# rat doesn't like being picked up but is fine once hes on me?



## katiemw (Aug 22, 2016)

my new baby boy will come up and sniff me curiously, or take a treat from me and run (he licked yogurt off my finger once, too), but he doesn't seem to like actually being grabbed. I try to pick him up from the underside or sides as much as possible, since I know they get scared if you grab from the top. But, once I pick him up (usually by scooping him and quickly bringing him close to my chest), he's fine. No nervous poops, he even climbs up to my shoulder, or, in one case, up through my glasses... What is the best way to get them used to the act of being picked up?


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## Rat Feng Shui (Aug 8, 2016)

Sounds to me like everything is fine. Little ones tend to be really hyper. Maybe if you hold a cheerio near your wrist where he has to climb across your hand it can work to pick him up. 

I have a younger female who is friendly, sometimes she will climb onto my hand and partially up my arm on her own. Other times I want to pick her up but she will hang onto the bars of the cage with her hands till she goes sideways which is pretty funny. So I let her go back in. 

It may also depend on how sleepy they are. Being nocturnal, they seem less adventurous in the light, but after it gets dim at night or early in the morning they are much more likely to want to explore, play games etc. 

have fun!


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## Squeakfluff (Dec 7, 2015)

My rat Niko is the same way. Some rats are just skittish, nothing's wrong with them ^^


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## fera (Dec 10, 2015)

They tend to be like that, not liking being held directly when they're younger, thats fine, they'll get over it. My boys are about 9/10 months now, and they've only recently started being ok with being picked up. They also only recently started enjoying pets and rubs <3 so it's ok, they'll likely get used to it in a while


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## Heyyouguys (Jun 19, 2016)

One of my boys is the same and they're 4 months now. One boy will go limp when I pick him up and loves a cuddle, but my other boy will spin his tail and claw me and just generally hates being picked up! He's happy to be scratched and stroked and tickled... but no matter how much I try to talk to him and soothe him and support his entire body when he's being carried, he just hates it. And I guess that's just how some rats are?


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## Fu-Inle (Jan 22, 2015)

Babies generally hate being picked up, even if they've been well socialised. I try to avoid grabing them too much and instead getting them to climb onto my hand.


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## Rattielover965 (Apr 26, 2016)

katiemw said:


> my new but he doesn't seem to like actually being grabbed. I try to pick him up from the underside or sides as much as possible, since I know they get scared if you grab from the top. But, once I pick him up (usually by scooping him and quickly bringing him close to my chest), he's fine.


rats shouldn't be "grabbed".they should not be picked up from above because predators come from above.


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

Fu-Inle said:


> Babies generally hate being picked up, even if they've been well socialised. I try to avoid grabing them too much and instead getting them to climb onto my hand.


I disagree, a baby with great temperament should be perfectly fine handled and picked up. Zero struggle or issues what so ever. it is actually part of temperament testing many breeders use!

Sadly though many rats are just not that way.

Being picked up is scary. Put yourself in their shoes, if some giant just snatched you up, I might be alittle worried lol
The rat may love you and like being with you but still have some trust issues or just be fearful of being picked up.

One of the best things to do is just make sure you are picking them up carefully and correctly. But for the most part this is a fear that is hard to get over as being picked up reinforces is. 
I'd work on training them to crawl into your hand if you can.


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