# Very Scared rat in a new cage



## Rodents=Love256 (Aug 26, 2012)

I finally got my DCN for my four rats. They were in a Martin 690. Too small and too difficult to clean. I couldn't handle the stink. Anyways My problem is my rat Rigel. Rigel is neurotic, a mama's boy, with chronic respiratory problems who is scared of everything. When I take him out of the cage he hops in my lap and won't get down. Putting him anywhere that he is not familiar in is a challange because he pulls back, climbs my arm on my shoulder etc, when I do put him down he typically pees or poops then leaps back to me. He's an excellent cuddler. So basically, I put all the rats in the new DCN about 5 hours ago. They have food and water, new toys and a few old ones too. I made it as comfortable as I could. Rigel jumped into this basket I had on the side and will not leave it. He got out of it once or twice but explored minimally before hoping back in. He ate labblocks I put in the basket, I have him some corn (one of his favs), also his respiratory meds (doxycycline and baytril). He is an older rat and I'm worried he won't explore. He's not cuddling his friends, but they come visit him in his basket sometimes... Gave them eggs, noodles, peas and corn for dinner (eggs are a treat), as well as labblocks. I'm worried about dehydration. Nothing is making him leave the basket. When I moved him to a lower level he panicked, ran around then jumped up my arm with such fear his claws made me bleed. He needs a new cage NEEDS to be in there to attempt to aide his respiratory health. My other three are happy as can be. (Edgar had an hurt foot but has improved ) What do I do?!?! It's past one in the morning here, I'm hoping when I get up he will have moved


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## PurpleGirl (Oct 12, 2012)

Even very timid rats will start exploring eventually, the fact that his friends are in there too should help, as they come back and forth to see him they are letting him see that the cage is a safe, comfortable place to be. I wouldn't worry about him not coming out to drink; no matter how nervous an animal may be, once it needs water, it will attempt to seek it out. He won't stay in one place and allow himself to dehydrate to a dangerous level. Don't panic if he was still in the same place when you got up, there's a fair chance that he came out during the night for a look, even if only for a drink.


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