# Socializing new baby rat



## MelanieRose (May 27, 2016)

I recently got a new rat (her name is Nahla) who is very timid. I've had her for 3 days, and she is the size of a mouse. A relative got her at a farmer's market that was giving them away for free, and gave her to me. If anybody so much as walks by her, she retreats to her corner in her quarantine cage. I have been working with her, giving her treats, which she will sometimes take out of my hand. The best she had done was put her front paws on my hand and licked yogurt off my fingers, but most of the time she is terrified in the corner. I have done a little bit with her every day, going slow and not forcing her. Is this the way to go, or will timid rats stay timid? My other two girls were all over me since the first days I got them, so I'm not sure which direction to go. Some websites said forcing her onto me so she knows I'm not dangerous would work, but I don't think I'd do that, she's so tiny; I wouldn't want to traumatize her. What is the best way to get her to come out of her cage, her corner even. Thanks so much


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## MelanieRose (May 27, 2016)

I am so happy! Today I managed to get her to the front of the cage, and even onto the open cage door! I gave her little pieces of cereal and slowly increased the distance from her until she came all the way to the front! She even began to lean outside like she wanted to explore, but quickly ran back inside after she heard a noise and was spooked. I will continue to o the slow route, although if anybody has other suggestions I would be happy to hear them.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

You can try something like baby food on a spoon. That way she can't run away with the food, but has to stay by the spoon looks like you are doing good progress!


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## Prince (Jun 17, 2016)

I socialize the oops litters that come to me by slathering peanut butter on my fingers and letting all the babies come lick it off. So far, it's been a tried and true method for starting out friendly rats! If she won't even approach you readily yet, make sure her cage is in a room where you spend most of your time. That way she will always see you and smell you. Giving her dirty clothes to nest in is also a great way to get her comfortable with your scent; you'll smell like home.
Lone rats and hand raised babies I take a slightly different approach to. As soon as they learn to like me and enjoy my company, they never leave my side. My hand raised babies are often with me by either being in my vicinity or being on my body for as long as I'm awake. Clearly give them breaks to eat and stuff, but every hour possible I spend with my lone or hand raised babies.
Shortly, she will see you as her greatest source of comfort. And the whole peanut butter deal seems to make rats much more kissy!


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## MelanieRose (May 27, 2016)

Okay, so today I've been making good progress with Nahla, I can get her out of the cage to get a treat but as soon as I give it to her she runs back into her cage. A couple minutes ago I was sitting in the bathtub with her cage and feeding her Cheerios. She will come out of the cage, take the cereal, and run back. She was pretty far out of the cage, so I thought I'd shut the cage door so she would have to socialize (I know, bad idea) and she went ballistic. She jumped up on top of the cage, ran all around, and even let out a tiny squeak once until I managed to open the door and get her in. I feel terrible. We are still in the bathroom(I have my laptop with me) and she is back to her normal, coming out of the cage and getting cereal but running back in. Does anybody know how to help get her out of the cage completely, or know why she is so terrified?


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Don't worry too much about your rat being terrified, fear is a rats normal response to every new situation, then they calm down and get over it... no damage is done. You can find more information on my immersion thread about ways to socialize a timid rat.


Otherwise as an example, today Spot was walking at heel at the soccer field with me... This is his second time out with me. Last time I had to squeeze him out of the aluminum bleachers like a tube of toothpaste... today he asked to go on the ground and ran after me and we jogged together... He even wanted to meet some strangers, but aside from one boy who pet him the others were afraid, so I couldn't let him walk up and just meet everyone. Basically he went from terrified to curious in just two outings... he's far from outdoor competent, but it is like night and day. I train shoulder rats, and with one notable exception, they all go through some terror phase, I reassure them and I comfort them and I work with them until they get over their fears... Now not every rat can be a shoulder rat and become outdoor competent, but if some rats can learn to walk at heel yours will definitely get over being out of the cage. 

Best luck.


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## BlackAce (Apr 18, 2013)

If she's too focused on getting back to the cage I'd remove it for a while from the bathtub or whatever your play space is. At first I'd have the only thing she can get to be you. It might seem mean, but I think of it as a band aid. Rip it off fast and it doesn't hurt as much. This way she'll get over her fear much quicker if she isn't given a choice of where to hide. You're the hiding spot!

It also might be useful to keep just hammocks, or open beds, in the cage for now. This also encourages exploration, and they have that light bulb moment quicker than you'd think. I've found it really builds their confidence. And then as a reward I'll give them hidey places once they've shown me they are comfortable with all the sights, sounds, and smells of me and the household. By this point they run to you when you enter the room, not away! And really seem to prefer sleeping perched on a surface to keep an eye on their domain


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

While I entirely encourage there not being hiding spots in the immersion area other than you or you under a blanket, I'm not a fan of taking away all of a rats hiding spots in it's cage or otherwise... Rats do need to feel safe from time to time and have a place to withdraw to to de-stress for further exploration.

When I train rats outdoors, they often run to me or for cover and shelter, then they work up their courage again and explore more. Then a few minutes later they want to hide again, and then they explore more... They kind of do this rubber band thing until they get more and more comfortable in their surroundings... It's not unusual for a rat I'm training to walk blissfully at heel or run around and then suddenly need to dive under my shirt for a while. Uncomfortable but not uncommon.... Then they seem to relax and want to go back onto the ground... In fact in immersion, we sort of take advantage of this tendency of rats to boomerang to their safe place by being the safe place. 

And yes, when a rat is under my shirt too long, I do tend to give it a push to explore more and I do encourage interaction with the environment.... but still I think a rat needs a safe place in it's cage to relax. Rats are very much designed to handle stress and to learn and adapt to it, but they are also designed to do it in spurts or rather fits and starts while they develop self confidence.

There are a few ex-soldiers I met after Vietnam, that actually missed the jungle and combat and had real difficulty adapting to a 'safe' environment. Their adrenaline levels had adjusted and their minds had adapted to a world of constant danger and high alertness. But for most, soldiers they had to be rotated in and out of combat before their minds snapped and they became shell shocked. Even the truly amazing Fuzzy Rat who car surfed the New Jersey Turnpike on the side view mirror and tore up the house when she was bored, preferred to sleep in the smallest and darkest places she could find. 

So, don't avoid putting your rat into stressful situations because they have to learn to adapt and they will get over it... but I personally wouldn't take away their safe dark place to unwind either... I tend to think they need both. In time they will hide less and explore more and they will become more and more self confident... but no matter how confident they get, they are still rats and rats like to sleep in safe dark places, which is probably true of humans too.

Best luck.


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## BlackAce (Apr 18, 2013)

Rat Daddy: I don't believe it's necessary to police posts as if yours is the only right idea, just so you can have the last word. You gave your opinion and I gave mine. There isn't more to add on the matter at that point.

I'll agree to disagree on this, as the period of uneasiness lasts one day before they realize their entire cage is safe versus weeks or months of darting around in fear. In my opinion, it's actually kinder. But that's what forums are for, people to voice their opinions, not one person shutting everyone down to get the last word in. Especially since I wasn't the OP in this situation, and haven't been in the past, so you don't need to address my post seeing as how the OP hasn't even responded since then. I don't know. Just something I've noticed. That will be my piece on the matter.


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