# New baby rat won't eat?



## Rustle (Aug 6, 2012)

I got my little man yesterday. His name is Rustle [= 
I've offered him plenty of food but he won't eat anything. He has a nibble on a couple things but that's all. None of my previous 4 rats have done this. 
Advice? 


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

How many hours has it been? Do you know what he was eating wherever you got him from? What is his staple food now and what all have you offered him?

To be honest, he's probably just scared and settling in. Is this your first rat? He'll be much happier and more comfortable with a friend.

Sorry for all the questions! Just need some more information before determining if something is wrong or not.


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## Rustle (Aug 6, 2012)

He had dry seeds and corn in the bowl at the pet shop. Not a big variety of food. Only dried stuff that comes in packets.. 
He isn't my first. I've had 2 boys and 2 girls before. 
I know everyone says they have to be in pairs or groups of rats but I'm going against all that and staying with one. 
He ate a bit of carrot earlier and some capsicum [= he also drank a bit of water so he is getting a bit more comfy in his new home I think. 


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## Raturday (May 26, 2012)

Is there a particular reason you only want to have one rat? They can get sick/depressed from being alone. He may be scared since he has no other fellow rat to keep him company and de-stress him.


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

What are you feeding as his staple diet?

Also, as Raturday said, rats can and will become sick and depressed when alone. Human contact cannot make up for this. It’s similar to if you lived in a small house that you couldn’t leave and were only allowed to play with a dog for a few hours a day, but no one ever came to see you. You’d love the dog and you’d enjoy your time with it but even if the dog was there for many hours of the day, it would be nothing like having a human companion. That’s what life is like for a solo rat. It's not a good situation, and certainly not advice to "go against". These are facts.


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## Rustle (Aug 6, 2012)

I already know all this and I knew you'd tell me I was wrong. I've had pairs of rats in the past and its easier with one. I'm not getting him a rat friend and it's final. 
I'm not some inexperienced newbie that doesn't know what they are doing. I've had years Of experience. 
Dogs are naturally pack animals too but people have no problem keeping just one of them. It's exactly the same. 


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## Rustle (Aug 6, 2012)

And he isn't scared. He is eating now. 


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

yeah but remember that dogs typically aren't cramped into a cage, so if your having him as a solo rat it might be best to train him to free roam. I've never done it since we don't have the room but you can search it and find ways to free roam him. it can be from a large room to your whole house, as long as it's rat proofed. Sorry but that's the only way its advised to keep a solo rat. depending on the rat though it can take from a few weeks to a few months to fully free roam train them. I Highly recommend it, it will keep him from getting depressed.


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

Rustle said:


> I already know all this and I knew you'd tell me I was wrong. I've had pairs of rats in the past and its easier with one. I'm not getting him a rat friend and it's final.
> I'm not some inexperienced newbie that doesn't know what they are doing. I've had years Of experience.
> Dogs are naturally pack animals too but people have no problem keeping just one of them. It's exactly the same.
> 
> ...


I do not wish to jump on you at all. No one is trying to be rude or treat you like a newbie. We all just love our rats and want what is best for them. We owe it to them when we take them into our lives to do all we can to give them the very best life.

I am just wondering if you know we would all tell you it is wrong and that you do have experience, then why are you still choosing to do it? I can not for the life of me imagine how 2 rats is hugely different then 1. 

Dogs are far different then rats and are hugely able to adopt us as part of their pack no different then another dog. Rats not quite so easily, plus rats live in cages. No matter how much we love our rats we can not be there 24/7 to snuggle, cuddle, play with, or just be there as company. Plus many dogs that are kept alone when people work too much or are not around turn out to be very destructive and depressed as well. 

Taking a pet into our lives means sometimes having to adjust to what they need as well. I highly suggest you get a second rat. It would be like someone who buys a breed of dog that is super active and then keeps it locked in a small apartment all the time with no outlet for that energy. There are many other types of pets out there that do fine as just one but it is just selfish to buy a pet knowing they should be kept in pairs and deciding to do the opposite.


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## echoskybound (Apr 24, 2012)

Rustle said:


> I already know all this and I knew you'd tell me I was wrong. I've had pairs of rats in the past and its easier with one. I'm not getting him a rat friend and it's final.
> I'm not some inexperienced newbie that doesn't know what they are doing. I've had years Of experience.
> Dogs are naturally pack animals too but people have no problem keeping just one of them. It's exactly the same.


Good to hear that the baby rat is eating. He was probably just shaken up a bit by the change of scenery and new smells, which isn't unusual for any animal. As for keeping only one rat, I know that you've made up your mind on this and have experience with rats... but remember that they will definitely be happier and healthier in the long run if they have other rats.

The domestic dog has been bred by humans for around 15,000 to 30,000 years... we've bred them to adapt very strongly to human life. The domestic rat has only been bred since (I think) the 18th century, and have only been bred as pets recently. They simply haven't had the time to adapt to our social structure. We cannot come close to mimicing their vocalizations or body languages. Although they enjoy our companionship much like a dog would, they are not comfortable with our companionship alone. Also, as moonkissed said, there are many dogs that aren't happy being alone. I grew up with a dog who LOVED people, but by 8 years old, he became lethargic, depressed and ill. We got a second dog, and it miraculously made him years younger. He was happy and bouncy again, and outlived the life expectancy of his breed. Many people own dogs, regardless of how experienced they really are with animals... just because people do something regularly doesn't mean it's the best for the animal.

Nobody here wants to give you a hard time, we just want what's best for the rats :] I think it would be good to consider a second rat. If it's because you don't have a big enough cage for two rats, I believe it's actually better for the rats to be slightly tight on space in their cage than to be alone.


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