# rat suddreenly scared for no reason?



## twindads (Jun 8, 2017)

so yesterday, like every day, i let my lil girls out to play. franklin was being her usual crazy energy ball self and running around, jumping on me, seeing what i was doing and playing. at some point tho she crawled behind my drawers (a common hiding place my rats like) but she stayed there for a long time. she woulsnt even come outwhen i called her or offered her treats, which for her is very unusual!!!! i assumed she got spooked by something and would come out and be running around in another half hour or so, but nope she did not. i 2 hours later she is still behind my draws, and i had to pull it out to get to her to put her back in her cage.

and today, she is still petrified. didnt wanna come out of her cage, turning away from me but staying still and shaking where she is so petrified, wont accept treats ETC.
but i dont understand why??? nothing happened to scare her and this behavior is v unlike her usual active brave greedy food loving self.

anyone know what the cause could be and how i can gain her trust again and allow her to feel comfortable again?


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## twindads (Jun 8, 2017)

i tried handling her after this post but she was having none of it and was just so terrified. i put her back in her cage and she has stayed in the same spot shes been in all day, not even curling up to sleep, just staring in fear. usually she would be jumping all over the place desperate to come out


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## Shadow <3 (Jan 25, 2017)

I'd place her into a hide in her cage with some yummy treats next to her and leave her alone. Rats are prey animals, and while it's easy to forget this they can get easily startled. By leaving her alone in a place she considers safe, I bet she'll be back to normal soon. Heck, you can even place some other rats with her so that she sees that they arent scared. Calm cage mates always help my girls calm down when they've been scared.


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## Ratnamedbuddy (Jan 10, 2017)

My rats normally do this if I've hoovered my room or I change my deodorant or body wash. I guess the hoovering takes away their scent from the carpet and I've changed my smell by changong deodorant/body wash..... or they do it if I've been touching a cat. 

So have you changed anything recently that could explain It?


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