# Females - so on the go!



## schnebbles (Nov 11, 2015)

I wish I'd gotten boys. My one female still just likes to hide in my shirt when I have her out and the other one just wants to go, go, go! I know they are relatively new but I still just don't like them much - don't get me wrong, I like them, but they aren't what I imagined/hoped. Here I thought I'd have a nice shoulder pal but nothing close to that. 

The on the go one likes to just run all over the couch which is fine but my cats like to lay on the couch with me and she starts nibbling at them which isn't good. I have to be on guard when she's out so she doesn't tick a cat off and get hurt or vise versa. I don't want to put my cats up because they were here first, they don't bother the rats. 

I'd like to exchange them for boys but I couldn't do that since they would possibly be feeders.


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

> I'd like to exchange them for boys but I couldn't do that since they would possibly be feeders.


oO that is so sad sounding to me.... We can't just fill out a form and create the ideal pet that has the perfect personality. They are unique living creatures. There are generalizations on the sexes but that is not set in stone. Girls can be lazy, boys can be active and everything in between.

The best you can hope for is when choosing a new pet, spend some time interacting with them before buying them so you can get somewhat of an idea on them. Doing more research on the type of pet before getting it as well will help. But that doesn't do much good now.

But even if you exchanged them for boys, doesn't mean those boys will be calm and behave how you want.

One of my most hyper rats is a male. Omg he bounces off walls I swear. I think most of my boys would also harass the cats. And while my boys seem slower than the girls they are still very active and energetic. 

If you wanted a much calmer rat, maybe adopting an elderly rat would have been better. Hopefully yours will start to slow down as they age.

My rats love to sit on my shoulder, sometimes but imagine how boring that would be for them all the time? They are highly intelligent animals and need to use their minds. Giving them a playpen perhaps or a room that has been rat proofed to run around and play in with lots of different stuff for them to explore and play with. That will tire them out and then you can have snuggle/shoulder time.


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## ElectricPaladin (Jan 18, 2016)

My rats are who they are, and I'm cool with it. Sometimes I wish that we'd gotten boys, because supervising the hyperactive girls we got can be a pain in the butt, and it sometimes limits how much out-of-cage time we can give them. But I still wouldn't trade them for anything, and I know that I'll miss them when they're gone. And... if we end up getting new rats, when the time comes, we'll probably try getting boys and see how it's different.

This is true of all kinds of pets. My last bearded dragon was very gentle and friendly and loved to sit in my lap. My current beardie is skittish and grumpy. That's just how they are.

But yeah... I think that you've got to just be ready to get what you get.


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## Zanie (Dec 30, 2015)

And my girls Zanie and Niftie are happy to sit on the shoulder. Blaize will too, but she'll also run down if she feels like it. Magic loves lying in a pouch or pocket and relax, Spell can be a bit of both and of course Oddity who's old just prefer not to be out much at all.

I'd say Blaize and Spell are a bit hyper and not so cuddly in the couch though.

Handle your rats, have stuff on the couch near you where they can investigate and play and hide (preferably next to you so that spot is more fun), give them treats (maybe babyfoods on your hands so they have to stay and lick) but wait untill they've checked the couch out before you do that. Keep them out for a good while and when they start relaxing an go sleep somewhere, gently move them to you and cuddle with them. Offer them some place to stay (like in your lap but under a blanket) where they feel protected.

Give them some time.


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## Fu-Inle (Jan 22, 2015)

My rats were the same when they were young, always getting into mischief, never staying still and they were very fustrating. Especially Merry, oh god young Merry was the worst, she made it her life mission to get into things she wasn't supposed to. But they chilled out with age, my girl Merry is a big laprat. She'll fall asleep in my hands as i pet her. She kills the gender stereotype. I think if I get more rats I'll be adopting adults, babies are fun and all but Merry put me off them, she was a devil child lol.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

My neutered 10 months d boy is more hyper than my female rats never were. He can jump close to 5 feet, more like 4 feet now as he gained some weight. So you never know. I wouldn't bring them back but maybe there is someone here who would want to adopt them. You can try on the adoption forum here...I don't like the idea, but if as a result your rats are unhappy too, then it could be better to rehome them to someone who loves hyper female rats.


