Help with a new rat

[Squid]

About the rat:

5/31 I adopted a rat who had part of his tail removed I took him home the same day I saw Charlie was sick.
The way I introduce rats to new rats is I put them in an aquarium with a wire cage top (that fits perfectly in the aquarium) to divide the cage, and I put the old rats on one side, and the new rats on the other. And after about half an hour I take one old rat to meet the new rat and continue until all the old rats are on the other side.

With this rat, I did the same set up but I put in 2 new rats at a time (because I was paranoid about Charlie at the time and needed the cage that the cage top belonged to to hold him in). What happened was, the 2 new rats sniffed him, he laid down in a corner, and they laid on top of him. I put the other 4 in and in about 5 mins, they were all in a pile, with the adopted rat on the bottom. He seems, overall, very mellow. Charlie was the dominant, s well as the father of the other rats, but this rat just lets all the others step on him. He basically acts like a maid, cleaning the cage and the other rats.

The problem:
I want to get to know him better and for him to be more comfortable with me picking him up to clean his cage. I wouldn't be so worried, but he's about a year, and he's HUGE. Not fat huge, like over sized huge, he's like a body builder or something, and his stomach isn't squishy like the other rats.I'm afraid to pick him up because he freaks wen he's out of his cage, and I don't want him to bite me. He can tolerate people, but backs away when I try to pet him. He doesn't eat scraps, like broccoli, only his rat food. He's to heavy to climb the cage bars or walk up the ladders.

I've tried bonding techniques, bigger cages, less rats to overwhelm him, etc. and nothing is working. I don't want him to be afraid of me and I don't want him to hurt me if I accidentally scare him.

I'm also afraid of him playing and accidentally hurting the other rats due to his size. Keep in mind the other rats are 5 months and less than 1/4 of his size.

 

- Hand feed treats (Not Through Cage Bars) - He will get the idea that treats come from hands, so hands are good (healthy treats, low protien, low fat, no sugar or salt and no dairy)
- Never try to pick him up when he is not looking, this will startle him.
- He will need time to get used to his surroundings, this is all new to him.
- Keep his cage out where there are people talking and walking by, he will get used to noises that way.
- You can't be afraid and tense when approching him, if you do he will sense the fear which will make him
afraid.
- Keep offering veggies to him, he will start eating them when he get's used to his new home, everything is just so overwellming for him right now.

It may take a while, so be patient and giive him time

 

[lansauce]

my two boys, although well socialized, were very wary of me and didn't like being held when i got them, but what really got them settled was a consistent routine. i would put your guy in a cage with one or two of his closest buddies, and visit them often .. like ratty momma said, lots of healthy hand fed treats and patience. i'd also set up an enclosed area with familiar toys and a ramp leading out of the cage so that he can explore a bit, and be more confident of his surroundings. when he's comfortable with coming out on his own you could try sitting in the play area with them during out time. just be patient and try not to get frustrated - let him get used to you and being handled at a comfortable pace.

 

[Squid]

I try giving him other types of food, the other rats will start to eat it, and when I give him some he sniffs it ad doesn't seem interested. He won't even eat it when I leave it out for him. I'm sure its because hes lived a year in Petco with nothing but his rat food, and just isn't used to it. I put him in the play area but he's always so scared. He explores a bit but after a while he just sat in the corner, and he tries to back away when I go near him. I'm also nervous to pick him up much, he's very hard to hold and I don't want him to freak out and jump.

Tomorrow is special chicken treat day, he loves chicken so hopefully it will be a chance for him to bond with me.

Also, when I give them their food some of the other rats try to steal his food from him, even though they have plenty, and he just lets them. I don't want to have to feed him separately every time he gets food, or keep the other rats away from him every time he eats, is there any way to stop this?

