# New rats help



## Bob&Sid (Aug 12, 2011)

Hi, im new here at the forum and I want some help.
Me and my sister got rats the 7 of august from my mom and dad.
They come from a pet store(i know you shouldnt buy rats from pet stores but like i said we got them) and they where born the 2 of februari. There both males and there brothers.
My sisters rat Sid is doing cuate good but i dont really know that becouse its our first rats hes a littel scared but he takes food brom me but sometimes bites(not hard though, may come a little blood only) but my rat Bob isn't doing so good. He's scared and as quickly as you open the cage he walks to the corner and hides his head. he does take baby food and yohgurt from a spoon but not if i i hold the food in my hand. right now im only giving uncooked spaghetti pieces to them as treats couse i don't know what they like and whats so good for them (i ofcours give them food ;Dto). But ones again iis only Sid i can give the treats to.
So concluding i want to have help with: tips on how to make bobs selfsteam bigger, treats and getting to know them more.

If you can help me make them best friends to me and vice versa i will LOVE you!
(im sorry if my english is a bit off, im from sweden.)


----------



## ratjes (Mar 26, 2011)

Wonderful parents!! Do they (the rats) live together in one cage? They are already about 6 months old and from a pet store which means that they have not been handled beside taken out for cage cleaning maybe. It will take you longer to tame them than with 6 week old rats but you can do it if you are patient with them. Gentle exposure as often as you can without forcing them to do anything. 
In case they are in separate cages you need to put them together as rats need each other's company.
There are several threads on this forum explaining how to tame them.
(your English is fine, better than my Swedish  )


----------



## Ramen (Aug 1, 2011)

There's a post somewhere here on Ratforum about gradual and forced socialization. Keep giving Sid treats (in moderation, of course), don't even try to give them to Bob, and Bob will get jealous. Then he'll try to take the treat (if all goes according to plan), and hopefully he'll realize that you're okay. This might take a while seeing as he probably wasn't socialized for six months.

Found the post:

http://www.ratforum.com/showthread.php?39776-Timid-or-Aggressive-Rat-Trust-Training

It uses much better methods than the one previously suggested.


----------



## Bob&Sid (Aug 12, 2011)

Thank you! Bob has been taking treats from me and Sid to of course just recently we bought small metall fences to use as a playpen or something so they dont escape, and we where going to tast it if the rats liked it. so we but down the cage (yes they live in one cage) and my sister put up the fances, it was going great till Bob ound a little hole my sister forgot and we had a hard time get him back. it ended by me pick him upp and put him back, doesn't sound so bad but like i said hes really scared of new stuff and began to scream for his life and kicked like he was trying to fly. it wasnt pretty but what sould i do? i tried getting him to go in a box and then put it down in the cage but that didnt work, and now im really scared that his going to be scared for the rest of his life of being picked up and me:-\ please tell me what do do if it happens again.
Thank You!


----------



## ratjes (Mar 26, 2011)

It will take more socializing and treats to get him more comfortable with you. This stuff happens to many and mst rats will recover from it. Just continue playing and handling him gently.


----------



## Bob&Sid (Aug 12, 2011)

Thank You!
Now if im going to make him understand that my hand is not dangerous but gives him treats insted ill need treats. Can you say anything they usually (i prefer nothing that i have to buy on the internet and get in my mail, but something you can buy regulary) and not to big so they dont get fat i heard of the cerials cheerios and ive got a couple of them(ive got some from my friend) they like it but its big and i dont think it so good the do tricks for it thou... So if you know anything please let me know.
Thanks


----------



## Ramen (Aug 1, 2011)

Cheerios are fine for rats as they are part of Suebee's diet. A good treat for rats is Yogies, which can be bought at most pet stores (in the US, anyways). I'm not sure about in Sweden, though. Most dog treats are fine for rats if broken into smaller pieces, as long as they don't have any ingredients that may be harmful to rats. You can find a list of good and bad foods for rats here: http://www.ratforum.com/showthread.php?39486-Good-and-Bad-Food-for-Rats-amp-Ratty-Recipes


----------



## ratjes (Mar 26, 2011)

Yogies are mainly sugar so I don't give them to mine. I use anything I know they like: nuts, pieces of egg, bread, rice krispies, smorebrod (), pieces of cheese, cooked meat, fruit etc. Think of what they woild eat in the wild. You don't have to buy fancy stuff.


----------



## Bob&Sid (Aug 12, 2011)

Ok i will try that. Thanks for everything!


----------

