Saturday, May 22, 2010

how long til i can play with my rats?

i have just brought two male rats and they live in a 24"x12"x18" glass cage with selves which i think is alright?
my main question is how long shall i leave it until i can start to bond with and handle my rats?
Answers:
First of all congRATs on getting your new boys.
I would handle them straight away. I have a method that has never failed. Once I get the rats home, I put them in their cage and let them settle for half an hour or so while I get my bits together. I get some baby food(and a spoon!), tissues, baby wipes and water bottle and put them close at hand. I then put on my tshirt with a pouch sewn on, an overshirt and a pouch hanging by a string. I then go and get the rats and sit down with them. To start with the rats will stay either under my shirt or in on of the pouches. Depending on the rats personality, they will come out and explore at different times. Every so often I offer them food or water. This helps them to get used to being fed outside of the cage. The tissues and baby wipes are to clean up any messes. I stroke them and hold my hand over them(lightly touching their backs) and under them and eventually slowly pick them up. I keep them out for about 30 minutes to an hour and repeat this every couple of hours for the first couple of days. My rats quickly learn that I am a safe place and are eager to come out and climb all over me. I find that this method works much quicker and better than the "proper" methods I used to use. The only time this hasnt worked was due to the rats personality, he isnt a people person. I tried every other method with him as well with no luck.

My suggestion would be to get a cage if you can, the ammonia builds up really quickly in tanks, especially with males. Ammonia is a cause of respitory problems which can leave long term health problems(and shortened life) if not treated quickly. I just checked with a cage calculator(link below) and it says that your tank is only big enough for one rat. The advantage to cages is that you can hang hammocks and ropes and hanging baskets. Plus rats can climb the bars which helps keep them fit and they enjoy it.
Right away. Rats love to be handled and are very social creatures. I used to breed and raise them for pet stores. Don't wait. Go ahead and enjoy them.
If they are new Born's i would wait until they are a month.
won't two males kill each other ?
Rats are friendly and curious by nature, but you鈥檒l need to get your pets used to you鈥攁nd used to being handled. Start by feeding them small treats. When they鈥檙e comfortable with that, you can pick them up, one hand supporting the bottom, the other over the back. When you get to know each other better, don鈥檛 be surprised if your little friends want to snuggle and be petted.
We have 2 male rats, Gizmo %26 Wheels. There were babys when we bought them. They love being held, they will get used to you in no time. They are such cute pets. One thing though, having 2 males, change the litter a lot.. kinda smelly. Have fun! :):):)
I have a rat, and we waited 2 days before we handled them. We let them get used to their surroudings and make a home. You don't want to leave them alone for too long, or they will be used to being alone with eachother in the tank, and not want to be held. 2 days seems good to me!

:)
play with them staright away. the sooner the better!
Rats are very social animals, so it's possible to start within a couple of days. They will need to get used to you, so try putting your hand in the cage and letting them sniff you to get used to you. Talk to them and give them the odd treat to let them know you mean no harm.

Then you can start stroking them, see how they react and start to pick them up for very short periods. They are very intelligent animals and will soon discover that you mean no harm
You didn't specify the age of the rats. Be careful when first handling them, as they can bite really hard.

If they are just young ones, they are quite jumpy, but now would be the time to start handling them on a regular basis so you can start training them.

If they are previously owned adults and have been handled regularly, you should be able to handle them now.

If they are sub-adult or full adult rats (which is about 3-4 months old -- old enough to breed), and have never been handled, or handled very little, you will need to gain their trust before you will be able to handle them.
Some rats will always remain afraid of humans and bite you all the time. You will not be happy with them.
If this is the case, you may want to return them to the place where you got them, if possible, and get young ones. Those will tame down nicely (usually), especially if you are kind and have lots of patience.
Other than the smells of the cages, (if not cleaned regularly), they make excellent little pets.
Good Luck.
You dont play with rats you kill them they are diseased ridden vermin
Give them 24-48 hours to settle in their new environment before you start pestering them. Once they have settled in, you can introduce them to your hand- don't make wild grabs at them or they will become fearful of you. Rats are naturally curious so they will come and sniff you. If you make sudden movements they might bolt, so be very still. Watch out for those teeth, they may try to nibble at your fingers out of curiosity. Make sure you wash your hands BEFORE you handle them. If your fingers smell of that tasty food you have just been handling they might bite you thinking you are edible. Eventually they will get used to your hand and it makes it a little easier for you to start handling them.

The size of the cage sounds okay for two baby rats if the measurements are in inches.
well i have 2 female rats and i was told to let them get used to their surroundings for a day, but i played with them anyway the 1st day and they were ok
I wouldnt really handle then right away but have the cage near where you do alot of stuff nad talk to then as you go about your day so they can get a bit used to you before you start handling them
Apparently , rats make very good pets and love to be handled. Not my bag but give it a go. Get one out and see what happens.
almost immediately.
give them a day to settle in then from then on handle them whenever you like.
its better for them anyway.
as long as you love and treat them with respect.
they will become more and more bonded to you the more you handle them
Leave them for a day just to settle. Over the next week, put your hand in the cage, but don't approach them. Be prepared for an aching arm as you will need to do this everyday for about 5-10 minuets at least 4 or 5 times per day. When they come to smell you let them. When they are no longer afraid of your arm, gently stroke them and when they are happy with this progress to holding them.
as soon as pos so they get to know you .//////////////
After bringing them home, I would give them 12-24 hours to get used to their cage before bringing them out. But after they seem to be used to their cage, go ahead and play with them as much as you like! Rats are very social animals and love to be handled. Just make sure that you give them access to food and water every 30 min or so. Good luck with your new rats!

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