# Baby rat temperament



## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

I just wanted to share some super short videos on baby rat temperament. And cute babies <3

They are really short so not the best examples. I had all the babies out (19 of them) and some kept trying to escape the bin lol 

One of the many temperament tests many breeders do is the scruff test. It is done safely and gently. No worries! If you try to scruff your rats be careful and make sure you scruff in the right area which is slightly farther down the back and not right behind the ears as it can cut off air flow. The idea of the scruff test is that the rat is supposed to be 100% calm and relaxed while scruffed. Ideally it should go limp with no squirming, feet curled up and just be chill. And it is to not be a learned behavior but natural. I am not teaching them to be calm while scruffed. They should just do it.

I thought others might find it interesting.

(Ignore my baby talk lmao)

https://youtu.be/A5ec7ZXvNuU

^^ You also see my beautiful baby dwarf Tinkerbell in this video sniffing the Siamese baby I set down. Isn't she adorable?? <3

https://youtu.be/ASf8FPYovos


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

That's awesome! Your babies are so sweet and pretty. I can't imagine if someone were to try that with a random pet store rat! Ouch.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

My daughter watched Bunny carrying her pups around by the scruff and well she couldn't help herself from trying it herself as an alternate way to carry the pups around... poor pups... and yes they were fine with it...

I don't know if it's a good predictor of temperament though Spot is a big furry sweet potato and Lucky has become a spoiled brat... she actually squeaks loudly in protest at the other rats and even her people if she doesn't get her way... I'm not suggesting that either rat isn't generally friendly just that they are polar opposites when it comes to temperament.... Spot has never damaged anything in the house and Lucky just killed a mouse... actually computer mouse by cutting the wires, but still she finds little ways every day to annoy me on purpose.

On the other hand, when Lucky and Spot were Pups, Lucky was the most outgoing and exploitative... first girl up the stairs on her own, first to get out of the cage on her own and first to explore the house on her own... Spot pretty much needed help climbing out of the cage, was too lazy to climb the steps for a long time and when set free to roam was typically found napping back in the cage while the other pups chased around under the furniture. I'm starting to think the stair test might be a better predictor of personality. I always preferred the more outgoing pup for training purposes... now I'm starting to think the spud of the litter might have certain advantages.

Actually, we love our furry spud... the other day he became the first rat to fall off the banister and bounce bounce bounce down the stairs... He may not be the brightest bulb in the box, but at least he bounces well... and he likes to play, get his tummy scritched, comes when called and hangs out with me... And he passed his fireworks test to become our first boy True Shoulder Rat.... not all bad for a beach ball of a rodent.


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