[Minky]

I adopted a baby rat yesterday. She was pretty well socialized in her former home, but after making a 2-day journey across the state, and losing all her siblings to other adopters, she's pretty spooked. She will poke her nose out of the igloo to take bits of food from my hand, and she will let me pet her face a little bit. I gave her some water from a syringe because she hasn't found the water bottle yet.

Question: Should I excavate her from her igloo and force her to interact with me? Or should I continue to patiently coax her out on her own terms?

 

[Cinn]

I think you should let her go at her own pace. She sounds like she's been through a lot in the past few days and needs to calm down a bit and get settled. She is adorable! With those huge ears!

 

[Tedology]

She's adorable!

I'm sure no expert, but I would just hang out next to her cage... maybe read a favorite book aloud. She would hear your voice and know that the voice is now part of her world...and it's a soft, comforting voice. When she associates you with the goodness of the voice, it may help ease her apprehension?

As I said...not an expert by any means!

 

[DaisyNDahlia]

I forced myself on my girls. They came home at 4 weeks and I picked them up every day. I pulled their igloo out and grabbed them. They are now 2.5 months old and love snuggling with me and laying in my hood or just roaming the couch between my boyfriend and myself. It's good to give them their space, but I don't think they are terrified forever if you force yourself on them either.

 

[Minky]

Well, nevermind. As soon as she found my shoulder she just made herself at home!

 

[ilovescience]

Aw! Does she have any ratty friends?

 

[Minky]

She will join my two girls when she gets a little bigger. She's still just a tiny whisp of a rat!

 

[ilovescience]

She's So Tiny!!!

I remember when Basil and Dawson were that small... They both fit in the palm of my hand, and their hair was like chick fuzz. <3

 

[Minky]

Aww. Yeah she's incredibly small, just 5 weeks old! I need to break out my camera because they grow so fast!