# Train rat to come out of cage?



## pillowmaker911 (May 18, 2009)

My rat Marble won't come out of his cage on his own. I have to pick him up. But when he's out of his cage he is extremely friendly with me and is all over me (which I love ). He'll crawl across my arm to go back into his cage as well. When I pick him up though, he usually squeeks and squeals like he's being tortured or something. If I pick him up outside his cage, he has no issues. I can also only pick him up when he's on the bottom of his cage as wells because the top is wire and he grabs on like his life depends on not leaving his cage.

So my question is, how do I make him more comfortable to come out of his cage on his own? (I.E. walking onto my arm or shoulder when I open the door to take him out)


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## m4xwellmurd3r (May 16, 2009)

Both my rats are a bit shy with me picking them up and out of the cage (the younger one, Nami, is a bit worse, Saya, the older, has gotten much better since I started taking care of them last week)

What I've been doing, is during the day when they're really sleepy, i'll open up the cage, and hold my palm out to them with a treat, and let them just wander to the edge of their cage on their own. at first really they didn't try getting too close to me, and would sniff my hand a bit, take the food and just go back in, but recently nami in particular, has started walking out and walk onto my hand a bit. Saya has gotten a bit better and sometimes when she's in the mood will walk up my arm.

I should also mention that sometimes I'll just open up the cage and let them walk out on their own and come to me then.

Saya USED to fight to come out of her cage, and would grab the edges of it as I picked her up, I've been picking her out of her cage when she's a bit more tired and kind of lure her to me by petting her, and now she hardly ever puts up a fight when I try picking her up out of her cage as long as I pet her and give her love before hand.

Nami is shy about being picked up. she isn't really afraid, I think she's just unsure. in her case I found out she really likes hand wrestling with me, and has been getting more used to being around me ( and my hand lol) so now she's started letting me pet her and scratch her back and head more frequently (I think having an open palm in front of her is what she doesn't like, the back of my hand she has no problem at all with) she's still shy but when she's in the mood she does let me pick her up. most of the time with her though, she's more comfertable with walking onto the back of my hand from out of her cage.

I'm not sure if i'm much help, I haven't owned these little girls for long at all, so what I've been doing are just things that I think would help in gaining their trust. it seems to be working in my opinion, and they're more willing when they're tired than when they're all wound up.

so maybe if you lured him out of his cage with a treat, or something...(don't do it all the time though lol, otherwise they'll think that whenever they see your hand it means food! I learned that with one of my dogs hah)


anyways, I hope some of my ramblings can be of some help. I'm sure some more experienced ratty owners would be better help though


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## marshmallowfriend (Apr 16, 2009)

Marshmallow is the same way and I think it's a good thing! Peaches and Ginger practically leap out of their cage as soon as I open the door and it's such a pain. I can trust M to wait patiently by the door while I fill up her water bottle/food dish and clean up her cage


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## pillowmaker911 (May 18, 2009)

Thanks m4xwellmurd3r. I've started trying giving him treats on an open hand and after just three times of doing it he actually will walk onto my hand to grab it instead of just grabbing the food and running. I'm going to start moving the treats further up my arm and put my hand where he'd have to walk onto my hand/arm if he wants the treat. Believe it or not, your ramblings were a help!


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## pillowmaker911 (May 18, 2009)

OH NO! I got him to go onto my hand but now that the treat is up near my elbow he won't come and get it... even his favorite treat of apple won't get him to come onto my arm! What should I do?


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## pillowmaker911 (May 18, 2009)

Still having this problem... I keep trying treats but once he has to step past my hand he will not walk onto my arm... I don't understand this.


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## descartes (Apr 25, 2008)

I have never been able to train any of my rats to come out on their own. I agree with marshmallow that its better than when some practically try and jump out the door. Maybe you should try just getting them used to be picked up first so that doesn't scare them. Try picking them up and then once they are in you hand give them a treat. That way they learn to like being picked up. Then maybe you could work back to them going up you arm if you really want them to.


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## Dexy (Aug 11, 2008)

Rats are creatures of habit - they will be more likely to come out quickly if their free range time is at the same time every day and they know when to expect it. If I get out of routine my guys will start sleeping through open cage time because they weren't expecting it!

Just get a routine going and persevere with it - I prefer to reserve giving treats until home time so I have a way of getting them back in the cage quickly, but if you want to give treats at the start then make that part of the routine and stick with it - they should learn with time and then they'll be waiting by the door for you!


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