Is a rat that isn't handled much?

Question

If i bought rats that were only a few weeks old, and had never been handled, would it still be tamable? would it turn into the great pet i hoped that they will be? or will it be vicious and unfriendly? i am asking because i will probably get my rats at petsmart, and i heard that they never handle them. now im nervous.

Answer 1

You will still be able to tame it. Most domesticated rats will become good pets if handled correctly regardless of what age they are. It just takes longer for older animals. You're lucky that you got a young one. If you handle him regularly and gently every day, he will become a great pet. Rats are very friendly and intelligent. Most pet stores don't have the time to handle their animals. Smaller stores may, but in most big chain places, there's not as much emphasis on socializing the animals as it is on the business. They should have healthy animals at Petsmart, but as with any animal, you have to train and interact with your rat.

Answer 2

It depends if you find a petsmart that has a rat lover that works there then they will have been handled. I work in the pet care section at Petsmart and handle all the rats daily, letting them ride on my shoulder as I work, so it just depends on the individual store. If you buy a young rat it shouldnt be any problem to tame them even if they have never been handled. But petfinder.com and local shelters are great places to check.
P.S. It is against Petsmart policy to sell rats or any mammal as feeders.

Answer 3

The younger the better I have had breeding rats when I was in 4H and we always handled the babies after they were a week old the mother rat was really sweet and this passed on to her young I still have one male and one female that I breed and sell my hand tamed babies to my local pet shop and he sells mine for about .75 cents more than the feeders because mine are ready to be pets. I also keep them with other rats for socialization and they are very sweet and kind. so yes by all means handle, handle, handle the more love and devotion you show your rat the more loving it will be to you.
Some don't handle them my petco by me does handle theirs so visit first then decide its almost like chosing your girlfriend this could be your companion for lifs.

Answer 4

i do no longer innovations it that a lot - I propose it relatively is not the 1st time this befell in a considerable action photograph. Flashback to the eighty's - The Muppet's Take ny, i've got faith there have been countless rats working in the kitchen of the diner the place Kermit whilst for lunch.

Answer 5

we got ours from local pet places. and the rats from petsmart are usually there for food for snakes. a really good place to find some are from other people houses that are moving or something you can also look on petfinder.com goodluck theyre great pets!!!

Answer 6

i got my rat from a petstore that never handled them either. i've had him for not even a month now and he just loves to be with me. you'll have to be consistant with picking them up and things like that but it will happen. rats by nature are social and curious so they will eventually come around to wanting to be cuddled alot of the time. NEVER use pine or cedar bedding for your rats as they are soft wood and release phenols which are toxic to rodents.

Answer 7

as long as it's still young, and hasn't reached sexual maturity, it is still able to be socialized, that goes with most any rodent pets.
oh yeah and petsmart DOES handle they're pets, i've seen them, and they're very nice, as long as your salesperson is not a part-time high school student, then they also know what they're doing. i got my gerbils a tpetsmart, and i can tell they are becoming more sociable, and they wetre already 3 months when i got them