Help with a rat

kitschkitty

I agree that it just sounds like a lack of socialisation poor chap, and having been fed treats through the bars will have made it worse.

We had lots of pet rats and half of them were rescues, luckily we didn't have to deal with too many aggression issues. (the only reason we no longer have rats is that I'm hugely allergic to them ).

I've heard of people using a very soft paintbrush to gently stroke their rat through the bars when it was too aggressive to handle, to build up regular contact till it got used to lots of attention, they then built up to handling him.

Rats love fleeces - you can pick one up in the charity shop for just a pound or 2, wear it for a few days and use it as mentioned above.

I wouldn't recommend neutering him unless essential as for most healthy rats it's really not not necessary.

Eventually he will need a buddy, but right now I think he needs time to settle in and get used to you, and you need to be confident in handling him.

Has he had a vet check up? Mites, overgrown teeth and over grown claws are very common in rats and would make them aggressive, among other things.

Wood shavings and sawdust should be avoided - it's the phenols that can easily damage rats lungs, paper based cat litters are a good option depending where you live and if you have transport there are quite a few other options too.

I would recommend http://www.fancyratsforum.co.uk/ I learned everything I know about rats when I was an active member there a few years ago.

kitschkitty

Notsosharp wrote: »

Alfie my boy would sort of "giggle" when I rubbed his tummy.

Bruxing

Notsosharp

Thank you KK, I will get him for a vet check but I just can't handle him to pick him up at the moment.

I don't think his teeth are overgrown, he does plenty of gnawing on the toys in his cage and he is definitely eating. I've changed his food to proper rat food now, he was on hamster food before!

I'm going to get him some vet bed instead of sawdust, I'll get a few bits so I can keep washing it and I'll also try the paper based cat litter. I have also noticed you can get rat specific bedding on ebay.

It's a shame really because I can see he is a curious little chap and he just wants to explore but it's difficult to get him out of the cage when I can't pick him up. I think that's partly my fault though, ever since the first time he bit me I've not been as confident as I could have been! He has got a tuggy type toy that I've been stroking him with but he'll often just shove it away with his feet and often nips it. He also does this thing when I'm around the cage of shoving all his bedding out through the bars and I think me and him are going to have a falling out over that one; sawdust gets everywhere!

I'll have a look at that forum too and browse the charity shop pound rails for fleeces and hoodys

kitschkitty

Notsosharp wrote: »

Thank you KK, I will get him for a vet check but I just can't handle him to pick him up at the moment.

I don't think his teeth are overgrown, he does plenty of gnawing on the toys in his cage and he is definitely eating. I've changed his food to proper rat food now, he was on hamster food before!

I'm going to get him some vet bed instead of sawdust, I'll get a few bits so I can keep washing it and I'll also try the paper based cat litter. I have also noticed you can get rat specific bedding on ebay.

It's a shame really because I can see he is a curious little chap and he just wants to explore but it's difficult to get him out of the cage when I can't pick him up. I think that's partly my fault though, ever since the first time he bit me I've not been as confident as I could have been! He has got a tuggy type toy that I've been stroking him with but he'll often just shove it away with his feet and often nips it. He also does this thing when I'm around the cage of shoving all his bedding out through the bars and I think me and him are going to have a falling out over that one; sawdust gets everywhere!

I'll have a look at that forum too and browse the charity shop pound rails for fleeces and hoodys

I don't think any of that's uncommon. Thing is it will just take time & patience.

If you can give him the opportunity to climb out of the cage on his own it might help. You can get pens/panels with bars spaced suitably for small rodents, to make a safe space to let him out in.

Or if you can find a safe room to let him out in that might help you (obviously it depends on your home) but some people have been able to let them out in the bath or bathroom.

We used to keep our rat cages on top of the double bed in the spare room, and used a picnic blanket (the type that's plastic backed) to protect the bed - also used it on the sofa too.

We liked Ecopetbed - bedding made from cardboard chopped into squares - the rats can't throw that around so much and it's surprisingly absorbent. http://www.ecopet.co.uk/ We thought Megazorb was pretty good too but a bit more messy. Both are delivered in large sacks or bales and last for ages or can be picked up from various places - mainly equine suppliers!

I have also heard some people have even resorted to gardening gloves if it has given them confidence to handle the rat.

Fosterdog

I forgot to put in my last post, it may be worth feeding him treats from a spoon firstly so your fingers don't get close enough for him to bite but also if it's something that has to be licked off then he has to stay closer to you for longer.

Never try to pick him up when he's sleeping, talk to him gently until he's fully awake.

To start with try not to pick him up with your hand, a hand reaching over to grab a rat is too much like a predator trying to grab them which is why you get the squealing, scratching and biting. Get an igloo or flowerpot to gently coax him into and lift him out of the cage with that, he will feel more secure.

As for getting company, it can go both ways, he could also hate other rats and it would make him worse or if you get a friendlier rat and they bond he may learn to trust you more through seeing you interact with the other rat. I really have seen both happening.

It really does sound more and more like fear than hormones which is manageable.

Grimbal

Notsosharp wrote: »

I don't really have any t-shirts I'd be willing to cut up although I guess I could sacrifice a pillow case!

may be a bit of an odd suggestion here, but one thing that occurred to me is getting an old sock and stuffing it down your top for a few days - less expensive than a pillowcase & probably the right size to put in a cage ? I'm not a rat owner, so apologies if I've missed something obvious why this wouldn't work !

Fosterdog

Grimbal wrote: »

may be a bit of an odd suggestion here, but one thing that occurred to me is getting an old sock and stuffing it down your top for a few days - less expensive than a pillowcase & probably the right size to put in a cage ? I'm not a rat owner, so apologies if I've missed something obvious why this wouldn't work !

A sock would work too, I just said a t-shirt as an example but it's any material that holds your scent really. It could even be an old flannel or towel that you sleep with for a night or two just to pass the scent on to it.