# How on earth do they make this much noise?



## CarolineRose (Nov 18, 2011)

My girls are about 12 weeks and I have noticed especially in the last week or two that they are becoming more and more active at night. They have a double critter nation all to themselves and they take full run of it. They wake me up from a dead sleep all night long and trust me I sleep like a brick. I normally use a white noise generator on the weekends but during weekdays I need to leave it off so I can hear my alarm in the morning. I switched them to fleece bedding about a month ago and it really seemed to cut down on the noise level since they weren't kicking pellets everywhere.

I think they are using their devious little minds to plot new ways of keeping me up. They play fight all night long while squeaking and squealing the whole time, these kinds of noises always wake me up as I feel the need to get up to check that they aren't hurt. They also take their toys and chew blocks and run them up and down and side to side across the metal bars of the cage.... why!!! Are they trying to torture me? What could they possibly gain from making all that noise?
I honestly think they are trying to get my attention and convince me to become nocturnal... if they don't stop by summer break, I may honestly consider it.
During the day they are perfectly quiet, I mean there is seriously not even a peep. They wake up to eat a lab block or two, groom each other top to bottom, and mosey around the cage like a bunch of old men!

Is it just their age? Will they eventually calm down? 
I love my girls dearly but if I don't get some sleep soon I might just lose my mind!

Sorry if the above seems a little looney as its probably the insomnia talking. In New Jersey it is currently 2 o'clock in the morning and they won't let me sleep (I've got Charlotte in my hood and Willow standing on my head<--- she doesn't like shoulders or hoods, she honestly just likes to ride on the top of my head... weird)


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## giggles_mcbug (Sep 10, 2011)

Try letting them out to play right before you go to bed. Maybe you can tire them out on the bed, or table or wherever they free range so (maybe) they'll be quieter. 

Also limit sugary treats in the evening. That's probably common sense, but I felt it was worth saying


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## mazzola (Jan 4, 2012)

They should calm down as they age. Take them out as much as possible during the day and don't let them sleep for too long. If you do this enough, you can make their sleep schedule as you want it


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

Welcome to owning girls, lol! Some calm down with age, but not for a while yet. They are still kids  Try the above, letting them out for bed. Do something fun and stimulating with them for 20-30 minutes and tire them out. Wake them up a few times during the day to get them adjusted to being awake when you're awake and asleep when you are too.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

3 month old girls are normally crazy LOL. They will settle but not too soon  If you don't have one get a wheel for them, let them run all night instead of rampaging.

Also, nice foam earplugs will take the edge off those sharp sounds that make you wake up with your heart thudding. I rediscovered them after a girl decided chewing on the bars all night was her new fun  

With screeches and screams from playing babies, you wait for the 2nd sound...if they continue and are getting more and more frantic something is probably wrong. With baby girls it would be extremely unlikely they could/would hurt each other so you can probably stop getting up EVERY TIME


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## WriterRat (Dec 20, 2011)

My girls have just hit around the 4 month mark and have been so loud the past few nights that I can't handle it. I haven't gotten any sleep. It's good to know that this is partially a phase and I'm not going crazy. I've been trying to tire them out before bed, but it seems like it just doesn't work. Instead, they stay up all night, trying to open the cage doors and banging things around. Frustrating!


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## BigBen (Nov 22, 2011)

Funny, but my kiddies only act up when I can't see what's going on. If I look in their direction, or turn on the light, or whatever, they're all, "Noes, we didn't heer no sounds, Daddy, what u talkin bout? Musta bin sum other rattehs."


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## WriterRat (Dec 20, 2011)

BigBen said:


> If I look in their direction, or turn on the light, or whatever, they're all, "Noes, we didn't heer no sounds, Daddy, what u talkin bout? Musta bin sum other rattehs."


THIS IS MY LIFE. As soon as I climb out of bed and turn on the light, they freeze, as if NOTHING was happening. Clever little buggers.


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## lexiloo (Nov 26, 2011)

Mine do that too! However, I had a hamster in the past and I had a wheel in his cage. Now that is loud. My girls will throw their hides off the top shelf in their cage during the night. Sometimes I wonder if they do it to wake me up.


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## Rat lover (Dec 28, 2011)

Well they will eventually calm down with age. Like jaguar said you should let them free range before you go to bed to tire them out.


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## WriterRat (Dec 20, 2011)

I'm on day three of "wearing out the ratties before bed" trick. It's finally getting somewhere, but I realize what used to wear them out (about an hour of play time before bed) just doesn't cut it anymore. It's helped to double the time and vary up the activities. 

And let me tell you, the first night they passed out from exhaustion was absolutely glorious. Best sleep I've had in all of 2012.


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## meekosan (Dec 23, 2011)

WriterRat said:


> I'm on day three of "wearing out the ratties before bed" trick. It's finally getting somewhere, but I realize what used to wear them out (about an hour of play time before bed) just doesn't cut it anymore. It's helped to double the time and vary up the activities.
> 
> And let me tell you, the first night they passed out from exhaustion was absolutely glorious. Best sleep I've had in all of 2012.


Nice  I have to start doing that soon because right now, besides my cough keeping me awake, they are in their cage squeaking away as they play or the little ones try to nurse on Abby.


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## WriterRat (Dec 20, 2011)

I was so desperate for sleep the other night that when a few friends stopped by, we played a nice game of "pass the rat" to wear them out. Utilizing friends works well!


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