#rat journal

[businesscatfelix]

rat themed stuff for sale in my shop :-)

link: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/HoneyNuggets?&search_query=rat

[violinistpoops]

Rat update #2

Day 5 of rat ownership: I made great progress with the babies last night!! Remy hung out with me as usual, but the big news is that both Linguini and Emile let me hold them and pet them without completely freaking out! They might be starting to trust me. I used the spare hammock to lure them out of the cage, and then they let me sit in the bathroom with them for a while. This was the first time I really got a close look at Emile's (rat #3 in the post) markings on his back. This morning when I woke up, I opened the cage to tidy up and pick up stray poops, like I usually do, and both Remy and Linguini (rat #2) came up to me to greet me!! They seemed to want to get out and play. It was so sad leaving the apartment this morning because they were pressing their noses to the cage. All 3 rats seem more willing to leave the cage and explore. I decided to name rat #2 Linguini because he is the leanest and most gangly rat, he is the trouble maker who escaped onto my bedroom floor twice now, and he seems to want to follow Remy's lead. Rat #3 is Emile because he is the laziest and spends most of his time in his hammock.

[violinistpoops]

Impressions of rat ownership after day 2: 

Trust training your rats takes HELLA PATIENCE. 

I was lucky enough to have one rat who took to me right away. On the first night he let me hold him for about a half hour, he just sat on my lap and cuddled, and he let me pet him as much as I wanted. The second night he seemed a little more scared, but he still let me hold him without completely freaking out. I’m naming this one Remy. :) 

I managed to coax rat #2 into my hand with some treats and a comfy piece of fleece, however, my mistake was not holding him in an enclosed space. I sat on the bed with him, he escaped, and he promptly ran under the bed. I then spent the next 20 minutes trying to get him out from under the bed. That was a bit traumatic for both of us. I was really worried he was gonna get lost somewhere in my room and I’d spend all night trying to get him back in the cage. I then got the idea to lure him back with the spare hammock I bought. They LOVE their hammocks. After that let me carry him in the bathroom (while curled up in the hammock), and he sat in the hammock on my lap for about 20 minutes. 

Rat #3 is the most shy of all. This morning I tried to pet him and he gave me a small nip (it didn’t hurt though.) So, I’ve just been putting out my hand near him with a treat on my fingertips. He cautiously approaches my hand, grabs the treat, and then scurries back into his hammock with his food. I haven’t been able to hold him yet. 

I haven’t named rat #2 and 3 yet because I want to learn their personalities a bit more, but they will be called Linguini and Emile. Just haven’t decided which one gets which name yet. :) 

I’m soo looking forward to when all 3 are bonded with me and I can just pick them up and play with them as I please, but I know I can’t rush it. They’re still adjusting to their new surroundings and to me.  Hopefully it won’t take too long for them to be comfortable with me though! 

***UPDATE UPDATE***

So apparently they go CRAZY for yogurt. I held out a spoonful of it and they all flocked to me. All three of them were exploring my hand and arms and licking me, even the really shy one!! :) They all got instantly more adventurous too, they were trying to get out of the cage to play. I knew I’d win them over with something. I really feel like I need to build them some sort of rat-safe play pen so they can freely leave the cage and I don’t have to worry about them getting lost in my room. That’ll be my next project!