 

Once he get's settled in he will eat other foods. For right now feed him treats that he likes.
Where does he seem the most comfortable? you said he is scared in the playpin. Dose he like his cage? if so put the cage inside the play area with the door left open so he can explore on his own when he is ready, instead of you plucking him out of the cage.
Also, lye down on the couch and watch TV and put him on the couch with you, he will eventually explor and get your scent.
Also rat's with be rat's, they will steal from each other.

Just be patient.

 

[mamarat]

Like Ratty Momma said if he could have access to the playpen and his cage on his own terms. That way he could come out on his own when he's ready and explore then run back to the safety of his cage. Can you sit in the playpen with him and just let him explore you too? If a rat is scared he won't eat, just hold the food in his mouth and of course it's fair game for the other comfortable ratties to grab. Good luck. He looks like a big sweetie.

 

[Squid]

He's doing alot better and is alot more friendly with me and his buddies, but he's very messy..like purposely messy. He chewed through the food bowl, chewed the hammock of, stuffed it in a corner and kept peeing on it until I finally found it and had to throw it away...
And he pees all over the levels of the cage. My rats usually keep their cage pretty clean when their in it, and don't chew alot of things besides their lab blocks, and he won't eat them, he just pees on them too. He's the same out of the cage, he'll poo in a corner and then while later I'll see him sitting in it and eating. It seems like whenever I clean it up there's always more...and sometimes he'll just take the other rats food from their hands and put it in the same corner he peed in, and then lest them eat it there, but he spends hours cleaning the other rats and moving toys into different places..he's so weird sometimes, and its becoming a problem with my weekend trips to Chicago because I don't want them eating in pee..-.-

Also, he's had this lump near his back leg since I got him, the pet store said ''I never saw that'' and I've been wondering if its a tumor, but ignoring it because even if it was, I cannot afford to get it removed. Then I noticed that..he's only got one testicle D: Now I'm wondering if the lump is just...the other testicle? Its just about the size of it and its squishy(Now I feel kinda grossed out, I thought it was a tumor when I touched it DX) But like....its just really bizarre! Is it just like a freaky mutation or something I should watch out for?

He's a big, fat, one-testicled messy house maid.

 

[Squid]

I just kinda noticed you can see the lump by his leg in the pic I posted, dunno if it helps though..
D:

 

[jorats]

So the lump is near his penis? It might be that it never descended but it shouldn't be that big I don't think. Keep an eye on it, if it grows you may not have a choice but see a vet. Start saving your pennies now.
The peeing and pooing where he sleeps and eats is a rat trying to hide himself and his food. When an animal marks their territory, other animals will stay away.
I'd try and do more socializing and give him more time too.

 

[Squid]

I've had him for a while now, the other rats get along great and he's fine with me. The only problem now is that hes attacking the other rats when he sees they have food, or if they get near his food. I'm starting to give them their meals at a certain time, making sure he's not near the other rats when their eating, it seems to be working for now He isn't as messy anymore and the lump isn't a tumor, yay.

Also, he smells really bad, kinda like the smell of your pet when he comes home from the vet, it smells REALLY bad and I can't get it to go away even when I wash him....yuck.

 

[PitLuvs]

I think you and he would benefit from a trip to the vet, if he smells that bad there could be an infection. There are a ton of things that could be wrong to warrent a bad smell. I am unsure of the food issue, only time I have observed that was when food wasnt readily available as much as they wanted and they started going in to a fenzy thinking any food they got was their last meal. I started to free feed after that, instead of feeding once/twice a day.

 

[xxchelle]

Washing males can actually make them smell MORE because they secrete more buck grease to compensate for the lack of smell.

HOWEVER a truly foul smell can be infection, and would warrant a vet visit.

 

[Squid]

He's still healthy and cute, but I'm starting to wonder if its the bedding I'm using...
I use carefresh, but lately I've been getting the colored packages instead of the uncolored ones and after a while it has a really odd smell. I cleaned some cages and put him in a separate cage and both cages have the same weird smell, has anyone else used this bedding? And is there another brand I can get that might be better/less smelly for them?