# Stressed Feeder Rat Turned Pet?



## Aibohp (Jun 9, 2012)

So I recently became the owner of a rat. 

Him coming to be a pet was a complete surprise. My grandpa got him as a feeder so that we could give him to my snake so when he brought him home he dropped the rat in the cage, woke me up, and asked me to watch them because the rat was much larger than what we normally feed the snake. When the snake showed no interest of eating the rat (I think he was too big for her anyway) I went to take him out of her tank. He squealed and jumped out of my hands and onto the floor. Unfortunately my cat was in the room too, not that he really did anything. So my grandma decided to help with the problem of catching the getting the broom and scaring him out from under the dresser he'd run to get under. When we finally caught him he was still squealing at being picked up and he bit me. 

So I put him in a small humane trap while I got a cage fro him, named him Chuck, and when the cage was ready, put him in. 

He's been hiding under a shoe box I put in there with him since yesterday and hasn't seemed to have eaten or drank anything from his water bottle. 

I've had rats before, though all of them were well socialized. I realize that stress/fear can be keeping him from eating or drinking right now but I'm looking for some reassurances that hopefully his behavior is normal and maybe looking for some tips as to how I can start socializing him. I've never had to get a rat to warm up to me before. Most of the ones I have gotten before now have been quite eager for human contact and settled in very quickly. 

Chuck lets me pet him but I haven't tried to do anything else since he still seems scared. Do you think I'll even be able to keep him as a pet or if it's hopeless? I've heard a lot of mixed things about keeping a feeder as a pet. Lots of people have said that it doesn't matter, the only difference between a pet and a feeder is socialization and others have said that I'm screwed and won't be able to turn him into a pet. 

Tips? Reassurances? Anything?


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## CarrieD (Nov 20, 2011)

The difference between a feeder rat and any other rat is sheer luck. (Other than obviously, genetics are iffy. Rats bred to be feeders aren't bred carefully for health and temperment.) Being a feeder is a condition of place and time, that rat happened to be meant as food for another animal. Any rat that isn't socialized early will require time and patience, but it's not impossible - far from it.

The trick is patience on your part. You know he's safe now, but he doesn't and it will take time for him to realize that and come to trust you. Once he does, though, there's no reason at all why you shouldn't have a fine friend. 

You can do a search on trust training for a lot of tips and tricks to help you. Hang in there and be patient as you can - once Chuck calms down and lets his personality shine through, you'll be glad you did!


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## ratjes (Mar 26, 2011)

Get him a social friend so he can see that you are not as scary as he once thought. You might have to do extra trust training as the broom "training" must have been traumatic for him. I am glad that you rescued him.


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## Aibohp (Jun 9, 2012)

I'll see if I can get him a more social friend. I have been very worried about the whole incident with the broom and me catching him. Since his first impression of me was so frightening I've been worried that would make it a lot harder for him to learn to trust me. I'm sure that the incidents with my snake and cat being on the floor with him once he got out of the snake's tank didn't help, either.


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## Aibohp (Jun 9, 2012)

Thank you for the reassuring reply.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Most commercial breeders of feeder rats aren't amateurs. They carefully select much of their breeding stock from large litters, to produce more large litters, to grow quickly and to get big and fat. But they gain no advantage in breeding viscious rats either. After all at some point they may have to handle their stock and bit employees file for workman's comp and make OSHA complaints. So most likely your rattie can be socialized about as well as any other adult rat that hasn't had human contact can.

If he isn't being threatening or trying to bite you, work on building his trust with treats and affection. One of the worst problems with unsocialized adult rats is establishing dominance. But the thing with the broom very well might have gotten you over that hurdle already. Rats are fast learners, and likely he started out with very little trust in, or love for humans and likely he's learned to fear you from his homecoming but despite what he may or may not have learned rats don't carry grudges. At this point as he isn't biting, I'd put the odds about 70 - 30 in your favor.


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