My new rats (eight weeks and six weeks) are learning their names. I break up cherios in small pieces and reward them when they come which is almost all the time except when distracted (Because they are young, they have short attention spans). I do this when they are running around my bathroom floor. How can I train them to come everytime I say their name? How to I "wean" them from treats after they completly come when called? How long did it take your rats to learn their names? What did you do to train them and do they always come when you call them? Thanks.
2007-10-24 11:19:08 · 5 answers · asked by Jenn 3 in Pets ➔ Rodents
Do they actually understand their name or do they know the tone of voice?
2007-10-25 11:18:25 · update #1
I do not own a rat but I love and appreciate them. They are smart little friends! I have seen good training results with the technique of starting close, calling their names and giving them a treat. Then, step away from them a bit. Call them. Reward them when they come. Keep doing this until you can call them from the next room (where they can't see you) and they come to you. I knew a guy who trained his rat to come to him when he played a certain tune on the piano. The rat would run up and sit on his shoulder -- from where ever the rat was in the house! So neat! Good luck. Rats can be great pets.
2007-10-24 11:56:27 · answer #1 · answered by Shibi 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My rats were smart enough to come to their names without treats (but they were a bit older when I got them)
What you're doing will work well for younger rats. They should start associating their name (or at least the sound of it) with the treat (a la Pavlov). As long as you are saying their name the same way everytime, they should start coming whenever you do. Once they've perfected that, you can remove the treat, you shouldn't have to "wean" them. They should still come. But I would reward them with a little pet so that they still associate the name with something good happening.
2007-10-24 19:14:35 · answer #2 · answered by Muhnkee 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I would think they'll learn their names just as time goes by. Continue the treats, they live for that stuff. We "trained" just by walking up to the cage, taking them out of the cage, holding and saying their names. They love people almost as much as Cheerios.
2007-10-24 20:18:16 · answer #3 · answered by dude 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes you can, Just praise them like crazy, and if you need to know how to praise them, just talk to them in a soft kind tone and rub their favorite spot like behind the ears and rub their back. But first use treats until you find their favorite spot to be rubbed. and to wean them once you have found her/his favorite spot to be rubbed then use a treat every other time and when you aren't using treats then rub his/her favorite spot.
2007-10-26 15:52:28 · answer #4 · answered by Home Schooled Rat And Dog Freak 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
make funny noises (a unique one for each rat name) and they will eventually learn.
2007-10-25 11:07:12 · answer #5 · answered by Dr S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