My rats are afraid of the floor. Help?

[NatalieRat]

Hello everyone! I'm a newer rat owner and I just joined this sight, so please have some mercy on me and help me out. About two months ago I got two girl rats that were two months old. I haven't had many problems with them, except this one. They're afraid of the floor and any other kind of surface that isn't me or another human that I introduced them to. They will run back to me, jump on me, claw their way to me: whatever it takes, if I dare put them anywhere but on me or in the cage. Even when I put them on another person they know they'll try to get to me, but not as desperately as when I put them on a surface or floor so I wouldn't say that's a problem. I don't know why they're like this, but it's making it hard to train them in any way or free range them. I spend a lot of time with them (at least ten hours a day) so I'm wondering if it's just attachment. They've been this way from the first few days I got them though, so maybe not. Did I do something wrong? Why are they acting like this?

 

[mamarat]

Have you tried putting stuff from the cage that smells like them on the floor? Maybe a favorite hammock or house. And spread some treats like Cheerios on the floor. Hope that helps.

 

[jorats]

Many rats are scared of wide open spaces. Can you make their out time space smaller? And have the cage available so they can run in and out of the cage at will? Also setting down the most delicious treats randomly on the floor might also encourage their curious nature. And like mamarat has suggested, take something that smells like the cage out onto the floor.

 

[NatalieRat]

Thanks! I'll try all of the things you suggested. I'm hoping to give them some out time tomorrow so we'll see how it goes.

 

[NatalieRat]

Okay, sorry I didn't give an update on how things went with the ratties. They did not go on the floor, BUT no less then a couple days later I was sitting around and they decided to explore the chair. So, I guess they figured it out on their own. lol

 

[mamarat]

:joy:

 

[jorats]

That's great. Most of the time, we just need a bit of patience and respect for wait for the rats to go at their own pace.