What to expect when your expecting!?
What should you expect when you arrive home? What is expected of you?
Rats are natural prey animals, as such their first interactions in a new home might be fearful. Even a well socialized rat needs some time to adjust to the new noises and smells around them. This is normal, don't be too worried, your new friend(s) will come around! One of the biggest mistakes I find with new rat owners is how they respond to this instinctual fear. Many new owners think they should leave the rat be for a few days to adjust. I highly recommend that you do not do this! Play with your new rat immediately, interact with them, get them used to you, not the cage. I cannot stress this enough BE CONFIDENT, if you want to hold your new friends DO IT! Here's a few tricks/tips to help you bond with your new companion(s). Pockets or bonding pouches are wonderful tools, tote them around with you as you go about your day. You can place your hand in and let them interact with you, give treats, etc. A similar method would be to use a small carrier or tote. A safe room is another wonderful tool, many individuals use a bathroom for easy clean up of un-litter trained ratties. Sit down on the floor and let the rats explore with you as the 'jungle gym'. Talk to them, getting them used to you and the sound of your voice is important. Rats are very intelligent and will even learn what words mean if repeated often enough, such as their name.
My rat is sneezing, is he/she sick??
It is very common for rats to have a bit of the sneezes for a while after they come into a new home. Breeders and seasoned rat owners often refer to these as the 'new home sneezes' Their sense of smell is so very much stronger than ours, and they will be encountering a lot of different smells, change of bedding, food, etc. This is not to say that your new rat is not sick or might not get sick. As a breeder I do not adopt out rats that are knowingly ill, but this does not prevent them form becoming ill after purchase. All domesticated rats have a bacteria living in their lungs known as mycoplasma, while healthy and happy this bacteria is kept under control by the rat's natural immune system. Rats with a suppressed immune system may have life long problems with mycoplasam, you also may notice this more frequently into a rats senior years. In times of stress or sickness a rats natural immunity is lowered and this bacteria reacts and can cause a 'flare', when this happens it is commonly referred to as a 'myco flare'. Myco flares are not necessarily something to be immediately worried about, but they can also be a rat owners first warning of possible illness, and are definitely something to watch for. Signs of a flare are: constant sneezing, labored breathing, weight-loss, and porphyrin discharge. (Porphyrin is a red-tinged liquid often confused for blood, the secretions will be around the eyes and nose) So long as none of these symptoms are in excess the flare will likely clear up on it's own. However if you experience prolonged symptoms, or a significant amount of any symptoms, we recommend a vet visit to acquire antibiotics (I would also like to note that the only safe antibiotic for young rats is Amoxicillin, if a myco-flare develops into a full blown URI your vet may prescribe Doxycycline or Baytril as the benefit outweighs the risk with a very sick baby. But typically speaking these other antibiotics can cause stunted growth and are not recommended for young, still growing rats). To ensure continued health your rat should be kept in a warm, temperature controlled room around 65 - 80 degrees Fahrenheit away from windows/doors that may cause drafts and have food and water available at all times.
Good luck on your new journey as a rat parent!
Rats are natural prey animals, as such their first interactions in a new home might be fearful. Even a well socialized rat needs some time to adjust to the new noises and smells around them. This is normal, don't be too worried, your new friend(s) will come around! One of the biggest mistakes I find with new rat owners is how they respond to this instinctual fear. Many new owners think they should leave the rat be for a few days to adjust. I highly recommend that you do not do this! Play with your new rat immediately, interact with them, get them used to you, not the cage. I cannot stress this enough BE CONFIDENT, if you want to hold your new friends DO IT! Here's a few tricks/tips to help you bond with your new companion(s). Pockets or bonding pouches are wonderful tools, tote them around with you as you go about your day. You can place your hand in and let them interact with you, give treats, etc. A similar method would be to use a small carrier or tote. A safe room is another wonderful tool, many individuals use a bathroom for easy clean up of un-litter trained ratties. Sit down on the floor and let the rats explore with you as the 'jungle gym'. Talk to them, getting them used to you and the sound of your voice is important. Rats are very intelligent and will even learn what words mean if repeated often enough, such as their name.
My rat is sneezing, is he/she sick??
