# Trying teach my rat who wont listen (Video attached)



## Draugr Rekkr (Apr 21, 2014)

I'm trying to teach stripe his name and go through Immersion with him but he just ignores me and runs into my hood if I try to get his attention. If some of you that can take the time to watch the video and offer there advice as to what might help that would be good 

thank you


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## cammipooh (Apr 26, 2014)

I'm working on immersion with my rat as well. I watched some of your video, and these are just some suggestions based on what I do, but Rat Daddy would be able to be more assistance. First, working on the floor is better than the bed. Just be sure to rat proof, and there's some good threads about that. When you first get him out, hold him close, give lots of hugs and scritches while saying his name repeatedly. Do this til he is ready to be put down. When you set him down, he'll check for a shortcut to his cage just in case, then he should come back wanting some comfort, so just give him pets, saying, "Good, Stripe." He'll slowly start venturing out, then return for attention. Once he starts to trust you more, he'll go further. When he's away from you, call his name, and even if he just acknowledges you or looks at you, reward him. Then reward when he comes to you. Hopefully this helps, but Rat Daddy will be able to offer more help.

Love, Cameron and Sneezes


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

I can't watch the video while on my phone for very long due to data charges. If you could write a synopsis that'd help. Hopefully my comments are relevant even though I only saw the first minute an a half and a few clips at the middle and end. 

-turn your hoodie around or lay down on your stomach. These offer ways to both give him his dark warm comfort as well as keep you guys connecting. He obviously knows you are a protector and at least somewhat a friend as he ran to you and he took treats. Once you feel bonded, start leading activities that allow him to explore beyond you. 

- make his name your "Tarzan" or "hodor". What I saw was a lot of treating, so he may think name=food instead of name=me. Everytime you see him, approach him, pet him, talk to him, use his name copiously. If he responds even accidentally say "good (name)". I don't use treats when I train my rats, but they catch on really well just with touch. 

-does he have a friend? You may disregard what people say about their social needs but it's no myth. More than that, friends help create a safe atmosphere and one that could be fun. If he doesn't, look into getting one. If he does, bring the friend out and multitask between them. 

I just want to reiterate that this is a social rat. If you don't feel it it may be that your communication side isn't open yet. He may ignore you, use you as a toy, or show mild interest but these are typical things in rats. They're very intelligent so they rarely if ever work out to be sort of obedient loving dogs, but see themselves somewhere equal to (or above) us and tend to treat everythig we say as advice or recommendation. If you recognize this, you can pick a goal in immersion and focus on that. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## ratty_milkshake (Feb 24, 2014)

*I havent watched the video*

*I would say do this:* 
- Have rat in small area. Like a metre by a metre shallow box on a table or a single seater couch with you sitting on the floor.
- When rat comes toward you say its name (like the video below but use the name instead of the clicker). Give treat.
- Let the rat roam off to another side. When it comes back in your direction say its name and give treat.
- You are making the association that coming toward you when it hears its name means it will get a treat.
- Do this a few times.
- Now when the rat is facing away from you say its name. When it comes toward you give treat.
- Do this a couple of times for a week or so. They learn very quickly.
- Eventually a treat wont be necessary as the association with its name will be a good one.

Here is a really really good youtube video & account that will help you with this & general training: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAbEr2cAeBE&list=PL2F0A386ECED930B0


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## ratty_milkshake (Feb 24, 2014)

Aww a tiny bit of my video loaded and he is super cute. I dont think you need to still call this immersion because he obviously already likes you ALLOT!! 

Just try the method i described above and he will learn very quick! He is super sweet! Good Luck!


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## Draugr Rekkr (Apr 21, 2014)

cammipooh said:


> I'm working on immersion with my rat as well. I watched some of your video, and these are just some suggestions based on what I do, but Rat Daddy would be able to be more assistance. First, working on the floor is better than the bed. Just be sure to rat proof, and there's some good threads about that. When you first get him out, hold him close, give lots of hugs and scritches while saying his name repeatedly. Do this til he is ready to be put down. When you set him down, he'll check for a shortcut to his cage just in case, then he should come back wanting some comfort, so just give him pets, saying, "Good, Stripe." He'll slowly start venturing out, then return for attention. Once he starts to trust you more, he'll go further. When he's away from you, call his name, and even if he just acknowledges you or looks at you, reward him. Then reward when he comes to you. Hopefully this helps, but Rat Daddy will be able to offer more help.
> 
> Love, Cameron and Sneezes


Hey thank you for for replying, I use my bed because I have no where else I really can take them without getting in the way, I've put down a sheet for them though so I don't have to worry about them having an accident. I try to do that but he just get's down right away and then ignores me, I'll try rat daddy and see what he says but thank you anyway


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

First of all, you are beyond immersion and into training. Stripe seems nicely bonded to you. I can't tell if Stripe knows his name for sure yet, but odds are that he's getting a pretty good idea... you just have to keep repeating it and reinforcing it over time. 

Stripe is clueless about the tapping of your hand. Funny, I do it too. I tap and that's where I would like a rat to go, and now that I think about it, tapping doesn't work with my current rat either... Watching Stripe not understand the hand tapping makes me wonder why we would assume that rats would be attracted by hand tapping... Lets face it rats don't tap for each other.... On the other hand when you offer him a treat, he may not be taking it, but he does come to you.... He seems to get that if you reach out to him, or touch him, you want him to come to you.

