# Conflicting message to new rat owners...



## Muttsy (Mar 1, 2013)

To start, I don't have any rats yet. I have to get permission from the landlord's first (crossing fingers) and still getting a plan ready to do this the best way possible. My question now is, looking on this site for the best way to socialize and bring a new rat home, I've literally just read two stickied posts in the same place with two completely contradictory methods. Immersion verses trust.... So which is it?!?! One says to give your pet rat space at first and time to adjust, the other says to not ignore them but bring them into hours of contact with you immediately... One says not to over stimulate them at first and give them time in their home before adding the toys, the other says leaving them in their cage the first few days is like locking a foster child in a bedroom with no contact. I have NO idea how to approach this when the time comes!!!


----------



## LilysPets (Jul 1, 2016)

What I usually did when I brought a new pet home is let them adjust to their new environment first (It's usually a stressful and scary time for them) and let them come to you when they feel comfortable.

Typically on the very first day when you bring them home, you should leave them alone. They are probably more interested in their new cage, home, and smell than you at that moment! The next day, see how their behaviour is. Are they hiding from you? Are they social? 

If they are skittish, I'd give them another day to settle. If they are social, it doesn't hurt to interact with them at all. You want to make bringing your pets home a very positive experience, and let them settle at their own pace. 

My 2 first boys were very skittish and took roughly 3 days to adjust. My 3rd boy was a bit shy on the first day, but on the 2nd and 3rd day, he was interested in meeting me. My 4th boy is actually extremely social and loves, loves, loves people. First day he met me, he explored his new cage and his playpen for about 3-4 hours, and then he actually wanted to be with me ever since; he's still such a suck!

Let your little ratties settle at their own pace! Generally, on the very first day you bring them home, do let them be so they can adjust!


----------



## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

Well I think it is because not everyone agrees for one and two not all animals are the same.

Ideally you shouldn't need to do either. You bring home a pet and it should be friendly and social and want to be with you.

But sadly not all rats out there that people buy have that temperament  

IMO I like to give all new pets some time to relax and adjust to the new home. No matter the type of pet I am bringing home, a new home has alot of new smells, sights, noises and people to get used to. Giving them a day to just take it all in is good for them. It depends on how the animal acts- if they are skittish or confident. I'll talk to them, give a treat, but mostly just let them explore their new cage.

From there just go with what the animal is comfortable with. 

if they are curious and friendly then just spend time with them. Give treats. Talk to them. Take them out. if they are skittish and afraid, then go slow and let them set the pace IMO. Use yummy food and let them know that you won't hurt them.


----------



## Fu-Inle (Jan 22, 2015)

I think you want to be somewhere in the middle and go at the rats own pace. If the rat has been handled and socialized by humans it will want to get to know you and may even feel more reassured with you there. If your rat is fearful of humans you may need too take things slower. One of my rats, Sam was super confident and the first thing I did with her is play wrestle. I literally got out of the car with her on my shoulder, came inside, put her on the sofa and she started playfighting with my hand. We played for a good 20 minutes before I even showed her the cage. When I put her in the cage she looked around a bit, ate some food. I left her for 10 minutes to eat my dinner and when I came back she was at the cage bars begging to be let out, so I did and we played some more. I think if the rat is willing to interact with you there is really no reason not to interact with them. I don't agree with leaving them in the cage for a day, they will have all night to check out their cage, rats are nocturnal afterall.


----------



## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Immersion was developed from our actual experiences with rats... My daughter was only 5 when we adopted our first rats and I didn't like seeing them boxed up in the store in a carrier... I think it was unfairly stressful, so I let my daughter carry the new rats in her arms right out of the store and she would hold and cuddle them on the ride home... and they responded well to the immediate attention and when we got home she would get on the floor with them and play and they would run to her, or sometimes me for security and play after just a little while... Eventually when they, both rats and kids got really tired, we would introduce them to their cage to sleep... And we would move the new rats to the bedroom so they got to know someone was there for them and they weren't alone... 

Alone, in a strange place, isn't good for humans or rats, we are both social animals. We need companionship... The most important thing for new rats is to bond with their new human friends and to feel loved and protected... Leaving rats alone in a cage for a few days or weeks to acclimate is nonsense in my opinion... acclimate to being away from their families and friends? ...acclimate to being alone and afraid? ...acclimate to the pH or hardness of their drinking water or room temperature in their new home? 

Trust training and forced socialization are older methods... they come from a time when rats were regarded as small animals... as their names imply, people thought that it was OK for rats to just trust or not fear you or that socialization could be forced... Immersion is about bonding and communication and understanding... It assumes that rats are very intelligent and emotional social animals. 

My typical example is a puppy or a child if you adopted one, would you lock it into a room and let it 'acclimate' or would you start out by engaging it and making it feel welcome and loved? 

I suppose if you think of rats like goldfish.. then acclimation is the way to go, if you see them as big animals in small packages or as sentient social beings then immersion might make more sense to do...

