If you just adopted two puppies what would you do? Naturally you would get them out of their cage and play with them. So get hands on and just have fun with your rats. Treat them exactly like they were tiny little puppies and chase them around, pet them, pick them up tickle them and just let them get to know you. In other words welcome them home. If they want to playfight, go for it, it's fun, just play until you win... Rats never get to win a playfight or they think they can push you around. Try to work with your rats in a room that doesn't have too many places to hide.

As to learning thier names use their names when you touch them or offer them treats. Repeat, repeat, repeat... they will get it.

Don't worry about litter training for now. Get your rats situated and bonded to you first.

This is a critical time how well you and your ratties bond will set the course of your relationship for their while lives... Remember your ratties are looking for you to take the lead and reach out to them and they are trying to communicate with you. Just because rats don't speak english doesn't mean that they aren't "listening" and "talking" all of the time. Your new little freinds are actually metacogntive, which means they think a whole lot like you. If the puppy model doesn't work in you're mind, think little kid that doesn't speak your language.

If your ratties are friendly and socialized by a breeder and you play with them a few hours each day everything will fall into place.

Skim through the threads on potty training in a week or so.... Bonding is most critical and that's all you should worry about right now.

 

I actually had A LOT o success last night with them. The night ended with the smuggling together I my lap while I scratched them into a sleepy coma. When I put them away they were so interested in getting out again. How does one play fight with them? I'm not sure i understand how to do that. Thanks. Your information is really top notch.

 

Here are a couple of excerpts from some websites. They explain it better than I can.
"Play fighting with young rats
You can use your hand to play fight with a rat, tickle their tummies and chase them with your hand. They seem to respond as if your hand was another rat. It’s mostly young rats who seem to appreciate this, although if you’ve played with your rats like this from kittenhood, they may still play as an adult, although many seem to grow out of it."

"Tag, Flipping, and Wrestling
by Tristen
Tag, flipping, wrestling are good games because they're all in the range of normal rattie behavior. If you watch them playfight, they chase each other, the one who runs will decide to turn the tables and become the "attacker" all of a sudden, etc. What you can try is to tickle your rat on his/her "rump", just above the tail, then remove your hand, do it again, or when he looks back at his rump, tickle him under the chin. Use a finger or two and poke him a little! You should get a response if your rat is tame enough, if he's still new and unused to you, he'll probably look at you like he wants no part of it, he'll come around to wrestling soon enough though."

 

Ah! Ill try that soon. I think my rats are still a little hesitant about my hand in their cage but I know that my one boy, Rumble, will love it. Ziggs on the other hand is a bit more calm and shy. Thanks so much for the tips

 

Yeah mine are a little shy too. More so with the less dominant of the two.

It may be best to wait till they are more calm and used to handling, before "play fighting". Best done outside the cage, during free-range time.

I also find that letting the rat into my shirt, while I lie on the floor or bed is good too. They tend to feel comfortable and get used to your smell. I will let him into my shirt and just lie there still, while talking calmly to him.

 

Do you guys find that new rats, while they are enjoying outside play, are still hesitant to come onto you from being I'm the cage? Mine still seem more interested in climbing the outside of the cage than actually coming to me. But once they are out the will snuggle and enjoy themselves.

 

They do love to climb, so any chance they get, they will climb.Eventually you can teach them to climb up your pant leg, up your shirt and onto your shoulder.

 

Young rats live in hyper-time. They are often hit and run players and sleepytime snugglers. If you watch the way they interact at play they more or less bounce off each other and then romp off on their own then they collide again a few minutes later. That's the way they will play with you. They will play sometimes for only a few seconds than run off and explore something then bounce back to you for more fun. Puppies tend to have longer attention spans than rats. So don't get frustrated by hit and run love, as long as your rattie circle back to you you are doing fine. And BTW, there's nothing instinctive about playing with humans, (for most wild rats it's a very bad idea) you have to make the first move and stay in the game until they get used to you.

I know there's some confusion when you read play with your rats for a few hours each day. Actually lots of that time might be spent by your rats exploring under the sofa while you watch tv or chasing eachother around the hallway. In those three hours you might only be hands on for an hour or so but the fact that you are there to bounce off of is what matters. With young rats, about the only really snuggley time you get is when they are exhausted and tired, treasure those moments and keep them in mind while you are coaxing your new friends out from under the fridge avoiding language that might offend small children.

Your new little friends only have about two years on an average, to nurse, grow up, explore the whole wide world, make friends, have families, and age amongst loved ones, compared to your 80 years. In understanding your rats behavior, keep in mind they are in a real hurry to get things done, as they are living in warp speed.

Once your rats know you as their best friend and alpha, you should not have any problems with reaching into their cage at all. Rats that defend their cage against their owners are poorly socialized. And don't kid yourself lots of rats are poorly socialized. We just adopted a supposedly socialized rat that didn't even know it's own name. But for now and until you form a strong bond with your rats, which might only take a few pay sessions, keep your hands out of the cage and if you do reach in, do it assertively like you belong there. Rats understand and respect authority and challenge weakness and hesitancy instinctively. It's a trick I learned from the senior person at the pet shop, reach into the bin with 100 unsocialized rats and do it with confidence and you don't get bit... reach in and act frightened and hesitant and very bad things happen.

 

Thanks! One last thing. When only one of the boys will come out should I try an force the other one out? Or is is okay to take out one without the other? I am afraid that it will make them feel left out or upset.

 

In the long run you should be able to take out both rats whenever you want to. That said some rats have different situations... My old rat likes to sleep more than my younger one, so I often let her nap while I take out the younger rat. It's not jealousy it's age. But with two rats of the same age, they should want to be out about the same amount of time... it's not an exact science nor do any two rats have the exact same need to play with you, but do try to play with them together as much as possible and watch for quirks. My big girl needs to be taken our first, or she gets offended if I take the younger rat first and stomps back in her house. She's my second in command and she wants her respect. And when both rats are free ranging, they take turns climbing on me... one on, one off but there's no hassle over it. If I'm carrying both they don't fight. Your ratties are likely to make up wierd little rules too, just try and accomodate them as much as possible.

 

...And when both rats are free ranging, they take turns climbing on me... one on, one off but there's no hassle over it.

Mine do exactly the same thing...one climbs around on me and then jumps off, and the other climbs up.

 

I don't see any problem with one-on-one time. Start off playing with one in front of the other caged rat. After watching the two of you have fun & treats, he'll learn that you're not cruel or scarey. I truly believe they learn by example & from each other.

 

You should spend about the same amount of time with both and some time playing as a pack. Force is such a hard word... if your rattie really knew how kind and caring you are you wouldn't need to force him out, so take the initiative and show him you're his bestist friend. Your rats are waiting for you to make the first move.