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My rats first day

1.3K views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  Mrm911  
#1 ·
I have had them less than 24hours, but I got Hadley(now Lily) to come out. ;DSurprising since she is the shyest,but she let me pick her up and take her out. She is very jumpy when she hears a noise,i tried to get a cheerio out for her but she heard the bags rustle and ran around which is her very thing to do. Harper likes to look at me,but won't come out or let me pick her up. They both take treats from me. But they both have nibbled me, not hard and didn't break skin but it worries me.
 
#2 ·
Don't worry about the nibbling :) mine did that when I first got them there's salt on your skin which they really like! Plus they're just getting used to you, I used to pull my hand away when mine nibbled but got told its a bad idea as it'll teach them to get you away from them if they're in a mood all they have to do is nibble you but it can turn into a bite! One of my three is extremely weirded out by loud noises and when I open a bag of something, even when he knows its a treat he runs away, I'm guessing it's just in some rats to be a little creeped out by things!! I hope you enjoy your ratties as much as I do :) they're amazing animals! Especially if you can get them into a routine!!
 
#3 ·
Well I just moved them to the basement since it is cooler, they seem happier down there and have settled down. Lily started sleeping in there make shift hammock. i let harper nibble me(before i pulled away) but she didn't bite down hard and only did it once the continued sniffing me. Harper is still not wanting to be picked up and Lily didn't run away when I approached the cage.
 
#4 ·
Do you go into the basement much? I've got mine in the living room for me it makes them more a part of the family and they can watch what's going on if I've got a day off work haha, if they start biting you harder than you'd like nip it in the bud, If mine do something they shouldn't, or go somewhere they shouldn't like behind the tv with all the wires, I pick them up and firmly say no and place them back down, they'll soon learn that treats and cuddles come from good behaviour and you won't put up with the bad kind, don't get disheartened if they do shy away one day but are dead happy to see the next, rats have off days! Sometimes mine don't want to know me haha
 
#5 ·
I don't go down there much,only for laundry, but now I do :). It's cooler down there than my room or the living room because our a/c broke. And safer,because we also have 3 dogs and a cat that stay in the living room