# Make them love me!



## Krickette (Aug 5, 2007)

My rats hate me. well, they don't hate me, but they don't like me. When I reach in their cage, they ignore my hand, then come look for treats, then go away. if i try to take them out they run and hide. I take them out and play with them, and they run and hide. I'll put them on the bed with me, and they hide under my covers, and then they'll come out and see me, but they don't want to be handled much, they'd rather do their own thing. 
Someone told me to ahve a friend scare them, and then to have me be the one to take them away from the scary, so they'd know i was a safe place, and it worked some with godiva, she'll come when i make a kiss noise most of the time, but Jasue was impossible to scare. She's veeeery independant. 
Then lately I've noticed them sort of trying to dominate the other, doing things like tussling, "mounting", fighting, etc. They haven't hurt each other, but at night i hear fights (their cage is at the foot of my bed.) they are still fairly young, too.
Is there any activity y'all can think of that will make them like me?


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Just keep playing with them. You cannot force them to like you.

Girls tend to be more on the playful side.

Maybe you could hand-wrestle with them, since they seem to enjoy that?



I really hope you didn't traumatize Godiva at all with the 'scaring'.


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## Kimmiekins (Apr 14, 2007)

> Someone told me to ahve a friend scare them, and then to have me be the one to take them away from the scary, so they'd know i was a safe place....


 8O 8O 8O


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## Krickette (Aug 5, 2007)

No, after the first time trying that, we decided it was kind of mean. She still acts the same as when I got her. 
They're both petsmart rats, too....


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## Leiren (Aug 5, 2007)

My rat did the same (and I got him from petsmart too hehe),in the petstore when I picked him up he loved on me and licked me and all this stuff,then when I got home it just went..pyscho.Try just being around them for a long period every day,not playing with them,but just letting them sit in your lap,or if they wont sit in your lap sit in a chair so they cant go anywhere and they have no choice but to be with you.Let them get use to you.It worked for me at least.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Something great and fun to do: Get on the bed under a blanket with the rats also under the blanket and let them crawl all over you! Be sure to hand wrestle as well. It's so much fun and tends to be a good bonding experience with those more playful rats.


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## kkdepp (May 22, 2007)

When I first brought my rats home they were frightened and when I let them out to play they would hide and didn't want to be near me. Gradually, the more I handled thme the more they would coem to check me out and see if I was okay. They got better and better until now everytime I let them out instead of running around they follow me around my room and hop on me.  Some rats are handled more at a young age so they are more lovey like my rat Raz, while others that wren't handled as often need more time to come out of their shell. (like my other boy Pip)

Just take your time, handle them often , and let them be around you as much as possible


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## rattikins (Jun 12, 2007)

Just have patience and allow them to come to you. It works. You don't need to do forced socialization, just give them autonomy and give them time. Be consistent and always allow them to make their own choices.  

It's about them being happy, not only you. 

- in order to not piss anyone off, this is MY method and not the only "right" one. If you want to use forced socialization go ahead, but I think it take away a rat's rights.


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## JESSU (Aug 8, 2007)

Me and my ratty instantly clicked but I had a really spoiled dog. She was the type of dog that acted like a toddler instead of a dog. She only let us pet her on her terms. We tried getting her trained. She got kicked out. She was too smart and was a bad influence on other dogs. She would let strangers pet her. Let a kids pull her toung, ears, tail but she would only let us pet her on occasion or if we were about to leave. I would force pet sometimes or pretend I was going, even invite someone over. Force petting will be easier with a rat though. You could stand up put him/her on your shoulder and pet him while hes there. Give him a treat and pet while they eat. I would wear the same pair of socks for a few days then put them in the cage so they get used to your smell. When they let you pet them reward them.


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## :Ash: (Feb 25, 2007)

I had to do some forced socialization with my rats at first, I got them both at petsmart, Pipuri settled in quickly but Wicket took some work. Like the above people said.. you can't make them like you but you can spend time playing with them. I carried both my girls around on my shoulder with my hair down so they had a place to "hide". I also let them run around the bathroom floor when I took a bath because it was sealed off and they couldn't get hurt. They learned to come to me and I'm very happy with them both.


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## chrisstrikeagain (Apr 10, 2007)

Give them time...Andbefore you will realize it, they will love you! My girls all bonded fast.


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

Everything you describe in your initial post is normal behaviour for female rats. Getting them to like you takes time and patience. Be consistent. Play with them, pet them, never scare them!! Scaring them like that could just make them more afraid/cautious of humans! Let them come to you when they are ready - I promise, if you treat them right and don't pressure them, they will, in their own time.


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