Hello everyone! I'm new, this is my first post - sorry if I'm not meant to start a new thread but I'm absolutely desperate for advice about my new pet dumbo rats!

I just don't seem to be able to bond with them at all. They'll let me stroke them but they don't like being picked up. They know I'm the one with the food which is great and they'll take food out of my hands etc. But they sort of run to the other side of their cage when they see me and hide till they know it's safe to come out - when they're comfortable with me being there they're fine and they run about like mad things. They're healthy little things and they don't appear to be unhappy.

I've tried putting into practice all the advice I've been given about looking after rats, but they've started biting me when I put my hand in their cage now.

Obviously I don't want to get to a stage with them where I can't go near them without getting attacked so I don't want to leave it like this. I've had them for a week and a half which I know isn't a very long time and they're still only quite little, somewhere between 8 and 10 weeks old - but I'm worried it's just going to get worse and worse as they're getting older.

Help!!!!!

They seem rather scared and young rats that have been handled from birth should not be like this. Where did you get them from?

I would not give them any food from your fingers, they will associate your fingers with food if you do and wont look to see if there is any when you put your hand in, which will lead to you being bitten.

Have you tried just sitting next to the cage with the door open and waiting for them to come out and explore you? Rats are prey animals and hands closing over them if they are not used to being handled will scare them.

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Jacky and the pet gang

I got them from Pets At Home. I didn't really want to buy animals from that place as I feel if it had humans instead of animals there, there would be several major contraventions of basic human rights going on. But... you know what it's like when you just see them and fall in love with them and that's that...!!

They don't bite hard, it's just more a nibble really - I think it might be more a food thing than a "they hate me" thing. I've tried sitting by their cage quietly with the door open - but they just sit in the far corner of the cage where I can't reach them and they don't move until I do. They're getting a bit better and will start coming up to me now, but as soon as I move they get a bit scared.

Do you think it'll just take a bit more time and TLC to get them to come round or will they always be like this?? I mean it's only been a week and a half, maybe I'm over-reacting!!

Rats from P@H come from rodent farms that mass produce without any care for health or temperament. They do not get handled at all as babies which is why they are so scared of you.

As they are babies any bite you get from them shouldnt be too bad. Wash your hands thoroughly before trying to handle them to remove any food smells. Them pretending that you are ignoring them pop your hand in the cage and gently and quiety move and tough a few things - their hammoc, food pot toys etc etc. Rats are nosy and they will want to know what you are up to and will come to find out eventually.

Also removing anything they can hide in is a good idea too, igloos and tubes etc, you can always out them back when the rats are more sociable.

Do you have an old tshirt you could wear for a day and then put in thier cage? this would get them used to your scent.

You do need to be able to pick them up so that you can check them for lumps and bumps etc so do persevere.

Also, dont try and socialise with them just after puting food in their bowls - they wont be interested then

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Jacky and the pet gang

Oh my god, the poor things!! I had no idea that's where they came from!!! Gosh!! That's just made me want to perservere even more - these poor babies need to be loved!!!!

Thank you so much for the advice, I really appreciate it. I do so want to be a good 'mum' to these rats - hopefully in a few weeks' time they'll feel a lot more comfortable with me!!

Hi there

It is possible to turn rats around i have hand tamed a few in the 16 years i've been keeping them.

If they get a reaction to them biting you that benefits them eg your hand comes out of the cage they will continue what works.
What you need to do is be able to get them used to being appraoched and touched without you feeling the pain.

I used to use a thick leather or gardening glove once i'd learnt to prevent myself reacting to them attempting to bite it worked with constant and regular attempts i bought them round.
the other thing i use is a fake hand (one of those from a joke shop) rub your scent on every time you use it that way it will help with the transition to your hand. Once comfortable with this then try your own hand.

Just remember to take it slow. daily handling is the key and not giving them the reaction that rewards them for the effort.

The longest its taken me to bring one round was a month but it was worth the time and effort
Let us now how you get on

Most pets that you find at pet shops are from places who's only interest is to breed pets by the dozen

I agree that the large pet shop chains do buy from a mass production supplier unfortunately this can mean that they are not bred for temperament or health and are generally prone to a common lung disorder. i like many have learnt the hard way with buying from these stores. However when i used to breed for show i bred for temperament and health if they couldn't be handled they couldn't be shown. I also took into consideration what mass breeding can do to the females that i still wanted to show. My females never had a litter until they were 6mths old and i never let them have more than 2 litters in their lifespan. My babies were handled from 2 days old i never had one with a nasty bone in its body. Whatever wasn't show standard of my litter eg markings or colour were incorrect i would advertise and sell my self while also selling to a local shop who knew my reputation for the rats i turned out. Sometimes best to buy privately when you can see the parents and how they're kept, just as you would a dog, or from a small local store that possibly know where they came from and/or can give you some background.

thts true ^^^^

it takes them a while to get used to human companionship
the two friendliest rats i had have 2 completely different stories:
max was a rescue rat, saved from a cruetly case, he was skittish and ill when we got him. but he soon got used to us and learned to trust us, and he even did tricks and wud have a cuddle

goober i had from a baby :P he would like nothing better than to be held and played with, and he would lick ur hand and fall alseep

i miss them they both dyed in my arms

I have 2 rats that i purchased from pets at home and they have been fine and are so loveable.

it took a couple of weeks for them to get used to me and you can't force being handled on them as this will result in biting.

your best bet is to just let them come to you. open the cage and stand near it and let them crawl on you and then after a few weeks they will be fine with being handled.

also if you show that you are nervous of them they will feel that fear too and will automatically think there is something to be afraid of ie you! they will then try and bite you in defense
The best way to pick them up is to scoop them up with both hands not to use you hand like a claw. as someone said they are prey animals and this is associated with being picked up by something they will kill you.

the best thing i can suggest is to be patient and let them come to you as they are still babies and they have been taken from one environment and plonked in another so it takes them a little while to settle