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## schnebbles (Nov 11, 2015)

I will keep them, I think I was just venting earlier. I suddenly see/realize that I need more play things for them - now that it's been mentioned, I realize their cage sucks! Right now Emmie is holding a toilet paper roll trying to limb up the wire with it. . I need better ideas for toys. I want my girls to be happy! Maybe that's the answer, play toys. I have a hut, basket, hidey hang thing, rope bird perch, a couple of those ledges to sharpen claws and that's about it. They don't have fun things. i'll have to look into what is fun. Now I see my cage is not big enough. Rat Manor. 

So - toy ideas for a small cage? Bring em' on!!


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## SorrySayAgain (Sep 20, 2015)

I went a tad overboard with toys when i first got my boys, to the extent that I've taken a couple of bags of unused/unwanted toys to the local shelter. All rats are different, but one of my boys' favourite toys is a big paper bag filled with toilet rolls. That isn't for in the cage, it's for free-range play, and they love running in and out and burying themselves in there and generally making a lot of noise and mess (the toilet rolls don't stay in the bag for long).

Something else they love is a box of tissues. I pull a couple out, to make it easy to get the tissues out, and they'll empty the box and then nap in it. I'm starting to think that maybe they just like making a mess because I'm noticing a theme here...

One of my boys loves destroying round things. Tennis balls, ping pong balls, those cat balls with the jingles in it, if it rolls he will gleefully kill it.

My boys are all terrified of another cat toy I got them, a fluffy thing on a string/stick that cats usually pounce on. I saw someone on a video playing with their rat with one, so your mileage may vary.

I do get them toy mice (never catnip ones because I'm not sure if that's bad for them) and it's hilarious to watch them bully the mice and carry them to the food dish and such. I think my boys have a sense of humour, as I'll find the mice in a nest, by the water bottle, by the food, in the littertray, etc. They like moving them around. Roy however (the killer of round things), he likes to pull their ears off and eat holes in them.

I made a climbing frame for them out of strips of cloth (I used shirts they'd eaten holes in) but I'm not sure if that's practical for you right now, with a small cage.

Keep all cardboard boxes you have; put some in the cage, and bigger ones you can keep for out-of-cage-time (I built mine into a big fort they love exploring). Hiding treats in different places keeps it exciting for them.

Hammocks are great, and you can make them cheap out of old clothing, blankets, bandanas, scarves, towels, etc. I just use bulldog clips to attach it to the sides and wash/replace them regularly. I'm not sure what your set-up is like, but they love having multiple levels. If the cage you currently have doesn't have an extra level or two, making a 'soft level' out of a large cloth could be an option. I use one in my cage, and one of my boys likes jumping off the hammocks above and landing on it like a trampoline. He'll race up and do it five or more times in a row.

My boys have zero interest in mirrors. They treat them no differently than a wall or any other flat surface.

If you or someone you know gets the newspaper regularly, it's worth asking if the paper is printed with soy ink. If so, it's rat-friendly and is an excellent toy/bedding for them. Some scrunched-up balls of newspaper in the cage is fun for them, and if you've got a sizable box, fill it up with scrunched-up paper for their out-of-cage time and they'll think every christmas has come at once.

I have a cat-scratching tree in their cage for them to climb up, and they often turn this into a game of King of the Mountain (try to shove each other off).

I get cotton string or twine and finger-knit/braid it into ropes for them to climb. 

For hot days I'll freeze veggies/fruits in blocks of ice for them to chew out/laze upon. Another thing they like is frozen peas/corn in a dish of water for them to go 'fishing'. 

If they're keen on chewing things, cooked chicken bones are the way to go. My boys will wrestle over them (especially if I've left a scrap of meat on it!) and will be very occupied for quite a while.

I have peg baskets clipped to various parts of the cage and the fact that they swing when the boys climb into it/move/etc seems to make it their favourite.

I'm a broke student, so I like to frequent the local Op Shops/Thrift Stores for things I can turn into rat toys/hides/perches and stuff. Ask friends/family/roommates to keep their toilet rolls/tissue boxes for you. Before you put something in the bin, have a wonder what your ratties would do with it and if it's safe to give to them. They often like the box more than the toy it contains, in my experience. And wrapping paper. Paper in general.

