# Seriously, are my rats happy?



## September (Jul 30, 2013)

I read all these stories on here telling people the ways to gauge whether their rats are happy and comfortable or not, but my rats aren't giving off signs of either.

The never brux, but they never chatter their teeth either. They beg to come out of the cage but then prefer to keep their explorations to the immediate area of the cage. They love taking treats through the bars but they won't eat them if their out of the cage. It's been weeks--Shouldn't they be used to me by now? And my room?

I'm very much at a loss. Maybe it's because I don't talk to them, like a lot of people here say they do. But what do you talk to a rat about??


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

It sounds like perhaps they don't trust you.... How often do you play with them, and for how long? )Some rats are slower to warm up though.....  but two weeks is a long time...) Also, do they have pink eyes? 


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## Mitsy (Apr 8, 2013)

Talking to them would probably help they get used to your voice. I talk to mine like by calling them cute or calling their names, playing with them. 


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## Voltage (May 15, 2013)

Feeding them through the bars isn't a good idea, it can encourage biting since their eye sight isn't good. They associate anything that goes through the bars as food. So if any fingers get poked in, chomp.

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## September (Jul 30, 2013)

I poke my fingers in all the time--They learned to smell my fingers to figure out if they're holding food, and never bite. I play with them quite a bit, every day, and they seem to look at me as the safe place to go to when playing in the room or on the bed, so I wouldn't say it's trust. If someone opens the door or a loud noise comes out of the tv, they run and hide in my shirt.  It's really quite adorable. Also how I got my avatar pic, when Siren was peeking out to see if it was safe. Also sort of off topic lol.

Their just.. Indifferent. Their indifferent to my presence, indifferent to my attention. No signs of happiness or stress, just.. Playful indifference. And I'm worried that means I'm doing something wrong.

It's been more than two weeks, in fact it's been almost 5.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

They are young girls, around 3mo? I can't quite recall. In any case, females are frustrating to me as well. Unless you get a sweety whose reserved you won't get the squishiness of boys. 

So, short of cuddles how can you gauge your hyper girlies like you? Taking food from you, "checking in" as I call it during free range, fearless exploration, and coming to you for protection. Likely, while they are bounding about your room they'll be bruxing. 

A good gauge and bonding activity I've found after expanding free range into a large bedroom space is to occasionally restrict back to a small space to play with and to try and lead a group activity like piñata or feather toys. 


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## Siringo (May 7, 2012)

I don't think talking to them is a big factor. I do it sometimes, but I'm not very comfortable with pet-talking in general so it's always brief. It sounds like they aren't comfortable with the outside-cage area if they won't take treats.. Is it a wide open area, or is it cluttered with toys/boxes or something? Do you keep them out for at least an hour?


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## Mitsy (Apr 8, 2013)

I think it's a mixture of all of them. You should have them out for at lest an hour a day to bond with them. I think talking to them is a part of it because they get used to hearing you talk and if they aren't and you call them or say their name it might scare them instead of them realizing you want their attention. 
Spending lots and lots of time with them is important. My rats stayed on my bed for at lest 4 weeks until they learned they could get down and it took them a week after that to get used to leaving the cage area and a few days for them to come out of the cage and explore my room on their own. You might want to try putting one in your sweater or sweater pocket one at a time and going and doing things like playing on the computer, reading, drawing something easy to do for you or just play with one rat at a time so they get more used to you. I find putting my rats in my sweater one at a time and going and doing something with them in my sweater petting them and talking to them helps bond with them. I bond with all my pets by talking to them it's an important factor for most animals to trust you like hamsters, dogs, some cats, and I find a little with rats to mine didn't really bond to me or come near me when I didn't really talk to them but now I talk to them all the time and the come to see me and run around and play.


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## September (Jul 30, 2013)

Previously it's been just a big, open space, but I also tried to keep their exploring to my bed, which didn't go over so well for them--They wanted to run off the bed, but then once they were off, they just got more nervous. (btw, it took them less than an hour to figure out they could hop off the bed) If I let them choose where to explore, it's almost always the nightstand behind the cage and the top of the cage itself, though they sometimes like to go onto the bed alone or by the window to look outside.

I time myself via movies when I have them out, so usually more like an hour and a half, and I keep them in my shirt when I'm doing schoolwork and the like. Like I said, I do everything suggested here. Except talk. So I'm thinking that may be a larger factor than I originally thought.

My mom did bring home a _lot _of boxes yesterday, and I was going to try and build them something to explore  Speaking of which, I need to go make a thread asking for ideas on that lol.


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## Mitsy (Apr 8, 2013)

I think your rats are happy but I also think you will find a difference if you talk to them. They probably won't go out in the middle of the floor if that is what your looking for unless there's places for them to hide. Rats like to stay hidden most of the time and sneak around because they are stalked by lots of other animals in the wild.


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## Siringo (May 7, 2012)

Okay, cool. I asked about the space because my rats are really uncomfortable with open spaces unless it's full of boxes and piles and whatever. I think if you clutter the play area they will feel a little better/less vulnerable about it, and maybe be more comfortable taking treats.

Also, I dunno if you're doing this already, but my rats became a lot happier when I left a bridge from my cage to my bed (where i "free" range them) so they can come and go whenever they want. Before I did that, they would get bored and stare at the cage after only being out for like 30 mins, and then when I put them back they just wanted back out again! It took a couple weeks, but they love being out with me a LOT more than they used to. If your rats can already do that, then I'm out of tips. Goodluck with whatever you do!


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

I think your rats are plenty happy, and they do see you as comfort... It just sounds like they're a bit nervous . It doesn't help that they are both that way... Usually, the outgoing one will lead and show the other that its "okay " and safe to explore. Taking treats back to the cage is common for the first little while... Honestly, give it some more time... What I'd say is, do you have any small spaces that you can bond with them? My bathroom is about 5ft by 8ft... That's where we play and bond... 

If you can, spend a couple hours in a small space with them, giving them treats, watching movies on you iPad (which is what I do hehe)... Heck, share your breakfast with them (my girls stole my ramen and tempeh today.... >.> ) The more you bond with them, the less you will see their skittish side!! I have rescue rats and neglected rats, and they start off skittish like that... I've always found just spending a ton of time w them, giving lots of treats and hanging out in small spaces helps. 

By the way... If they have "pink" (red) eyes, these rats generally cannot see very well, and so they may be a little more skittish (sticking to walls, scared of fast moving things), but they can come around  


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## Hitmanthe3rd (Jul 16, 2013)

Took my rats a good month or two to Brux for me. I had them spinning and doing tricks before they even bruxxed. Don't let it deter you. If they come to you, and hide by you. It means they trust you and are safe with you. Not all rats are as affectionate as others. Some just show it in different ways as well. Them coming and saying hello and playing by you is a good way. and it's still early.


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