.

Answer 4

We have both of them. My daughter has a albino lavender king snake plus we have 11 rats. Some however rats are up for adoption. We don't live feed her (snake) and mice or rats only frozen fuzzies we get from a pet store. We also have mice, Syrian hamsters, dwarf hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, cats, dogs, cockatiels, a few fish, a tarantula, an iguana, a wolf hybrid, a Pygmy goat and a red sheep. They are kept at my home and not in a shelter or pet store.

Answer 5

I have had many rats before, and it seems to me like he needs some time to chill out. He is still a little young, and if it is loud or too many people are bothering him before he is used to the surroundings in his cage, then he will be a bit anti-social.

Everytime you change something in his cage, leave him alone for a day. Rats hate it when their cage is messed with, and their behavior can often be sporatic if they are not given time to adjust.

Also, make sure your daughter is not screeching or being loud near the rat - their ears are very very sensitive.

With all that said, he is still young and in a month or two he should be more mature and able to calm down quicker.

Answer 6

Rats are a skittish lot the first few days, given time and lots and lots of willingness and patience on your part (which I see you have) your pet will come around. Also, rats are very sociable animals and they'd rather live with another rat of the same sex (which prevents unwanted pregnancies) and closer to their age. Taking care of two rats is no different from taking care of one financially. Plus they'll be a lot happier that way, and hopefully, bite less.

Answer 7

Did you let him settle in before handling?

Make sure he gets plenty of quiet time, and there is a dark place he can go where NO ONE can see him. Most rodents get quite neurotic if they can't hide somewhere. A corner is not good enough.

Also, make sure you wash your hands before handling. If your fingers smell like food, he'll try to eat them.

Another tip - a good way to get a rodent used to your personal scent is to wear a sock for a day, and give it to him. He can keep it in his cage, and rip it to shreds. In less than a month, you will smell like home to him, and will have no problem with handling.

Perfume BAD.

Answer 8

I have had pet rats and they are super smart
If your daughter is too young ..I can see why he bite all of a sudden You have hurt or slightly injured the poor thing and if your daughter is under the age of 7 then stop subjecting it to this.

Answer 9

Try rubbing your hands in his bedding so the scent is comforting to him, it may be the scent of food on your hands that is making him bite. Slow and steady wins the race here! You'll have to let him get used to you and don't make any sudden moves. Put him something to hide in (in the corner he already uses) so he has a bolthole in case he gets scared and encourage him with treats to come to you BEFORE you pick him up. You will need to persevere with him, don't give up, even if it means you have to wear gloves or he will resort to being wild and scared of you.

Answer 10

My daughter has over 50 rats, she has had several problems with biting.
Try www.ratchat.co.uk
She is a member of this group, it will not cost you anything to join and the knowledge of some of them is beyond me.just ask a question and you will get an answer.