It is very common for rats to have a bit of the sneezes for a while after they come into a new home. Breeders and seasoned rat owners often refer to these as the 'new home sneezes' Their sense of smell is so very much stronger than ours, and they will be encountering a lot of different smells, change of bedding, food, etc. This is not to say that your new rat is not sick or might not get sick. As a breeder I do not adopt out rats that are knowingly ill, but this does not prevent them form becoming ill after purchase. All domesticated rats have a bacteria living in their lungs known as mycoplasma, while healthy and happy this bacteria is kept under control by the rat's natural immune system. Rats with a suppressed immune system may have life long problems with mycoplasam, you also may notice this more frequently into a rats senior years. In times of stress or sickness a rats natural immunity is lowered and this bacteria reacts and can cause a 'flare', when this happens it is commonly referred to as a 'myco flare'. Myco flares are not necessarily something to be immediately worried about, but they can also be a rat owners first warning of possible illness, and are definitely something to watch for. Signs of a flare are: constant sneezing, labored breathing, weight-loss, and porphyrin discharge. (Porphyrin is a red-tinged liquid often confused for blood, the secretions will be around the eyes and nose) So long as none of these symptoms are in excess the flare will likely clear up on it's own. However if you experience prolonged symptoms, or a significant amount of any symptoms, we recommend a vet visit to acquire antibiotics (I would also like to note that the only safe antibiotic for young rats is Amoxicillin, if a myco-flare develops into a full blown URI your vet may prescribe Doxycycline or Baytril as the benefit outweighs the risk with a very sick baby. But typically speaking these other antibiotics can cause stunted growth and are not recommended for young, still growing rats). To ensure continued health your rat should be kept in a warm, temperature controlled room around 65 - 80 degrees Fahrenheit away from windows/doors that may cause drafts and have food and water available at all times.
Good luck on your new journey as a rat parent!
Trust Training
With skitish/shy ratties or even rats that are new to their environment, trust training is very important. A rats natural instinct as prey is to be very cautious and scurry away, once they learn to trust you this behavior can be completely changed, here are some tips and tricks to gaining that trust.
Do you have a safe room you can let them roam in with you, maybe a bathroom or on your bed? Another thing many people do with skittish rats is forced interaction/bonding. If you have a day off, take the rats into the bathtub with you and sit down, let them climb on you and just spend hours in there, eventually they will realize you are not a threat. A old blanket/towel can be useful too, simple lay it on the ground slightly bunched and let them use it to hide in, you can also place the rats in your lap with this over them so they feel more secure. You might also try taking a piece of clean fleece and laying it on your pillow at night, then placing it in the cage during the day, that way your scent becomes a source of comfort. Bonding pouches are a dream! You can buy commercial ones online or make your own, it's a fairly simple concept, and allows you to carry your rat around with you throughout the day, you can even use pockets on a jacket/hoodie.
Here are some great sources about trust training. Some of these may be a bit repetitive or include information that I have already encompassed, but I wanted to provide as much information as possible. I hope some of these help, there is no one 'right way' to do things, so do what makes you feel the most comfortable and what works best for you.
Isamu Rats: Starting out with Rats
http://www.isamurats.co.uk/starting-out-with-rats.html
(I most highly recommend The Confidence Method for new babies!)
JoinRats: Earning the Trust of Pet Rats
https://www.joinrats.com/Earning-Trust
The Rat Fan Club: Trust Training
http://ratfanclub.org/trust.html
Do you have a safe room you can let them roam in with you, maybe a bathroom or on your bed? Another thing many people do with skittish rats is forced interaction/bonding. If you have a day off, take the rats into the bathtub with you and sit down, let them climb on you and just spend hours in there, eventually they will realize you are not a threat. A old blanket/towel can be useful too, simple lay it on the ground slightly bunched and let them use it to hide in, you can also place the rats in your lap with this over them so they feel more secure. You might also try taking a piece of clean fleece and laying it on your pillow at night, then placing it in the cage during the day, that way your scent becomes a source of comfort. Bonding pouches are a dream! You can buy commercial ones online or make your own, it's a fairly simple concept, and allows you to carry your rat around with you throughout the day, you can even use pockets on a jacket/hoodie.
Here are some great sources about trust training. Some of these may be a bit repetitive or include information that I have already encompassed, but I wanted to provide as much information as possible. I hope some of these help, there is no one 'right way' to do things, so do what makes you feel the most comfortable and what works best for you.
Isamu Rats: Starting out with Rats
http://www.isamurats.co.uk/starting-out-with-rats.html
(I most highly recommend The Confidence Method for new babies!)
JoinRats: Earning the Trust of Pet Rats
https://www.joinrats.com/Earning-Trust
The Rat Fan Club: Trust Training
http://ratfanclub.org/trust.html