I'd recommend experimenting with different materials and textures, to find out what your girls like the best. Keep an eye out for bruxing/boggling and try to replicate it if possible. One of my boys loves ripping paper, another has to destroy anything round, another loves digging, and my boy that recently passed loved ripping the frilly bits off my pillows. 

Try different things, and keep changing them! They love variety, and I've heard that girls love being intellectually stimulated, so if you haven't tried teaching them tricks, maybe that's an option for you? Or maybe some of those parrot toys that are meant to entertain smart pets? My boys are a bunch of duffers so I've never really looked into it XD 

Let me know how it goes! =D


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## Staceface2345 (Feb 20, 2016)

I felt the same way you did with my first pair of girls; dont feel bad. For me, their energy prevented me from seeing their personalities. Plus my boy is wild and crazy so they pale in comparison to him. I got my girls a lot of stuff to climb on and chew toys to hang from the top of the cage. You can also try a new wheel. My girls were picky with their wheels and refused to use the first one I bought. I use a lot of bird climbing and foraging toys. My rats really like the natural twig perches, rope laders and salt lick shelves. Amazon has a great selection.


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## schnebbles (Nov 11, 2015)

Awesome, I'll be getting some play things! I do have a chew kind of twig perch in there, it's for small animals.


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## raindear (Mar 3, 2015)

I love to get children's "noise-making" toys: the Fisher Price barn for instance. I love it when I'm sitting watching tv and hear a cow moo or another of the noises it makes. I keep a look out at Good Will or other thrift shops for toys like that. 

Recently I saw a chirping cricket cat toy and bought one for the cats and one for the rats. The rats played with it longer than the cats did. I try just about anything that catches my eye.


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## InuLing (Dec 26, 2015)

Also dog ropes can be hung in the cage. You can either hang one end from the top so they can climb it or I prefer to turn it into a tightrope for them. Also rat-yatas are a good way to use up their energy. Find a safe way to suspend treats inside something and then hang it from the cage. I use little paper baskets I found at the dollar store (I get my dog ropes there too) and they work great. Most people seal the ends of a toilet paper tube and use that. If your looking for toy ideas check out the toy idea thread in the general rat topics section. There's a lot of good ideas there.


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## schnebbles (Nov 11, 2015)

I wish I felt comfy letting them loose in the living room but I don't yet. I put kaytee bedding in the bottom last night (vs fleece) and I see they varried a bunch upstairs, in the food bowl that's on that level. I want to try to potty train but they just go on their fleece. No special place, just wherever they are. 

Dog ropes? What kind? Leashes or dog rope toys? The ones with knots in them? We have them at work.


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## InuLing (Dec 26, 2015)

Those heavy braided and knotted dog rope toys.


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

You could always try getting a neutered boy if you really want a snuggle-buddy. (But as stated before, results may vary. Shamus is 18 mos and just figured out how to move the playpen, so that's going to have to get bolted to the wall, lol. But I mostly think that's because one of our foster girls is in heat.)

And I have the extra huts distributed through my free roam area. You'd think I have a mini cat.

Rat Manor is a nice starter cage for babies and two rats, and you can fit a lot in there if you can get creative. It was my first cage and now houses my fosters and doubles as a travel cage. I do behavior cases (rats and other animals) since not many people want a biting animal, so having a smaller cage makes it easy to get them to come out for play time. Just wish the freaking doors were bigger. I also use a ferret playpen as a type of fence for free roam, though if yours are babies, they'll squeeze through 1" in about .2 seconds. If you pick the cage up off of the bottom, you can fit a 12" Silent Spinner wheel in there, which is a great release for energy. (Note: The Silent Spinner, though definitely quieter than those cheap plastic wheels, is NOT silent. Actually, it can get laughably loud.)

And Joanns seems to have a never-ending string of fleece sales. So if you know how to sew, the sky is the limit.

And you can get rope and other material bird perches. Just know that wood can get kind of funky.