I don't think there's anything wrong with letting a new rat see or explore it's new cage or drink there if it's thirsty or pee there... but dumping a new rat in a strange cage to just 'acclimate' for a few days or even a week or longer as some people used to suggest can't possibly do any good from our own experience. Maybe if you carry a rat home in a box, letting it calm down for a little while in a cage might not be all bad either... But the sooner you get started on bonding the sooner you start to calm your rats fears and the sooner you start to make a new best friend...

I tend to see trust training and forced socialization as an interesting history lesson, and a place where immersion sourced a few techniques, but yes.. some people probably still do it and if it never worked at all it wouldn't have been around as long as it was...

Basically do what feels right to you.


----------



## Kelsbels (Aug 12, 2015)

Fu-Inle said:


> I think you want to be somewhere in the middle and go at the rats own pace.


I agree with what Fu-Inle has to say. Basically you'll get a sense of how your rats feel and want to progress. The rats I have now from my breeder needed some time to adjust, however I was talking with them calmly and having my hands in the cage. Eventually Neptune came out to sniff my hand and jumped up on me the same night I got them. It wasn't until the next day all seemed comfortable with interacting. 

Of course different rats might need a little more time, but at some point (after two days) you might need to take them out and socialize if they aren't seeming to be interested.

With all animal care there's differing opinions and it's up to you what feels right.


----------



## Muttsy (Mar 1, 2013)

So what I'm hearing is it isn't a hard fast rule? That's encouraging... Just reading through had me scratching my head because they aren't only different ideas but completely contradictory. I just want to do this right and avoid as many mistakes as possible. Ideally I'd like to be able to go and pick out some rats that are the most comfortable and social with me...but rescues here are rare and the majority of pet shops horrible. So any rats I'd be able to get from a shelter would basically be my only option, so I'll get whoever is there, so to speak. Any rats I'd get are likely to have been neglected and abandoned by somebody else, so I anticipate having to rehabilitate them.


----------



## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

> Any rats I'd get are likely to have been neglected and abandoned by somebody else, so I anticipate having to rehabilitate them.


Most animals that get put up in shelters actually have never been abused, neglected or really abbandoned. It is most often just people no longer wanting them, affording them, didn't realize what a commitment a pet is or have a life changing event and they for whatever reason don't think they can keep their pet through it.

A good rescue or even shelter should know some about the animals and be able to tell you their personality and how well their temperament is. Many of these pets once had truly loving homes and just need a new one. 

By far most are not broken and in need of repair. They just need love.

The biggest key, if you are shopping a pet store or rescue is to take your time. Watch how the rats act and then handle them. You are looking for confident, curious rats. However an animal acts in that environment it will likely act a few steps back in your home as it is a whole new environment to them. So you want to choose animals that adjust to change well. if you try to pick them up do they run, hide or freeze? or do they show interest and curiosity in you? They may not love being picked up but they should not squeak, scream, or struggle like you are trying to drown them.


----------



## raindear (Mar 3, 2015)

If you use the method that feels most "right" and comfortable for you, you will likely be choosing the right fit for you. I am a proponent of immersion. The rat that had the strongest bond with me is the one that rode from Wee Companions rescue near San Diego to our home in Las Vegas sleeping in a snuggle tube at the back of my neck. She was loving and affectionate from the first day. If you try to use a method that doesn't feel natural to you, you won't be as comfortable and your rat won't be as comfortable with you, so look the methods over and choose the one that feels most natural to you.


----------



## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Some time ago I worked with someone who enjoyed adopting a problem rat... I mean the really screwed up deep biting kind... And they didn't even like to wear gloves because they didn't mind getting bitten by rats... And we fixed the problem rat in question and the person went off happily on their way... with a new best furry friend that no one else would ever take home and give a chance to....

And I really felt happy for the rat, happy for the human and happy that wasn't my rat. Rehabbing a really screwed up abused rat often takes blood sweat and tears... Rats have very sharp teeth and they bite hard and deep.... Problem rats are best left to people with lots of experience and/or people who are into special kinds of challenges... The world is full of sweet and gentle rats that need good homes desperately... Rats that would be perfect companions for beginners.... Rats that you almost can't go wrong with...

For now, if you can't find a rat that you can handle where you find it... leave it be and don't take it home... Keep looking for the right one or ones and you will be very happy you did. Same with sickly rats... you might feel good about giving them a great forever home now, but when hundreds of dollars of vet bills rack up... and sleepless nights start taking their toll, that good feeling is going to be cost you dearly.

Everyone should have great first rat experience, then if they want to take on challenges, it's up to them... But start out with a healthy, friendly rat, preferably a pup and you will be happy you did.


