[ladylady]

The other night Poppy fell off the top of the cage in a box (should have seen that coming, box has been moved now).
She was hiding behind dressser and pile of stuff that is my floor, I got her back in the cage with a yogie.
They have allways stayed on and around the cage when its open-I guess they're eather home lovers or dont want to take the leap of faith to the floor.
Last night I took Poppy to my bed to put her flea medicine on but before we made it she jumped to the floor and diapeared behind the dresser again.
Why?
Is she trying to runn away cus she unhappy?
Just nosey?
I'm scared to let her out any play now incase she runs away cus my house isnt rat proofed. Im moveing soon and what my new room to be but in the mean time I have a problem

 

[DonnaK]

I would say it's instinct, especially for a girl rat. She found there was more to be explored, so she wants to go back and explore it.

It would be an awful shame not to let her out any more. We have a rat that likes to run off around the (non-rat-proofed) room, too, but we stack cushions to make it harder for her to jump off the couch. That way, we usually see what she's about to do and have time to stop her, before she can jump and make a run for it. Could you do something similar with your bed, a couch, a large table or an area of the room, maybe?

 

[ladylady]

Ive been thinking about not caring about sleeping in rat wee so they can run about the bed! Shes so quick-it took me ages to catch her lastnight and the more I tryed the more she ran! Once I got her I gave her a hug and she was ok. Oh Im just all nervous now

 

[DonnaK]

You need to try not to be nervous, she'll pick up on that and it'll make her nervous.

I would think you'd be fine on the bed if you put some old towels over it and watch out for any significant wet patches.

One thing you can try with the runaway bit - try and find a box or something that she feels safe in. When she's running around like that, she will likely climb into the box or whatever you use for a safe place to be.

When ours gets loose, if we can't catch her we put her ball down in front of her. She runs into it straight away, because it's a familiar safe place for her.

 

[ladylady]

Oooh thats a good tip-she was diving under a pile of folders last night
thanks

 

[lilspaz68]

Here's another tip for couch or bed Out time. DO NOT leave them alone. They get bored if you are not there to entertain them and will eventually figure a way off of the bed/couch, then you'll never be able to keep them there again. I learned the hard way...hahaha.

Put toys and tunnels and things on the bed to make it more interesting, play with them, or let them run around while you read and when they come by for a visit, pat them or play with them then.

My bed became a playground for my babies, and I was the Human Jungle Gym...hehehe
Here is Tucker n' Beni wrestling, little pink hamper thing, ferret tunnels, etc

 

[Inesita]

^Aw, how cute!

They get bored if you are not there to entertain them and will eventually figure a way off of the bed/couch, then you'll never be able to keep them there again. I learned the hard way...hahah

Yeah, I've got the same problem. It's impossible to keep him on the bed! Which forces me to be a ratty babysitter, watching him all the time, so that he doesn't get in trouble. Jeez, the situations he gets himself up in.. :roll:

 

[Chivahn]

I let mine run around on my bed, I put out a bunch of tubes and stuff but usually they just want to go hide in my blankets and climb all over me (I sit on the end of my bed to use the computer)

I just have to be careful that I don't forget that they're hiding in there and lay back!

 

[ladylady]

Ive just spent the 3rd night in a row trying to get Poppy out from behind the wardrobe
Im off to bed!

 

[Sara_C]

Mine are name trained (or at least biscuit-box trained) so come shooting out from wherever they're hiding if they go awol. It might be worth trying to teach them their names so you don't have to spend ages digging her out from the dresser.

I let the boys have the full run of my room and landing, and so far the only problem has been a bit of dug up carpet :s No poo or wee though - they go back into their cage for that.

 

[ladylady]

That sounds graet. I really want my room rat proofed when I move.
I call there name when I want there attention and when I have food. I think they know sometimes. Poppy was fine o the bed for a while-running around and then coming back to me but then she just made a break for it! I do have alot of stuff it must be interesting

 

[Neuroticax]

Nico is pretty hopeless when it comes to letting him run in a non-rat-proof room. He gets so excited that he's out, he doesn't even listen to me. When he's in his cage and I call for him, he comes, but out of it? Pffft. My room is filled with stuff he could hide behind and under, so on the bed he stays. Once he gets this "I'm gunna jump!" look, playtime's over. lol

 

[tasha]

My rats never want out of their cage, if I put them on the floor with the cage they will timidly come out but they don't stray too far. But if I just put them on the floor and leave them for too long (half hour maybe) they become wild rats and hard to catch (start to act like they'll bite me if I try to pick them up!) I don't know what the deal is.

 

[LizLovesRats5]

A couple of my girls are serious explorers, and will jump off the couch when i have them on it. But my other rats will stay on the couch no matter what, cause they're afraid of what could be awaiting them on the floor. And all my rats, if I let them loose, will pretty much hide from me if I go searching for them, with the exception of Penny who will make her way over to the couch to say hi. I find if i just let them go back to their cage on their own they're far more prompt about it than if I chase them around for an hour.

The other night I had Peanut on the couch with me, and she was standing at the edge of the couch eyeing the coffee table. Then, all of a sudden she jumped, hit the edge of table, bounced of it, hit the floor, and then trotted, unphased, back to her cage. It was freakin hilarious to be honest. My male hamster does the same thing, except he'll try it four or five times in a row before giving up... it just cracks me up.

 

[Neuroticax]

The other night I had Peanut on the couch with me, and she was standing at the edge of the couch eyeing the coffee table. Then, all of a sudden she jumped, hit the edge of table, bounced of it, hit the floor, and then trotted, unphased, back to her cage. It was freakin hilarious to be honest. My male hamster does the same thing, except he'll try it four or five times in a row before giving up... it just cracks me up.

Haha. :lol: That's priceless.

 

[Strike2]

I have made one of my walk in closets a rat playground and they love it, but the male is figuring out if I stand up it means I am going to leave and he waits by the door so he can go exploring the room...this creates a problem if I am not ready to put them up in the cage. I move him to a higher ground and he is almost to the point where he is going to jump off and run out the door before I can get out of it..very amusing so far.