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Rat vocal sounds and there meaning

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2.6K views 11 replies 6 participants last post by  Tinytoes  
#1 ·
Hi I’m Chrissie I hope you are well. I really need some help to learn what each rat vocalisations means. Is there anyone who could possibly help me to learn them or even just reply to this thread with a list of vocalisations snd there meaning would be great. The reason I need to learn rat vocalisations and there meanings is because I got two rats (Cheese who was five weeks old and Pickle who was six weeks old) just before Christmas they are half Brother’s (they have the same Dad) but they have very different personalities Cheese is a non stop Duracell bunny type rat who just wants to play all the time, while Pickle is a play for for 10 minutes then just wants to chill in his cave watching what’s going on but this was causing friction between them and Pickle was getting more aggressive when Chreesevwouldnt stop pestering him. So I contacted my vet and they advised I get a third rat which I now have and we have called him Ham (he is half Brother to both Cheese and Pickle as he has the same Dad) and he is currently six weeks old and we haven’t put him in with Cheese and Pickle yet as when he arrived (via courier) it turned out the lady had lied about his age and size which she denies but it was our vet who says he is 6 weeks old at max and definitely not the ten weeks old like the lady said he was. We have put him in a separate cage and have allowed the elder two to sniff him through the bars of his cage and we have held him and let them snug him and vice versa but we have noticed that he makes a chipping/chirping noise but I have no idea if it means he is happy to see them, wants to be let out or let go so he can play with them, maybe it gets too much for him as wherever he goes in the cage they follow him on the outside of the cage and maybe that scares him so he makes that noise🤔. If anyone has any advise or knowledge about this pleas do let me know as the help would be very much appreciated. I hope you have a wonderful weekend 🍀.
Best Wishes & Stay Safe
Chrissie 😊x
 
#2 ·
Sorry, I didn't read the entire post as I don't really have that much time right now :oops:
I'm just going to list some sounds and their meanings off the top of my head:

Bruxing/teeth grinding- it can mean your rat is happy, in pain, or just trimming his teeth LOL

High pitched squeak- it can mean your rat got hurt (like if he got scratched suddenly) or if something startled him and he's just being dramatic

Weird chirping sound (lol, this probably doesn't count)- it means your rat has a URI, LOL
(here's an example)
 
#3 ·
Hi thank you for replying. I thought that the teeth thing meant they were happy. I don’t think Ham has a URI as his breathing is silent and doesn’t sound like the poor rat in the video. It’s more like one cheep like a chick makes but he only makes the noise when his half Brothers are near him or trying to sniff him through the bars. He doesn’t run and try to get away from them when he makes the one Cheep noise, he just stays where he is and continues to sniff them trough the bars, and if they move he will follow them around from inside his cage sniffing them all the time. I hope you have a wonderful relaxing weekend 🍀.
Best Wishes & Stay Safe
Chrissie 😊x
 
#4 ·
My rats squeak at each other when they rudely climb over each other while ones trying to sleep, same if they go near each other while ones eating, they give a warning squeak off as if to say OI! THIS MY NAM, GO AWAY! 😆
 
#5 ·
Some rats are very vocal, some, not so much. Some rats are very dramatic. If you start paying attention to what is going on during the vocal sounds, you will begin to be able to tell what each sound means.

Some squeaks are for minor annoyances ("Stop climbing on me").
Some are a bit louder ("Stop grooming me already!/ Get off me!")
Some are a bit louder and longer ("Ow! Quit it!)
Some are more shreiks than squeaks, ("I'm hurt!/ That hurt!")

One of my girls makes a little "chirp" sound for certain treats.
Another of my girl huffs and chuffs like an old lady when she's annoyed or offended.

They're all different. You just have to get to know yours.
 
#6 ·
I'll have to remember all this! You will go into my Rat journal as the vocal expert ;) Ya, I'm making notes on youse guys who have the experience, sos I can make my own how-to-own-a-rat manual lol.
 
#8 ·
I love that you are making a how-to-own-a-rat manual!
 
#9 ·
It's for my own reference. Since I foster, I'll be dealing with many rats of all ages and situations. I'll have to add a section titled: "How to own rats without getting totally obsessed with them."