How to Treat Your Rats 

When you first get your rats,  leave them alone in their cage. You can watch from afar to make sure they are safe, but a new environment is stressful and a new person would add to that so try not to interact with your rats. After at least a few days, you can begin leaving food (like vegetables or fruits) near your rats, in a place where they can see that you are placing the food. Do that again after a few days. After another couple of days do that but offer the food to your rats straight from your hands. If they do not take it after a while place the food down. Do not chase them with the food, let them come to you. Do this until your rats seem comfortable with doing this.

 

You may mover faster or slower with one rat compared to the other(s). All rats are different and some are shyer. After your rats are comfortable with this you can offr them food from the middle of your palm. Do this many times until they are comfortable eating food off of your hand, and maybe even sitting on your hand while they eat. If they are comfortable with this you can try to pet them with your other hand. 

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If your want to pick your rats up, make sure they are already comfortable with being in your non-elevated hand and ard you in general. If they are, feed them food out of the palm of your hand, and if they sit on your hand as they eat, you can pick them up gently. Start by just lifting your hand above the ground. Do this a few times. Eventually you can .ift your rat closer to you and out of the enclosure. You can even get to a place where you can take your rat around in your polkcet, hand, or shoulder. It is best to carry only one rat at a time so you can have all your attention on one to keep them safe. If you want to pick up multiple rats make sure they are both already very comfortable with and used to being held and carried around. 

 

Typical Rat Behaviors 

• Play fighting with others (you should be able to tell if it is too aggressive) 

• Licking itself (grooming) or others (affection or grooming them) 

• "Boggling" is when your rat's eyes seem to move in and out of sockets and this is caused by bruxing, your rat grinding their incisors, and usually means your rat is content. 

• Your rat may scent mark, and will do this by rubbing against things or peeing there. 

 

Non-typical Behaviors 

• Hunched posture 

• Sneezing 

• Wheezing 

• Lack of activity, eating, grooming