# My girl stopped playing



## DenaMay (Aug 14, 2016)

She is only about 9 weeks old. Her sister is super playful and loving but she is now a hammock recluse. She used to be curious and playful too but for the past week or maybe week in a half she has not come out of the hammock except to eat (a little) and poop and pee in the corner of the top floor of her cage. She doesn't sneeze (more than normal) and none of the red stuff (can never remember what it's called). I'm worried but I'm not really sure what could be wrong. She doesn't look unhealthy, just, idk, sad? Please help. These are my first babies and I have already fallen deeply in love with them. They are so sweet and precious. 

Thanks
Dena


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## MrsWeasley (Sep 19, 2016)

Personally I would bring her to the vet anyway if you haven't witnessed any bullying with the other one. I'm new to rats too, but that sounds pretty unusual! Even when I bred rabbits for a while, if a baby was being reclusive and sedentary with no previous behavioral issues it would have been a red flag.


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## DenaMay (Aug 14, 2016)

Ok. ensive: I do know for a fact there is no bullying going on. They absolutely love each other. This sucks. Thanks for the quick response. I hope she is ok. I will take her asap.


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## DenaMay (Aug 14, 2016)

Fyi that's supposed to be a sad face but my phone did one and you see another. Idk. Yea, this sucks. Now I'm super worried.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Is there anything new in your household that could bother her like a new pet, new scents? Where did you get them from? What are you feeding them?


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## MrsWeasley (Sep 19, 2016)

Awww don't freak out too much! It's good that she's still eating and going to the bathroom! Read everything you can on here, it's a pretty great forum! She might just be depressed about something or stressed, like Gribouili said. I'm just a "side of caution" kind of gal. I hope everything turns out to be okay! I'll keep checking back!


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## DenaMay (Aug 14, 2016)

There's been nothing new in the house that could have upset her it's the same as when she moved in . I feed her and her sister both Harlan teklad rat food. O know everyone is going to give a horrified gasp when I say my fiance surprised me with them from a pet store (he didn't know any better because I'm the one in to them, he just loves me enough to indulge me). They did the normal sneezing for maybe 2 weeks and now they're sneezing is down to the extreme bare minimum. She eats (albeit not as much as before. But I can't be 100% that's true as they both are lazy and sleep all day.) My Dumbo, Carolina, plays and plays when I wake her up at about 6ish when I get home. Dakota used to do the same. She just vegges out in her hammock. She still likes my fingers and kinda snuggles my hand so there isn't any aggression.


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## DenaMay (Aug 14, 2016)

She still licks my fingers, oops


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## DenaMay (Aug 14, 2016)

Oh and I forgot to say that my fiance plays with them in the morning before he goes to work and he says that Dakota gets up and interacts with him so maybe she just likes him more than me?


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Umm a 9 week old rat should be super playful and full of energy. What is worrying is that she was full of energy but isn't anymore. Did you get them from a pet store? If yes, she could be sick, it is quite common. Is she doing any weird noises? Rat phone her to see if you can hear anything else than her heartbeat.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

At about two months old a very playful and outgoing rat we raised from 2 weeks that used to sleep with me since the first day we had her, jumped out of bed one night and moved into an old metal cabinet and started building a giant nest, where she pretty much spent the rest of her life... as a hermit... She still came out and hung out with us sometimes and took trips outside with us and we kept her included in family activities, but for the most part she was a very serious rat, not prone to play or frivolity. She was kind of like having an emo child. She actually bit her first roommate a few times when she wanted to be left alone... and chased her second roommate around the house for 3 weeks... Oddly after a battle royale that trashed the entire house, she let her second roomie move in and help her build the worlds largest rat nest... 

All girl rats become less playful and more serious at some point in their lives, and the change can be fairly abrupt... most don't turn into hermits or recluses, but one we had did. I'm not suggesting she wasn't smart or friendly... or that she wouldn't occasionally come out to visit with us... but seriously, we went days at a time without seeing her at all. It was like having the weird great aunt living in the attic that sometimes comes down to give treats to the kids... and cooks some old family recipe on holidays, but otherwise keeps to herself...


Try and keep your rat engaged and get her out of the cage during play time and free range time, and hopefully she'll come around and get back into the swing of things.


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## DenaMay (Aug 14, 2016)

Thanks Rat Daddy. I feel like that is maybe the deal with her. She has no weird noises coming from her and she has no discharge of any kind. Solid poos, too. She is still loving and plays for maybe 5 minutes but then that's it. She wants back in her hammock to chill and watch sissy and I play. She still responds to my voice and licks my fingers and now even cuddles with my hand when I stick it in there to pet her. She is just laid back. Eat, sleep, poop. Lol


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## DenaMay (Aug 14, 2016)

Ok, so she just came out and is now playing and cleaning her sister. Seems to be doing well. Thanks everyone


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## Kelsbels (Aug 12, 2015)

Good to hear she's doing all right! I think rats can get moody. I know that on Sundays my girls just want to hang out in their cage and relax, and this is because on Saturdays we clean their cage and it sort of throws a wrench in their sleeping plans hahaha. Or if theres a sudden weather change they can be less interested in playing. Otherwise they seem perfectly all right.


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