# easily spooked



## Raynes Mom (Apr 10, 2010)

Hi. I am the proud parent of two Dumbo rats. One male(Roddi) and one female(Rayne). They both came from the same breeder and I got to meet and hold both parents and Roddi has adapted wonderfully and pretty much immediately. I got Rayne about a month ago and she is very sweet and curious, but she is VERY easily startled. Any little noise and she will jump or if we move even at a normal spead. We have to be very careful how we move around her. I have started letting her run around on the couch, so she is not withdrawn from fear, but she is just so jumpy. What can I do to help her relax and just ENJOY playtime? Please help! I want her to be as happy as possible. ???


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

You have one male and one female... are they housed together or separately? If together, I advise you separate them immediately and hope the female isn't already pregnant. You could then either neuter the male, or spay the female and then house them together - alternatively you could get another male and female and keep them in same sex pairs. Spaying the female would be more beneficial health-wise as it greatly reduces the chance of tumours, which are very common in females. It seems very strange for a "breeder" to allow someone to adopt one male and one female.

As for Rayne being startled easily - I wouldn't be very careful how you move around her. It is probably best to go about things how you normally do so she gets used to noise and realises she will come to no harm. Perhaps have her cage in an area people are in frequently to get her used to activity - I did this with the new rat, Ronnie, that I re-homed a few weeks ago and now he's fine with noise. Previously anything he heard he would dart around like a lunatic.


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## Raynes Mom (Apr 10, 2010)

No they are not housed together. They each have their own cages and we get them out frequently( alternating of course). As far as the breeder, I know her and she knows I have a good bit of experience with rats. I've just never had one this jumpy! I have her cage sitting right next to me in the living room where we stay all the time, so she gets to watch us walk around and hear us and the tv. When I'm sitting on the couch I will lean over and speak to her often and she is practically begging me to get her out of the cage, and when she is on my shoulder she will chatter, so I don't think it's that she is afraid of me. But any sudden noise and she jumps like she's been shot!!! I've always just had standard rats. Our male was my first dumbo. Does it take the female dumbos longer to adjust than the males?


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## clarry (May 19, 2008)

Nope, not at all, Dumbo shouldnt make any difference to behaviour, its simply a different look. Does she have red eyes? This might make a difference.


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

Dumbo eared rats are no different to standard eared - apart from the placement of their ears. 

Have you considered spaying/neutering or getting another male and female so you can have two same sex pairs? Rats really should be kept in at least pairs - here is an article explaining why they need company. I'm surprised a breeder has allowed two rats to go to a home to live alone - I'd have thought they'd have pushed for another male to live with Roddi.


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## Raynes Mom (Apr 10, 2010)

We have certainly been considering it. We were talking about it the other night actually(getting a friend for each) I've read many articles about keeping them in pairs vs keeping a single pet, and the majority that I have read have said that it is best to keep them in atleast pairs unless you give them ample attention, and if you have a pair they will bond more with each other than you. I will probably get them a friend, I would just like her to bond a little more with me first


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## Raynes Mom (Apr 10, 2010)

We are talking in depth about getting them each a friend. We do also have a lot of playtime and I am currently looking for a sugarglider pouch so I can take her places with me. Petco doesn't have any. Does anyone know where I could find one?


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## Raynes Mom (Apr 10, 2010)

Oh and no Clarry, her eyes are black. Sorry, I missed your post before


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

Raynes Mom said:


> We are talking in depth about getting them each a friend. We do also have a lot of playtime and I am currently looking for a sugarglider pouch so I can take her places with me. Petco doesn't have any. Does anyone know where I could find one?


You could keep checking on petfinder; here.

You could also join forums such as goosemoose and the rat shak - I've heard they always have a lot of rats in various areas looking for homes.

I think it's craigslist you have over there... you could keep checking sites like that. Over here in the UK I use preloved, gumtree and adtrader.

Alternatively you could try to find a breeder in your area.


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## Raynes Mom (Apr 10, 2010)

I found and ordered a sugar glider pouch on e-bay!! I'm gonna get one of my friends to sew on a mesh front to make sure she doesn't get a little fiesty and fall out of the open hole in the front.


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## ArmyWife3409 (Apr 4, 2010)

I'd just be careful that they don't nibble through the mesh. It takes Fievel about three seconds to shred a piece of fleece...


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## Raynes Mom (Apr 10, 2010)

Oh I will. Thanks. Raynes not really bad about nawing through things while she's out of her home anyway, but I will be keeping a close eye on her. Thank you for the heads up though. I will see how she does with it around the house before i take her out in it. Any alternative ideas if she does start chewing through this. What else could I use?


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## Little_Vixen (Feb 4, 2009)

When I had Isis and Seraphina we got some open-top pouches and 'travel' pouches that had a zipper on top and a big mesh kinda 'window' on the front. You might want to make sure she won't freak out with the pouch first because the first time I put Seraphina in the mesh pouch she chewed through the mesh in less than a minute. Hated it.


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## Raynes Mom (Apr 10, 2010)

Where did you get those pouches? That is actually what I have been looking for but haven't been able to find them.


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## ArmyWife3409 (Apr 4, 2010)

I found mine at a mom n pop kinda pet store.


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