[Blackfish]

So I've had her for about two or three weeks now, she's a doll really. She loves to come out of her cage and run around my desk, but I always have to keep a close eye on her when she comes out, because she will go ANYWHERE. I have to stop her from jumping off my desk sometimes and bolting under my bed. Shes a quick one when she wants to be. She also likes to steal things off my desk, like pencils and one time even a whole bag of crackers. She pulls them into what I call her 'hideout', which is just kind of a tent behind her cage because of the sweater I put over it for the winter. But you see, she's happy as ever when she comes out, but I can't always take her out! I have homework and things to do, I want to get her one of those balls to run around in on my floor. But really, its not that she's overly depressed in her cage to my knowledge, it's that I re-did her cage at the end of the first week I had her (at first it was pretty much just her box she came in in her cage, with water and food, so I re did it, put in a kleenex box instead, a second floor, a ladder, a hammock I made, and a sock. Along with this old nutcracker I had for her to chew on, not painted.)

Since I re-did the cage, she doesn't even sleep in the kleenex box! I've noticed she uses it to stash the food I give her though. But instead, she lies with her head on her paws on the second floor of the cage, on the bare cardboard. Every morning I wake up to find her sleeping there... it's so sad. Why won't she go sleep in her nice bed or her hammock? Does she miss her old box from the store? Should I go maybe ask for another one?

 

[Psykotik]

give her time to adopt to the change


and about being depressed, no, upset maybe.... shes younge and likes to play, shell get used to it

 

[Poppyseed]

I've heard rats are too smart to enjoy those big hamster balls, maybe a play pin instead?

I personally don't have trouble watching my rats when they are out. Two won't even come out of their cage and my Joshu is too sick to get into trouble when he's out and is getting extra pampered because I am afraid he won't make it much longer T_T

 

[DonnaK]

I've heard rats are too smart to enjoy those big hamster balls, maybe a play pin instead?

Our older rat loves her ball; she has no hesitation in hopping in when I hold it up to her cage. In fact, if she wanders somewhere she's not familiar and gets a bit uncomfortable, I can put the ball out and she'll hop in for a familiar place to go.

Our younger rat is starting to warm up to her ball, but she's doesn't bound around in it yet, like the older one does. I guess it's the same deal as wheels - some rats do, some just don't...

As for the changes in the cage, she will get used to it eventually. Rats like to rearrange their own cages, too. I used to get upset when our eldest rat used to clear all the nice cozy bedding out of a corner and sleep on the bare plastic! She also used to sleep on the plastic platform, on the third story - I think it's like a lookout thing that they do. As for the bare corner - we now give her 5 or 6 unprinted kitchen towels and she makes herself a little nest/bed with them.

If you don't always have time to watch her while you let her out, try talking to her while you're doing your homework or whatever. Some rats will just sit and listen to you. It's a bit of a compromise because you're still giving her attention.

 

[Blackfish]

I always feel so bad! Because I want to take her out when I'm doing homework, she lies there just looking at me. She's so crazy though, I have to keep an eye on her at all times. I wake myself up in the middle of the night sometimes just to play with her.

Oh yeah, I also get these weird experiences since I got her too. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of night, and I think she's in the bed with me, like I can feel her in the bed with me. And I keep thinking 'oh no! I fell asleep with her still out of her cage!' and I start ruffling through the blankets trying to find her, and then I realize she's not there, turn on the light, and shes in her cage. I've had these freak outs like, more then 5 times now since I got her.

Has anyone else had this?

 

[DonnaK]

It sounds like you are just worrying about her too much. Try to relax a bit. Play with her as much as you can manage, make sure she has fresh food and water and clean her out regularly and she'll be fine.

 

[Psykotik]

i have that prob,. but my rats know how to open thier own cage now... they go in and out as they please... no worries... as long as they know where they can go to get food/water/treats, they wont go but so far for so long

 

[nerdchick]

I don't think anyone mentioned this, but does Jujube have a friend? Rats need a same sex friend, as they are very social creatures and can become depressed if they don't have a friend. If she does have a friend, I'm sorry for assuming that she didn't.

-Caty

 

[fallinstar]

she may just be adjusting to her new home it took roobs a while he still gets like that every now and then it may also be your rattie was mistreated before you got her and is scared you will treat her the same way!