# Taming Rats



## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

Hey, I recently got two young female rats. They have never been handled before, and I'm wondering how to start handling them.

If they are in their hide and you lift the lid off, they will let me stroke them. But when i go to pick them up, they scratch and bite my hand. Also, they hide as soon as anyone is in the room with them.

I've had them for just under a month, and they still wont let me handle them.

So, any ideas?


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## SisterMoonbeam (Jan 28, 2008)

When i tame my rodents i usually take their cage apart, so only the tray/base is left and put it in the bath (empty obviously lol) and sit in there with them, that way they can come out of their own free will and i would gently try and scoop them up from the bath floor, and if they bite or jump when you go to get them they can't run off somewhere, and try to get them used to handling that way, takes a lot of time and patience but i have found it to be the most effective method of taming them down.


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## Iliria (Jan 19, 2007)

i've found if you sit with your hand in the bage and wait for them to com e to you it works really well. also making your hand smell like something familiar to them


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## fern (May 25, 2008)

Fancy Rats | Home the number one place for ANY rat needs  

try carrying them around in your jumper so they associate you with fun and good things. the bath idea is good but rats can easily jump out of a bath  (my 5 can and there tiny for rats)give them treats when they are in their cage. sit in the room eith them with their cage open and let them come out to you... its a start


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

Hey guys 

I have been trying all these suggestions but they still run away s soon as i enter the room, they wont let my pick them up, they're starting to bite if you try to stroke them now....

the last 4 rats we had were fantastic, we used to walk round the house with them on our shoulders for hours.


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## lukendaniel (Jan 10, 2007)

best way to tame a rat is to start as early as pos and when you go to pick them up grap them by there tail and then just place them on you simple as that 



luke


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## sleepylizard (Feb 20, 2008)

Does tend to be more 'bitey and flighty' than bucks but can become very friendly.

Try hand feeding them (but NOT through the bars), that way they associate you with nice food.

i have 4 very lazy boys that are very tame and i had a 4 weeks old so very familiar with me. My previuos 2 rats were very nervous so my OH used the 'towel technique'. 

We let them climb onto or into a box and then took it carefully out of the cage and wrapped the rat up into a towel, with just their heads poking out. This actually made them feel secure and we didn't wrap them too tight! We then used this technique for a few days then undid the owel with the rats still on it and they would play on out laps but with the security of the towel. After a few weeks they were tearing around the lounge and would come when called

Paitience is the key, if you rush it they will feel panicked and associate you with panic.

"best way to tame a rat is to start as early as pos and when you go to pick them up grap them by there tail and then just place them on you simple as that "

DON'T DO THIS. Rats do not like being grabbed or being picked up by the tail, not only can it deglove them, damage their tails, it is also very scary for them. I once had to use an emergency vet who picked up my sick rat by the tail, i went mad and refused to pay for the consultation. They tried to get money out of me but i said they could take me to court as they didn't know how to handle rats properly, they didn't chase me after that!

Good luck.

pm me if you need any more help.


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## Esarosa (Jul 13, 2007)

with my little rescue ratties i started off just sitting in the same room quietly for an hour or so at a time..also offering titbits i knew they wouldn't be able to resist. Chicken,peas,boiled eggs (my do they have fun with that),yoggies etc etc. i'd sit with the door open and offer them treats there and over the period of a few days Puck (who started off very skittish) would start to come over & take food..from there we progressed to free ranging...bathrooms are good for this. So we'd take the cage in there & open the doors and let them come out in there own time. Ruby & ghost decided to show them what they were supposed to do..i'd sit in the shower tray so the ratties could climb over me , and eventually we had a breakthrough in that puck would come up to me of her own accord for cuddles & What not...she's now one of my more affectionate & cheeky ratties..and when she first came i never thought that would be the case.

however, that being said rolo our eldest rescue rattie (who came with puck)will bite anyone who goes near her..in fact she scaled around me in the shower cubicle till she found bare skin then went for me. No matter of gentle coaxing has tamed her down. we've tried the make up brush technique as well where u stroke them with that..i now have a bald make up brush. (she's challenging to say the least..my hands are a bundle of sensitive nerve endings from old & current scars she's made...the snakes have nothing on her). She'll come to the door for food, she'll even free range..but she HATES humans...she has a part of her tail missing & when we got her was kept in a cage with no food & water that was filthy. With a young lad who would offer titbits thru the bars then take them away. (he even admitted this)

I saw you said you tke the lid off their bed area when you try to stroke them...i'd try to wait for them to be out in the open, or like i say get them gradually used to coming to the door & what not. As all they will see, especially if they're new...is a big scary thing trying to grab them whilst they were resting & get defensive. you could try taking the bed out completely and into a safe area so they can come out of it and have a little explore & what not, and if they feel insecure they can bolt back their to safety.If they're young the likelihood is they will come around..female rats can be very pingy & skittish, and aren't half as laid back as the male ratties.

another idea if you're brave...and this is how i tamed down ruby & ghost when they were little is to wear a dressing gown or hoodie something with long sleeves & pockets.. (if they nip atm i'd recommend a tshirt underneath! :razz and let them hide around that. with ruby & ghost they would hide in the sleeves or pouch for hours on end and fall asleep, got them used to my smell, also allowed them to realise i was nothing to be afraid of.. If something spooked them outta the cage they would even run into the pouch/pocket/sleeves (Depending on what i had on) as it became a sort of safety blanket to them....now they run to me.

