how do i bond with my rats?

153 Views 5 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Foolishdmin, 2 d ago

aaliyahsj16

Discussion Starter · 11 d ago

hi all, i’ve had my rats for 2 weeks now and i feel like i’ve made little to no progress with them becoming tame and bonding with me. the most they’ll do is take a treat from me in their hammock. if they come out their hammock they won’t even come near my hand. i’ve tried baby food to entice them to come out but they won’t bother. my last rats would just start coming out of the cage further and further each day for treats but they won’t even step foot near the cage door. i know it’s only early days but it feels disheartening. i still love them so much either way of course.

Wood Organism Fawn Rodent Terrestrial animal

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-Lemon-

· #2 · 9 d ago

If you keep being patient and trying to give them treats I am sure they will start coming to you. They might just need some time to warm up to you. You could also try other treats like yogurt which they might like better.

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RatPappy

· #3 · 9 d ago

What a sly sidelong expression! Seriously, some rats take longer than others to warm up. Favorite treats really are a great way to encourage your Rats to come to you and associate you with pleasure. Spending lots of time with them and talking soothingly and singing to them helps too!

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RaticalRats

· #4 · 2 d ago

I’ve had my rats for about 2 months now, and I have tried many different tricks and treats for them, to get them more comfortable. Even now, It is a bit disheartening for me, considering i’ve tried so much, but trust me, they will come around. I have three rats, Smokey, Misty, and Smudge. The rats will start showing their behaviors soon. For example, Smokey is the one who likes to be pet at most times. Misty is the explorer who doesn’t really like to be picked up. And Smudge is a whole different story, she will try to nip me if I try to pick her up. Some rats will just never like being picked up, and others will love it. At two weeks with my rats, none of them would let me pet them or even bring my hands close to them without running away. Please don’t give up on them, your hands can seem scary to them at times. When you take them o ur to play, try just leaving your hands out for them to explore. Don’t move, don’t give them treats, just let them sniff. This will show that your hands aren’t threatening to them and that they can crawl on you safely.

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