# Really frightened rat- how to regain trust?



## Marz42 (Feb 7, 2014)

Grizz got out today and into an unsafe space. I had to get her by any means necessary, and I made her very scared in the process. I feel terrible, but I had to scare her to get her and I had to get her to keep her safe.  
What can I do now to make her trust me again? Right now she doesn't want to be anywhere near me and it makes my heart hurt.


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## Kitterpuss (May 9, 2014)

Aaw I wouldn't worry, these things happen and the rat will get over it. We've all been there. She will just need a little time to calm down.


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## Marz42 (Feb 7, 2014)

Oh good. I have been feeling awful all day. She's still kinda hiding. :/


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## Kitterpuss (May 9, 2014)

When my boys were just new and very young, my mum came to visit. She tried to pick up my bravest boy Meemer, and he just freaked out, rocketed out her hands and across the room and then sat in his cat tunnel stock still, shaking all over! Meanwhile my usually scared rat Mooshie was running about investigating my mum's feet not phased at all! Poor Meemer refused to have anything to do with anyone for the rest of the day, and just sat there too terrified move. By the next morning he had forgotten all about it and was back to his old self exploring and causing trouble. 
Hope Grizz comes round soon


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## mimsy (Jun 8, 2014)

our girl who is my most mellow sweetest love had a nasty abscess and would not take her antibiotics in any kind of mix. We tried chocolate, jelly and her fave is soy milk and still no go. We ended up just having to syringe it in while holding her down. She screamed like she was dying and was so upset with us. We had to go through that twice everyday, so it was pretty awful. We just stopped and she is going back to her old self again. Took some ice cream and Popsicle for a little bribery but we are all good.


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## Marz42 (Feb 7, 2014)

Ugh, I hate that feeling. I wish I could just explain to them that it's helping! Grizz is taking treats from me now, but she's been sleeping most of the day. I think she was pretty traumatized. She looks like a mess though because she got gunk all in her fur and I'm afraid to try and bathe her while she's already freaked out. So far she hasn't been able to get it out herself. I wiped her down with a bit of dawn and water and a cloth, but she wasn't too keen on that either. 
Poor thing is just exhausted from all the excitement, I think. I gave her some yogurt and applesauce and that seems to have made her a little less miserable.
I just wish she felt better! She always comes when I call and now she just peers out from her nest at me and burrows into the fleece.


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## Marz42 (Feb 7, 2014)

So, weird update... she's letting me scritch her ears and give her cheerios now, which is great, but she is still covered in gunk. I didn't want to traumatize her any further so I dusted her with a bit of cornstarch to get it off.
Seems to have worked... now she and Lee are industriously cleaning. Grizz is still not back to herself but she's doing a lot better than before. She ate some tomato and came out of her box.


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