# My first rats!



## EvilsRatties16 (Mar 30, 2016)

I am officially a new rat owner, I got two boys today. Bartok and Rasputin (Ras for short) I put them in the bottom of my ALT multilevel small animal cage thinking it would make them want to explore, seeing as the food is on the second level. But they are just huddled together in thier litter box, for the past few hours. Bartok is the dark one and Ras is the double rex? So excited for my new boys I just hope they warm up to me.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Congrats they are adorable.


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

Aw! They are so cute! 

Rats are pretty affectionate, mine are anyway. They look young.

Since you just brought them home, they are probably being pretty shy. It's a whole new world for them! Just give them a few days and they'll be all over you! 

In my experience, rats usually want to explore in the upward direction. I have a Double Critter Nation. Wanna' know where the rats are 99% of the time? On or in the highest hammock on the highest shelf all huddled together! They rarely go down to the basement.


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## InuLing (Dec 26, 2015)

Yeah I started putting the water bottles in the bottom and the food in the top just to encourage them to use the whole cage instead of always hanging out in the top half. It worked.

Your two boys are adorable and I love their names. They should start exploring before too long but they need some time to calm down first and realize they're in a safe place.


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## EvilsRatties16 (Mar 30, 2016)

Thanks everyone, I'm just an insecure new momma, but like yall said they'll be fine when they get used to the place. The breeder said they are 8 weeks.


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

Oh, if you got them from a breeder they'll definitely be all over you pretty soon! They came pre-socialized


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## EvilsRatties16 (Mar 30, 2016)

so very excited!


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## EvilsRatties16 (Mar 30, 2016)

Update Ras has figured out the ramps and has found his cave.


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## mis.kay (May 29, 2015)

Oh my goodness such big ears they have! xD They are really handsome. I hope you enjoy their company as much as they will eventually enjoy yours.  I adore the names!


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## EvilsRatties16 (Mar 30, 2016)

Yeah thier ears are so adorable, and I already love being around them even though I'm just talking to them while they hide.


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## mis.kay (May 29, 2015)

Thats what I did when I first got my boys cause they were a little frightened. Give them a salad tonight and keep your hand by the bowl. That works nice too! Quick suggestion about the litter box, sometimes it's hard for them to learn with the rack in the box so it might be good to remove the rack and then build up to it. =)


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

mis.kay said:


> Thats what I did when I first got my boys cause they were a little frightened. Give them a salad tonight and keep your hand by the bowl. That works nice too! Quick suggestion about the litter box, sometimes it's hard for them to learn with the rack in the box so it might be good to remove the rack and then build up to it. =)


Most rats don't like the rack on a litter box, and as a result won't use it. Also rats need to be able to eat heir poop for nutrition. I can't remember how it is called now, or what specific vitamins they need from their poop.


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## EvilsRatties16 (Mar 30, 2016)

Thanks so much for the advice I'll try the salad, and I'll take the rack out now since I'm al ready talking to the boys.


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## EvilsRatties16 (Mar 30, 2016)

Got a better picture of Bartok.


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## Tabitha&Tobermori (Mar 14, 2016)

He is gorgeous! I love his colouring!


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

I thought I would mention this on litter box training. 
When I first got rats, I noticed that they all mostly pood and peed on the very bottom level. I quit using fleece on the bottom level and lined it with unscented puppy training pads. I wanted to potty train them and put boxes down there. The old cage was a *serious pain* to get in and around to pick up raisins and put in the boxes.

Here's the interesting and maybe helpful part.

When I upgraded to the superior Double Critter Nation, I knew it would be easier to get to the raisins and get them all potty trained. As it turned out, _I didn't have_ _to potty train them_. 

For the new cage, I put in a much larger litter box, a small cat litter box . I put the puppy liners in the box. All of my rats used the litter box with out fail. I didn't have to move one single raisin. They went to the box automatically. 

I'm guessing that they all associated the puppy liners with doing their business. Since the liners were in the box, they just kept using the puppy liner to go to the bathroom. It could be the size of the box. The box takes up less than half of the bottom level of the cage which is covered in fleece. I've moved the box since then and they still use it even though it's not on the bottom level anymore.

So, if you notice that they pee in a certain place, use a different substrate there. Give them some time to associate that substrate with going to the bathroom. The put the substrate in a box. Maybe try a bigger box.


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