# Is it normal for a young rat to squeak when you pick them up?



## Grotesque (Mar 19, 2014)

Boop was born August 2nd and she is growing up fast. She has recently discovered how to climb and she is VERY good at it. If you walk past her, she will leap onto you like a flea and scramble up your clothes to your shoulder. Needless to say my days have become and endless cycle of picking Boop up and putting her on solid ground. 

Yes, I do let her ride my shoulder sometimes but there are times when I simply cannot have her on me and in those cases I pop her back on solid ground. Every time I do that, though, she lets out a squeal. I am not squeezing her. I know I'm not hurting her but she practically screams when I pick her up. 

Is this just a protest or should I consider something worse? I know rats generally don't make noise unless something is wrong, which is why I am asking.


----------



## dashielle89 (Apr 24, 2012)

Depends on the rat, she must be a more vocal one. Unless you see any other signs of something wrong I wouldn't think anything of it. If there was something wrong I'd think she make a lot more of a fuss than that.

Some rats squeak whenever you pick them up when they don't want to be, some only do it when you're really bugging them (like if they're eating), others hardly ever do. If you have a rat that's naturally more vocal they will also be more likely to squeak if they aren't used to being picked up or they're scared. It sounds like she's pretty comfortable being handled and is probably one of those rats that wants to do what she wants and that's why she squeaks, but it's a possibility too. I've had some baby rats scream like they're being tortured when I picked them up because they weren't used to hands grabbing them yet.


----------



## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

No it is not normal. if she is squeaking she is either hurt or scared. 

It could be either that she is injured and being picked up hurts her. 

Or she is just being a temperamental cry baby lol It is a temperament issue. Some rats like that may be calm on you but just don't like being held it is scary for them.

I'd keep an eye on her if you don't notice any other issues that point toward injury or health then it is likely just temperament. 

You can try to work on her with it. Picking her up and giving her treats but it might just be very stressful for her as well. I'd try to pick her up using a scooping method...so both of your hands are cupped and under her full body. Easier said than done sometimes lol but it may be a step to getting her calmer being picked up. I wouldn't try to force it, this is a hard issue because sometimes you have to pick her up but you ideally want everytime you pick her up to be a good experience so she doesn't keep relating the negative to it. Using a box to have her climb in can help. I have a girl who has some severe issues and can't be picked up without like having a mini heart attack, it causes insane stress. I use an octopus bed I have and she is a star who will climb right in when offered.


----------



## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Does she squeaks when you pick her up in her cage or on the floor...too? Or is it only happening when you get her down from your shoulders?


----------



## Grotesque (Mar 19, 2014)

Oh Moonkissed, I should have added that is very tame to the hand. She actually loves being held. One of her favorite things is when I cup her in my hands and massage her cheeks. She will sit there still as a statue and ham it up for about 10 minutes before she wants to take off and get into trouble elsewhere. 

Gribouilli - Its completely random. If I had to pick a time where it happens the most it would probably be when I move her out of harms way when she is just running around doing her own thing. For example, she is running around on the floor and I need to sweep so I will pick her up and put her on the bed. That is usually the cause of lots of squeaking - but not every time in that situation. It seems completely random.

She NEVER struggles when you pick her up and hold her. In fact, I would say she loves to be held as much as she loves running around. Despite her squeaking when I pick her up sometimes, she has never run away from me or shown any indications that she is afraid of me. She just screams bloody murder randomly. 

I have checked her little fingers, toes, legs, tail, and tummy by applying gentle pressure and rubbing them, checking her for reactions. The only reaction from this I got was her bruxing and boggling and nearly falling asleep in my hands from the massage.


----------



## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

It sounds like you got yourself a squeaker, lol. My three new babies squeak more than any rats I ever had, some rats are just more vocal than others. Looks like she squeaks (protest) the most when you keep her from doing her stuff, lol. Keep an eye on her, but since you checked her all over, she isn't hurt IMO.


----------



## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

One of our girls, hand raised by us, still with her mentally stable and charming mom and her brilliant, friendly and doting aunt is growing up to be a spoiled b(rat). She'll not only squeak but throw a hissy fit when my daughter tries to pick her up... she doesn't like when I pick her up either, on the other hand if I put my hand down she'll jump right up and climb my arm... when she wants to go someplace I'm taking her... I actually can tell her "up for dinner, up for treat, or up for bedtime" and she'll decide if she's into it or not... If I get it wrong, she'll tear off and hide.

This is the second girl rat we've raised from birth and she's almost as spoiled as the other. Rats we have adopted from worse places seem grateful and accommodating. But rats we raise with lots of love, freedom and respect tend to grow up to be spoiled b(rats).... Thankfully her brother is "normal"... He's a big friendly fuzzy spud... He's not as clever or agile, but he's less sneaky, less destructive, less pig headed and less spoiled rotten than she is... But then he doesn't have his mom or aunt to coddle him...

I wouldn't call her a squeaker, normally she's as silent as all of our other rats, but when she doesn't get her way... she'll squeak, squeal, thrash about and throw a literal tantrum, not to mention destroy stuff around the house. And when I try and correct her bad behavior she'll get her tail into a knot and avoid me for days... and try and guilt trip me... 

On the other hand for the past week, she's been all over me grooming me, she hasn't destroyed anything and she's come when called and hopped onto hand... so there's still hope... she can be a great rat when she wants to be.


I suppose, my point is that rats communicate with you. Sometimes they say stuff you don't want to hear... sometimes they communicate with their feet or their voices... some use their teeth... but they can get rather good at making themselves understood... 

I mean, I think you know exactly what Boop is saying... you just can't carry her around all day... Be grateful she wants to be with you and to 'talk' to you the alternative is a lot worse.


----------



## Rat Feng Shui (Aug 8, 2016)

There are already a lot of good ideas on here, but I can maybe add this, 

A number of times in the "generations" of rats I have had ( new acquisitions to replace deceased, not breeding ) a little new one will get introduced to an older one. I do it carefully and make sure they are getting along in a friendly way. But sooner or later they end up wrestling and the newer small one will often squeak. I take it to mean, "OK you won this time". Then they go take a nap together. So maybe she sees you as playing a wrestling game with her. Also when mine are hyper in the middle of the night and I can hear them wrestling I hear squeaks too. 

She sounds really nice though, it's great to find one who is already comfortable to run up your arm etc.


----------



## Emma13 (Aug 8, 2015)

Rat Daddy, I second all of what you've said. I've seen the same behaviours in my rats, three that were part of a foster litter and whom I've had since they were born, and four that were rescued as adults. There's definitely a noticeable spoiled vs. grateful difference between them!!

In terms of the squeaks - a few of mine will squeak when I pick them up as well… it's always been a "hey no fair, cut it out - let me do what I want to do!" kind of thing, though I imagine if they could use words their language might be a bit more colourful ^-^ lol.

It's a good point about considering potential medical causes first. IMO, as long as there is nothing medical going on and she isn't in any pain, one possibility is that she might just be a free spirit with a mind of her own, who isn't afraid to protest when you interrupt her plans


----------



## Grotesque (Mar 19, 2014)

I appreciate all the feedback and its good to see that I'm not the only one who has a rat with attitude. 

I caught her in a snooze on her favorite pillow the other day and when I tried to give that cute little tummy a light tickle, I was greeted with lots of squeaks and a big stretch before she settled back in the same position. 



Yeah.. I have a stubborn little talker on my hands.


----------



## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Aww she is sooo sweet!!! I think little tandrums squeaks are just too cute I wouldn't say that about children, lol, just one more reason I want rats and not children LOL.


----------