The come command has different meanings to different rats... when I called one rat, she came, jumped up on my foot as in to say... "I'm here" and then just ran away again if I didn't pick her right up... With another rat come meant to my face... she would climb up on my desk and stand in front of me until I picked her up to my nose. And that was "come" for her.

When you are working in a space as small as a bed, you might be calling Stripe to come and Stripe is thinking "Come? I'm already right here!" Usually when I train come, I want my rat to come from the other room or out of the neighbor's hedges. Come pretty much means from there to here where there is some distance from here.

I don't see Stripes running off on you and most likely you can expand your play area to include the entire room and perhaps your entire house. There's a pretty good chance Stripe will follow you around from what I see.

Lastly remember rats don't do commands... it's more or less suggestions... Some rats take suggestions well and set a high priority on them... Some rats are really food motivated and will come when they know you have food, others will come for skritches and hugs. Some rats don't do "come" very well. Yes they know exactly what you want, they just don't want to do it. 

With my current rat "come" is a convoluted process.... If she's napping and cozy... come means nothing... If she's ready to get up 'come' means stretch and preen and scratch all over for a few minutes... then go to the cage to drink, eat and poop and then climb up on top of the cage to be picked up... Come is a 15 to 20 minute process... and it doesn't mean come to me, but rather meet me at your cage... Now when she's already up, come means to poke her head out from under the furniture and see what's going on... If I'm holding food or look like I'm about to do something interesting or go somewhere interesting she'll come and take the food or climb up on me... If I look boring, or intent on doing something she doesn't want to do, she'll just disappear into the shadows again.

There's no doubt my rat understands "come" but she'll only do something about it when it suits her interests. She is however a very competent animal that needs very little, if any, direction. So the more competent and independent your rat gets... the less likely he will be to obey you.


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## Draugr Rekkr (Apr 21, 2014)

Rat Daddy said:


> First of all, you are beyond immersion and into training. Stripe seems nicely bonded to you. I can't tell if Stripe knows his name for sure yet, but odds are that he's getting a pretty good idea... you just have to keep repeating it and reinforcing it over time.
> 
> Stripe is clueless about the tapping of your hand. Funny, I do it too. I tap and that's where I would like a rat to go, and now that I think about it, tapping doesn't work with my current rat either... Watching Stripe not understand the hand tapping makes me wonder why we would assume that rats would be attracted by hand tapping... Lets face it rats don't tap for each other.... On the other hand when you offer him a treat, he may not be taking it, but he does come to you.... He seems to get that if you reach out to him, or touch him, you want him to come to you.
> 
> ...


They still don't know there names but I'm working on that, if you say they don't need to do immersion I'll stop that and get them used to water witch seems to be going well. I'll post another video up in the next few days. Thank you for the help so far


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

I'm not sure I get the reference to getting them used to water... But basically once you finish the bonding phase of immersion you move on to training and play and confidence building.

It's not so much you stop immersion, but rather you move on to teaching your rats to become better family members.


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## Draugr Rekkr (Apr 21, 2014)

Rat Daddy said:


> I'm not sure I get the reference to getting them used to water... But basically once you finish the bonding phase of immersion you move on to training and play and confidence building.
> 
> It's not so much you stop immersion, but rather you move on to teaching your rats to become better family members.


Sorry I mean so they don't mind being put in water when I bath them they don't freak out. What would you suggest as a good training and confidence building a playing thing for me to do, I can't really take them out of my room yet because Stripe goes strait under the couch and I have a feeling Topaz would do the same and getting them back would be really hard


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

I find that teaching rats to explore takes time and needs to be scheduled.... Basically if you are going to be home on a Saturday all day, that's a good day to let your rats explore a new room. So if someone wants to stay under a couch for an hour or two, there's no rush to get them out... Same thing when letting a rat climb a tree.... If you are in a hurry to be somewhere this is a very bad idea.... Fuzzy Rat usually hung out in a tree top for about an hour before she got bored and came back down, Max has actually curled up on a branch and fallen asleep... And as it was getting dark my daughter had to climb up and get her... My daughter loves to climb trees, which is good when you have a rat that likes to nap in trees.

Play depends on your personality... My daughter's idea of play is different than mine... My idea of play involves a little chasing and skritching, my daughter's idea of play involves running around, jumping up and down and swinging the rat around in the air like a rag doll. Oddly our rats always prefer to play with my daughter. 

Think about how a dad might bond with his son... One will take his son night fishing under the stars for eels and catfish, the other will take his son to baseball games or soccer games. Some father's and sons will build things together... It really doesn't matter so much what you and your rats do together as long as you do something together. 

For me, my daughter likes to go to the park and playground and we take our rats along. They attract playmates for my daughter and keep me company when my daughter is off playing with the other kids. Not that I recommend my approach, but some folks like to cook or clean house with their rats... which I'm sure works just as well.

Use your imagination, you really don't have to just sit there on the floor with your rats and play rat games, rats can enjoy human activities just as much.

Best luck.


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