----------



## Muttsy (Mar 1, 2013)

It's not that I won't be able to handle them, it's that it's going to be only 1-3 rats at any given time from a shelter if they have any at all. So it's either what's there or none; which I'm fine with, it just means I might not be guaranteed the most people-ready rats. We don't have an dedicated rat rescues in my area or good local rattery breeders... So all rescues I could get are from the general shelter and they don't really get any special individual attention in them while they are there. I'm not saying they will definitely have some behavioral issues, but it's likely that they will be a little stressed. I can certainly hope for the best, but wanna prepare for the worst! If I go with the one and only pet store I feel comfortable supporting as my last resort, I could definitely do as suggested and get an opportunity to see them. In fact I do that already every time I visit! I usually watch for a bit, extend my hand gently and let the curious ones come up and investigate on their own. I'll do this a few times before even trying to handle any, but usually one becomes curious enough to explore. Last time I met a friendly girl who ended up bruxxing and popping from a good head scratch. She started grooming me back and coming up to my shoulder to greet me! Would have loved to take her home with some friends but still not ready yet.


----------



## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

While I endorse both reputable breeders and rescues, I do this for a reason. It's because I want people, especially new rat owners to get healthy and friendly rats to start with.


While I am opposed to most commercial rat breeding operations and the way pet stores mistreat rats, I believe that every rat deserves a good home, regardless of where it is born.


I think it's a great idea to try to find a good breeder that raises a strain of rats that's known to be healthy and friendly. This way you not only get highly desirable rats, but you get to support someone with similar values to your own.


Adopting from a good rat rescue has the advantage that someone with a lot of rat socialization experience has prepared your new rats to move into your home and become your new best furry friends. Even if the rescue doesn't work with their rats, at least, you are supporting people who help animals. But, if they don't have healthy and friendly rats there and you are not prepared to deal with problem animals, you aren't doing anyone any favors. Rats are fast and agile and they have very sharp teeth. They can seriously hurt you, your pets, or your children. Adopting the wrong rats is tantamount to setting yourself up for failure. The same is true if you adopt sick rats and can't afford hundreds of dollars in vet bills. So, although I support the efforts of rescues and shelters, I do so with the caveat: it only works when they have the right rats for you. Adopting the wrong rat, getting your heart broken and having to return it, doesn't help the shelter, the rat, or you.


There are many friendly and healthy rats that are tragically trapped in pet stores waiting to be fed to reptiles, or in some cases hoping for good forever homes. Many of these are young pups that will be very easy to train. These animals can be eminently suitable for a new rat owner. And in all reality, they desperately need a home just as much, or perhaps more than the rats in a shelter.


Inasmuch as you are most likely going to be buying food, bedding, cages and supplies from pet stores anyway, in the grand scheme of things, the few dollars that you pay for your rats isn't going to make or break the pet shop, or make an unethical breeder rich in the process. But, if it gets you the right rat or rats, you will be off to a good start and you may have saved a few animals from a horrible fate. And that doesn't feel all bad either.


Overall, what I'm saying is that it is good to support ethical breeders and it's highly desirable to support rescues, but that only matters when they have the right rats for you in the first place. On the other hand, the most important consideration is adopting the right rat for yourself and your family, no matter where it comes from.


Several of our best and brightest rats were rescued out of snake food bins, we paid under three dollars each for them and I don't regret our decision for a moment. I'm pretty sure that we spent a lot more money on cages, food and bedding at the store than we ever paid for rats. Our rats did not deserve to be in a food bin in the first place, they were the lucky ones that got a forever family and a good life. We are very proud of them and glad we did what we did.

It's nice when you can adopt a great rat and support an ethical breeder or rescue, but when that option isn't available, your first priority always has to be to adopt a great rat.

This is the truly amazing Fuzzy Rat climbing trees, making new friends and walking at heel... at the beach...






















This is Max...

Passing her final true shoulder rat test under the fireworks... and doing a meet and greet afterwards...
















And Fuzzy Rat again when she was old....


__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content









These were just two of our feeder bin rescues... Fuzzy Rat actually chose my daughter and didn't want to be put back into the bin...

Their lives weren't perfect, they eventually developed mammary tumors at the end of their lives... but they were truly wonderful friends and great rats...in their own right...

Fuzzy Rat had a better personality than Max, but Max lived free range in the house all her life without doing any damage... Both were special in their own ways... At under three dollars each... no one we don't like got rich breeding or selling them to us.

If you find a healthy, friendly curious rat that's interested in you... grab it, pay someone... and dash for the door... It's the right move, you won't regret it and you may be saving a rat from a horrible fate...



Best luck


----------



## CraniumRex (Aug 20, 2016)

What wonderful pictures - thank you for sharing those!

My daughter and I did get our rats from a breeder but in searching around so many breeders have (understandably) closed ratteries that we had to choose from photos and videos. I am sure these guys are well-socialized and will be fine, but I've always felt that there ought to be some element of _mutual_ choice. We have dogs, cats and parrots and in all those we always had a meet and greet before selecting so we could both check each other out. I think I was more anxious about the homecoming for the three babies we got than any other pet!

Muttsy, in all the research I have done, if you have any chance for the rats to also pick _you, _well now, that is a best-case scenario!


----------

