# Lap Sitting



## Margeauxeatsushi (Jul 27, 2013)

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering who has rats that love to sit and nap in your lap. I really would love my guys to do this but so far they don't seem interested. We're best buds and they're not scared or anything when they're out with me on the couch, they just prefer to find a spot on the back of the couch to cuddle up rather than on my lap. When they're playing, they're all over me and love to come 'check in' every few minutes when they're exploring, but once they get sleepy they want their own space. 

They are also obsessed with going back in their cage. They have a homemade cage, so I'm honored that they love it, but it seems like if it were up to them they'd never come out! I take them out from 30 minutes to 2 hours a night, depending on how busy my day is, they're used to being out and not scared and always have fun exploring and playing. They just love their little (or not so little! )home. 

Just wondering if these are personality things, age things (they're 8 months), or if there's a way to encourage more cuddly and free-range-play loving attitudes.


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## Stefni (Aug 10, 2013)

Mine are exactly the same so Ill be following this one cos I'd love some guides too. Mine are only about 8weeks though but they are so busy and playful it's hard to imagine them lying still in my lap for more than 5minutes 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## lalalauren (Jul 3, 2013)

My oldest rats are just over 5 months and we still haven't gotten to lap sitting yet! I'm not sure we ever will, to be honest. They're just like yours in that they come and check in all the time when they're playing, but when they nap, they want their own space. Thaddius is getting there though - twice recently, he's napped next to me on my computer chair or between my legs when I'm kneeling on the floor, and been content with me stroking him throughout. It definitely varies from rat to rat!

My youngest boy is 3 1/2 months and won't even stand still to be stroked properly yet. He loves climbing on me and my boyfriend, but is very far from cuddling at the moment! But he is the only one who will happily come out of the cage by stepping on my hand. The other two will absolutely not do this, even though they're more cuddly!

My advice would be, you can't _make_ a rat be a cuddly lap rat. If your guys are young, don't expect anything too soon, but maybe around the 1 year mark you may see some behaviour changes. When you're out with them, just give them little skritches as they run and let them know that you're there for love as well as food/treats/climbing frame. Good luck!


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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

My girls are always moving when they are out of the cage, so they never really settle down anywhere. Though I wish they would lap sit, it would be a nice hand warmer, lol.


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## AJ Black-Savage (Aug 6, 2013)

We haven't got to tat sage either yet... Don't worry... It will come  we haven't had our boys long so far so still a bit skittish and learning to trust us.only one of our girls however does it to us. If I am sitting with my legs up she has found a safe spot behind my knees to fall asleep of they are on our sofa  xxxxx


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## Margeauxeatsushi (Jul 27, 2013)

Thanks everyone. Interesting to hear that it's pretty common. My guys are definitely cuddly and love pets and skritches, so I'm lucky there. They do sit still for petting for pretty extended periods and crunch while I pet them, they just won't fall asleep in my lap lol. But after reading your responses, I feel hopefull!


For those of you with the younger rats, my two seemed like they doesn't like to be pet when they were young either, but I kept doing it anyway, so they've certainly learned to love affection in that respect. Doing immersion with them also made them like affection even more, so you could try that, or more of that if youve donw some immersion training already. Squo even let's me roll him onto his back and rub his tummy if he's very sleepy and inside his cage. That's the best, so cute and trusting! Squiggly was a bit nervous out of his cage when he was younger, but once he learned to trust me, i would carry him around on my shoulder, not letting him hide in my shirt, and plop him down in new places to explore, like tables and chairs etc where he was safe and couldn't get down. He didn't want to go to these new places, but i just did it quickly and once he was there, he was excited to explore. so if you have rats that are nervous in that way but trust you and won't run and hide so you can't retrieve them, that way of 'sensitivity training' worked wonders for Squiggly.


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## PurpleGirl (Oct 12, 2012)

It's been my experience that as boys get older, they become even more lazy and are happier to sit for longer periods of time. One of my deceased boys, once he passed the 2 and a half mark, liked nothing better than to cuddle up on my fella's lap for ages at a time, or sit with me while I watched TV and skritched him. Even if your guys aren't super keen on chilling out on you just now, you may find as they get older that it becomes their favourite thing!


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## lalalauren (Jul 3, 2013)

My two big boys love their tummies being tickled! It's gotten to a point now where I don't flip them over on the floor, but scoop them up and sit them in one hand and tickle with the other, or hold them like tiny babies while I tickle. But that's as close as they get to being lap rats!

My little guy, however, thinks I'm trying to kill him if I try to flip him over >.> he'll get there though. Had a similar experience with one of my big boys, who now loves it


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