Sorry i can't be more helpful these are just a few things that worked with some of mine.. like i say rolo is a complete oddity, love her..she's just unique :razz:


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## Esarosa (Jul 13, 2007)

lukendaniel said:


> best way to tame a rat is to start as early as pos and when you go to pick them up grap them by there tail and then just place them on you simple as that
> 
> 
> 
> luke



please whatever you do NOT pick up a rat by their tail. We were advised to do this with ruby & ghost when we first got them. I tried it twice & after seeing their reactions would NEVER do it again. It doesn't help to tame them down it panics them, any good work we'd made over the course of the day was ruined by doing this! Imagine someone grabbing you by the head or foot and p icking you up. Not nice at all

to pick my girlies up now i just scoop them up in both hands, nice and securley..that way it causes no pain & discomfort at all, and they feel safe


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

cheers guys. :2thumb:

I'll try the bathroom thing tomorrow. I'll sit in the bath with my dressing gown on haha. 

I'll let you know how i get on. No idea how im going to get them upstairs, though....


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## Esarosa (Jul 13, 2007)

Esfa said:


> cheers guys. :2thumb:
> 
> I'll try the bathroom thing tomorrow. I'll sit in the bath with my dressing gown on haha.
> 
> I'll let you know how i get on. No idea how im going to get them upstairs, though....



ah never thought i'd find a benefit to living in a ground floor apartment...now i have one  

i mean any rooms okay providing its rattie proof, with us that was trhe bathroom, as the lounge is full of vivs, & wires from stats/mats/ceramics etc etc, also our bathroom is quite small so it allowed us to see what they were up to, I just sat very still and they ran all over me. they like being quite high up..so claws in back to get on shoulder tends to happen :razz: gotta love ratties


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## hermanlover (Jul 8, 2007)

i tamed mine using food, it took me about 5 days and then they were brilliant, just sit there and let them come and eat food off your hand, then as they are eating the food, and when they are less nervous, try stroking them, its very time cnsming but it works


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

californiankinglover said:


> i tamed mine using food, it took me about 5 days and then they were brilliant, just sit there and let them come and eat food off your hand, then as they are eating the food, and when they are less nervous, try stroking them, its very time cnsming but it works


spent hours doing that  they're just as nervous as when they came to us.


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## hermanlover (Jul 8, 2007)

Esfa said:


> spent hours doing that  they're just as nervous as when they came to us.


it will be really hard to tame them now, whenever i tame mice, rats, jultis etc, i always do it from about 2 - 3 weeks, that way they wont know any different, so become very tame very easily. but if they wont come to you for food etc, i doubt they will ever be tamed without them being VERy stressed in the process.


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

californiankinglover said:


> it will be really hard to tame them now, whenever i tame mice, rats, jultis etc, i always do it from about 2 - 3 weeks, that way they wont know any different, so become very tame very easily. but if they wont come to you for food etc, i doubt they will ever be tamed without them being VERy stressed in the process.


when we got them they were already over 2 weeks old lol.


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## fatratsandcheesekk (May 18, 2008)

tey this Fancy Rats | Information | Taming Your Rats from the fancy rat forum


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

cheers. : victory:


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## Esarosa (Jul 13, 2007)

californiankinglover said:


> it will be really hard to tame them now, whenever i tame mice, rats, jultis etc, i always do it from about 2 - 3 weeks, that way they wont know any different, so become very tame very easily. but if they wont come to you for food etc, i doubt they will ever be tamed without them being VERy stressed in the process.



I really don't believe that, we got ruby & ghost at 6 weeks, and considering their breeder told us to handle them by the tail i doubt very much interaction had gone on at all. And they are two of the soppiest rats you could ever wish to meet.
Puck came to us as an unknown age, was very malnourished which made it tricky to guesstimate, but she was definately over 3 months of age...and now she is the most glorious friendly,cheeky little rattie.

Rolo on the other hand was much much older and we believe was an ex breeder, she still hates people no matter what we've tried..but if i'd lost a bit of my tail due to probably being picked up by it i'd be a little dubious as well.

Yeah fancy rats is a good forum to use,lots of people their to give advice..even if none of it worked for the monster that is rolo :razz:


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