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Oh, and pretty much anything (toy-wise) you buy for a ferret can be used with rats. Just watch out for fabric that frays or large bar spacing.


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## Modernstar (Jan 30, 2016)

All rats have different personalities! I have a boy that's so crazy hyper he never stops going. And I have another boy who is so calm and chill but he doesn't like to chill on humans, just sleep in dark tunnels and houses. When I got them, I was hoping for shoulder/lap rats too. But TRUST ME, regardless of their personalities you WILL grow so attached to them and love them regardless. 

Are they young? They _will _mellow with age. Let them grow on you, and I promise you will grow fond of their personalities and won't be able to even think about "exchanging" them.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

https://vid.me/BzNQ 

Above, you will find a link to a video of the truly amazing Fuzzy Rat. If you haven't seen it before, she's leading me back to the car. She was actually quite remarkable. But what most people don't know about Fuzzy Rat was that she also practically never slept. Or that she could run at human jogging speed for over a mile. I also rarely mention that she liked to go outside to the soccer field at around 1 AM to run around for half an hour before going to sleep. While it is true that she would nap on our laps and on my desk she also destroyed the house if she got bored.


Fuzzy Rat was a truly amazing animal; she was brilliant, she was loving and she was loyal, but she was also very high maintenance. After Fuzzy Rat passed away we adopted Max. Compared to Fuzzy Rat Max was a hermit. Max never did any damage in the house and lived free range. Sometimes, we didn't see her for days at a time. To make matters more interesting Max and Amelia would usually climb into my bed around 5 AM to wake me up and play a few minutes before disappearing for the rest of the day.


Each and every rat has its own personality, each will express their love for you in a different way. Misty mugs me about three or four times a day and wants to play or follow me around while our old girl Cloud just sauntered past me, just to check in and didn't even wait for scritch before going to her secret nest where she is going to spend the rest of the day sleeping. Tonight, around midnight she'll be back to remind me it's dinner time and to be tucked into her cage for bedtime. She'll usually lounge on me for about 15 minutes get scritched and snuggled before insisting on food.


Sometimes I miss the rat that jogged through the park with us, sometimes I miss the no maintenance rat that we hardly knew we had, but mostly I'm grateful for the girls we have now because despite their peculiarities, I know they love us and we love them for being just who they are.


I'll admit that sometimes I've been disappointed by new rats before I got to know them. Sometimes, I miss the friends that I have loved and lost and I wish our new rat was more like the one that we had before, but once I get to know our new rats and learn to appreciate their special personality they become special to me too.

Give it a little time and get to know your girls better and let them get to know you, I'm sure you will work something out, you will all enjoy.


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## schnebbles (Nov 11, 2015)

oh my gosh, Fuzzy Rat was so sweet and smart! that's amazing. I picked up a couple mice at work and a rope thing with 3 rings looped together I'm going to hang so they can climb. They want out right now, I better let them out to play. We had another sick one at work, it''s so sad. So skinny and looks like a leg is bad. I'm getting a new job. 

I'm sure I'll grow to adore my girls, I guess I just thought they would love being held. They are young, yes. The one had 5 babies already so I rescued her from being a feeder. The other one is younger. Neither are full grown. Probably 6 months tops on the older one.


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## raindear (Mar 3, 2015)

My first little girl, Xena definitely loved me. She came whenever I called, but she never held still and never stayed for more than a few seconds. She just had too much to do and see to sit around with me.


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## dionkasper (Nov 28, 2015)

My rats didn't have a specific place where they went to the bathroom either. When I potty trained them I put large litter trays on each level in their cage, with of course litter in it which was a different substrate than the rest of their cage. Twice a day I would go through their cage and scoop up any poop not in the litter and place it in the litter pans. They picked up on it pretty quickly, and by the end of the week I was able to switch out the large little boxes for smaller ones. To get them to pee in the litter (which is a bit more difficult then getting them to poo sometimes), I placed a flat rock in each littler pan. Rats love peeing on rocks lol. The trick is really to place lots of littler boxes in the cage (one per level) as rats can be lazy. My boys like rolling out of their respective hammocks and going - no patience from my sleepy rats - so its crucial to have litters close by.


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