# Popcorning: Do your rats still do it?



## Pandorascaisse (Mar 12, 2014)

Hi there! I was just wondering, do your rats popcorn, and if so, how old are they? I've heard that popcorning is something that only baby rats will really do - or young rats. However, my year-plus-old rat, Ouija, is a huge popcorn...er. If I skritch his sides, he'll hop away, or if we're free ranging and I'm sitting in the chair, he'll take a rice puff treat from my hands and hop away like a madman. It's seriously cute, but I was wondering if he'll loose this soon? I know each rat is different... but Ouija has always been pretty active, especially for a boy, so I've heard.

Do some rats just popcorn their whole lives? I would hate to see Ouija lose one of his cutest traits


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## thatprettyarcanine (Aug 16, 2014)

I've heard some rats do it all their lives. Some out grow it. Like you said, every rat is different :] I have two 5 week old babies and they do it all the time. Thinking about getting a bigger cage because I'm scared they're going to hit the sides of the cage!


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## Phantom (Apr 4, 2012)

My oldest rat is over 1 and a half years old now and he still loves to play and popcorn all over my room during free range time. =P


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## Zabora (Jun 8, 2014)

My big boy Dean still does it and he is over a year old. Then he gets tired and lays down because he is fat like that


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## PawsandClaws (Jul 22, 2014)

My two year old boy does not popcorn. Slow and steady is his game.


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## Tiffisme45 (Jun 22, 2014)

My boys are only 5 months old but they LOVE to popcorn! Especially when we hand wrestle together


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## Dan203 (Jul 10, 2014)

What is popcorning?


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## ratbasket (Apr 26, 2014)

popcorning is when a rat bounces and walks at the same time, it looks kind of like they are popping around the room/cage.


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## Dan203 (Jul 10, 2014)

Oh I see mine do that all the time (buddy moreso then Tempy). But they are both still young. These are my first rats, so I just assumed it was how they ran. I had no idea it was something only the little ones did.


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

my nuka is a few months and popcorns on bear all across the bed and even pounces crinkle balls popcorn style lol i wanna get a video of him doing it one day and the music to gangnam style in the background lol ratties can be silly


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## Adeliek (Jul 28, 2014)

So that's what this is!!! My two older boys never really did this but since I got my girl it's all she ever does...I had no idea what was up with her I thought she was just going crazy! It's so cute though


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## Lita (Jul 10, 2014)

Well so thats what rat people call it! XD our girls do it a fair bit but i couldn't find what it's called for rats. It's a popcorn for a guinea pig to, and for bunnies it's a binkie. Glad to know what to call it now! Our shy girl Sips does it sometimes, she'll come over slowly then run away and do a popcorn before slowly sneaking back over to you. Cricket is insane but she is the youngest and most hyper. I don't know if Ellie ever has but she is pretty laid back.


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## ratmode (May 15, 2014)

It's a learned behavior, I think - in the wild, an adult rat probably wouldn't "popcorn", but in captivity they retain a lot of domestic traits because they're cute and it helps them adapt to humans. The rats that were cutest were the ones that people wanted, so the tendency to popcorn into adulthood got artificially selected for over time. That's my theory, anyways.  Domestic cats are the same way - they retain juvenile characteristics into adulthood (e.g. mewing like a kitten) because we think it's cute, and because cats are from another planet.

My rats popcorn during playtime - one is more into it than the other. He will popcorn around after I scratch his neck, jump on my hand and pretend to fight me, then popcorn around the immediate area until either I scratch him again or he gets back to "killing" my hand (really just licking it furiously and acting like a warrior).


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## Lita (Jul 10, 2014)

I know with guinea pigs and i belive bunnies it is usualy belived it is normally an uncontrolable thing. Which is why babies do it more, they get so excited so easily and can't help but popcorn/binkie. Much like human children bouncing. Then as they age they get more control and are less likely to do it just because they have matured. Like how most adults won't be seen bouncing in place over something silly. But there are those who do let go a bit more easily and show their excitment more, and those situations that even a serious adult can't help but spazz about. I have one guinea pig who never really has been the type to popcorn and another who does it all the time. The former is more serious in his personality and relaxed while the latter is much less so. I'd assume it was the same for rats. I know Ellie doesn't get overly excited much, sure she gets excited but not like Cricket who bounces off the walls and will literally climb the ceiling of the cage to run upside down. Then Grizabella is the bouncy friendly one and she pops about as she tries to climb over or play with everyone. Genie is friendly and likes to get treats and see what is doing but she doesn't get super excited. Grizabella is over twice Cricket's age but they have similar personalities. Same with Genie and Ellie.


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## new_rattie_mommy (Aug 24, 2014)

My two boys are still babies but are about 5 months one is pretty petite and muscular and my other boy is kinda fat and lazy. my little one has always been energetic and he popcorns when he is hyper, usually only at free range. Even though he is still kinda young i think that's just his personality and I doubt he will stop doing it. my other boy prefers to hide in my plant during play time and rarely runs unless he is running from being caught lol


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## Rimmer (Jul 26, 2014)

Rimmer will popcorn all the time in his free range area, it is really silly!


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## ratbasket (Apr 26, 2014)

One of my girls will popcorn when I come over to their cage.


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## Jessiferatu (Apr 30, 2014)

I can get my older guys to do it if I rile them up.  Usually rapid little scritches / tickles behind the ears and on the side of the neck does it.


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