# Rat who won't climb?



## Piff (Aug 29, 2013)

Hi all,

as some of you might know, I've recently taken over and older male rat who was being mishandled by my flatmate. Reading the threads on this forum, I've realized he is quite "vertically challenged". He's been in a tiny cage all his life (picking up his new cage tomorrow.. can't wait!) and has never apparently learned that he can climb things/people. 
I've gradually tried to get him to being more daring, e.g. putting treats on my shoulder and insisting that he walk my arm before getting them and then walk back down my arm to get off, but he is very very wobbly and seems terrified. It doesn't seem like it's fun to him even when treats are involved. I'll add that in all this, my arm is barely inclined off the bed by a few inches. 
He's not overweight (I think, but I'll weigh him when I get back home) and I feel terrible that he should be missing out on all the fun other rats get out of climbing on things. 

I hope the new cage will get him at least a little used to moving vertically, as in up and down steps, but how would I introduce ladders and ropes into his life and teach him how to use them? Does anyone have any ideas/tips? 

Thank you very much, and please excuse the long post


----------



## Grawrisher (Sep 10, 2013)

Start with ramps maybe? 

A rat that's afraid of heights....that's a new one


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

He will investigate the vertical cage more and more. Put food, treats, sleepers up high to promote him doing it. Place a stick in the cage like a perch to promote balance. (the rope too) Make hammocks/shelves require jumping to get into it.

I have an overweight rat and through sticks, climbing, and jumping she has become more agile and is the only rat I have who balances completely well on my arm with no fear.


----------



## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

I wouldn't actually offer ramps. He should be forced into climbing and being active, it will help him in the long run.

He is afraid because he hasn't found the range of his physical capability. Rather than force him, you should challenge him. Once he becomes confident it will be nothing.


----------



## Piff (Aug 29, 2013)

Grawrisher said:


> A rat that's afraid of heights....that's a new one
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I know, right? :/

I'll try to enforce mobility then, see how that works for him. I somehow don't think he will catch on to climbing a rope or stick for food, but I'll give it a shot for a few days. Meant to ask, to you treat/clean your sticks before putting them in the cage? wouldn't want to be bringing any ickies in with it.


----------



## Cstaar (Mar 7, 2012)

one of my rats was terrified of heights, she wouldn't climb or even go near the top of the cage and would freak out if you tried to help her. But we persevered - kept placing her on the outside of the cage teaching her to climb with out support bit by bit. Now she is our star climber - I never see her use the ramps to get to the top of the cage. Though she hasn't mastered climbing down (she goes backwards rather than head first!) so she still uses the ramps to go down. Patience and guidance helped for our girl.


----------



## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

I clean them with a bleach-water and let them sit in the sun for a day or two. Debark it.

At this point, I've replaced most shelves with rope or stick perches. They love to just sit on them. I also make my fat girl climb out onto the stick and balance to get a treat, by luring her.Y
ou could also make a rat pinata http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm#pinata just above the sticks. Use smellier foods, like tuna.


----------



## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Cstaar said:


> one of my rats was terrified of heights, she wouldn't climb or even go near the top of the cage and would freak out if you tried to help her. But we persevered - kept placing her on the outside of the cage teaching her to climb with out support bit by bit. Now she is our star climber - I never see her use the ramps to get to the top of the cage. Though she hasn't mastered climbing down (she goes backwards rather than head first!) so she still uses the ramps to go down. Patience and guidance helped for our girl.


Rats are terrible at down-climbing, so that she can go up is enough


----------



## Piff (Aug 29, 2013)

Ok, thank you all  I'll let you know how he feels about the new cage! 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## dr.zapp (Dec 24, 2012)

I have a lab rescue that can't climb very well. He tries, but his claws are very short and dull so he can't grip well. After a few falls trying to follow his cage mate he stopped attempting anything but ramps

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Piff (Aug 29, 2013)

As expected, he isn't even grasping the concept of stairs.. I briefly plopped him into the new cage this morning to check it out.. he kept sniffing and sniffing the plastic stairs, chewing them, then stretching to look up at the higher levels, but it didn't occur to him to actually _climb_ the huge blue steps sitting right in front of him. So I finally took pity on his fuzzy little pea brain and lured him up step by step with a treat. When he finally got to the Mysterious Tall Yellow Ledge and ate his treat, he looked at me like I could do magic ;D I still don't think he's understood what happened, but anyway.

I'm currently making hammocks and stuff for the new cage and will set it up over the next few days. I'm figuring I'll give him a few days with the training steps (or Magic Blue Incomprehensible Dimensional Portals, for the peabrained) to get him used to the idea of "verticality", then move on to sticks and ladders.

I've seen everyone has linings on the plastic shelves in their cages, is that for easier cleaning? Are they mostly towels & fleece?


----------



## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Usually, yes. It's easier than bedding. I was too lazy for cleaning out fleece twice a week and washing it so I actually just bought vinyl that sticks in the cage; just wipe it down/vacuum it.


----------



## Piff (Aug 29, 2013)

Hmmm.. Ok. I actually have some leftover vynil from covering the inside of my closet but it really doesn't go with the cage decor  I'll try to whip something up out of towels and see how that works! 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

I would combine fleece with towels; fleece whicks the urine away from the surface. Towels are used underneath to absorb it. If you use just towels, the urine will still be there.


----------



## Piff (Aug 29, 2013)

Right, yeah, I actually meant that  

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------

