# Rat biting while building trust



## Zaidrenteria (Nov 12, 2016)

Hello, I have had my 2 rats for about 3 weeks. I left them alone for about 3 weeks then I started sitting next to their cage. They are still scared when I do sudden movement but seem ok when I am sitting still. The problem is that I recently started trying to build trust. I read you are supposed to put your hands in the cage so that they smell you. The probelm is that one of them bit me hard to the point I bled for a while. I know it was not an attack they just didnt know what it was. I tried again but noticed they tried again. I bought myself a pair of anti puncture gloves to try so thatthey get used to my hands being in there. But they bite every time even though they should know by now it's not food and I move my hand away when they bite. It's been like that for about 3 days. Will they ever approach without biting? Or am I going to be endangered every time and not been able to hold them? When they get scared they run to their bed and stay in there for hours


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Many rats if not most will bite gloves. I totally understand why you tried gloves though. Have you tried trust training with food on a spoon? The three weeks you didn't interact with them don't count, you usually start trust training right away or whithin 24 hours or so if bringing new rats home. Also eep loud in a high pitched voice if they bite; that's what rats do when they hurt- they get it. http://www.ratforum.com/showthread.php?39776-Timid-or-Aggressive-Rat-Trust-Training


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## Zaidrenteria (Nov 12, 2016)

I made a mistake there. I have had them for 3 weeks and let them get used to cage for 3 days. I did feed with spoon first. They seemed totally trustworthy until the bite and now I need to build the trust not them lol


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Make sure your hands don't smell like other pets or hand lotion. Take it slowly and go back to trustvtraining, but do it for at least 30 mins at a time, better one hour. You can do it out of their cage too in a small bathroom for instance- sit comfortably and interact with them. Have plenty of yummy foods to give them on the spoon. I got bit twice, each time because of a bandaid on a finger, lol, same rat, looks like he hates bandaids.


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## Zaidrenteria (Nov 12, 2016)

I always do wash my hands and wait until they are active on their own. The problem is now whenever they get close to my hands to smell I am the one that gets scared and pull away.


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## Andromeda (Apr 28, 2016)

You can't be scared. xP I know it's crappy advice, but you've gotta push through. Right now, they think that biting gets you to leave them alone, which is what they want. When you reach in to pick them up, you have to do it with no hesitation. Be gentle, but firm. It might not be a bad idea to keep the gloves on for now, just to protect yourself.

I think the best thing to do would be to take Grib's advice and try socializing them for longer periods, and do it outside of the cage. They might be biting because to them, you're a stranger invading their home (As a side note, that's actually why I don't really like the 'wait 3 days' method. It basically just gives them just enough time to decide the cage is their home, which in my opinion increases the likelihood of them acting aggressively when an unfamiliar hand reaches in. ). If they're in an unfamiliar area, they won't be territorial. Once they get comfortable with you and know that you aren't a threat, they might not get so upset about you sticking your hand in the cage.


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## Zaidrenteria (Nov 12, 2016)

That makes so much sense. Thank you!


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## luvmy4rats (Nov 29, 2013)

Ah, I just got bit again by a rat who bit me a few weeks ago who also bit my son. We both bled. The amount of blood that came out of my son was a bit much though.

I think my rat may have bit me tonight because he smelled other male rats on my hands. But my goodness, I thought he knew my voice and my hand. I thought that if I announce my presence and stick my hand in his cage to give him food or meds that he would be fine and he has been for a few weeks. What is interesting is he bit me while being on a level which is how he bit me before. I put him in the cage with a level so I could clean his other bigger rabbit cage. 

I handle my aggressive rat daily. He hangs out in my t-shirt for hours and I'll feed him little treats. I am at the point now where I feel rehoming is necessary. I've done all I can to change my rat's mind (my rat came from another home) and cannot afford a neuter. 

When it comes to giving advice about rats who bite I don't have any because all my efforts have been a big fail. I hope you have better luck! Rats can make great pets, I have twelve other rats who are sweet and one that behaves like a turd and is so funny. He is a rat clown and I never knew they could exist.


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