SamPixieHarper
New Member
Hi, i'm new to this forum and this post will be very long so i'll give an advanced thank you if you read and reply.
I guess i'll start from the beginning, about a month ago I brought two female rats aged about 8-9weeks old. One was perfect (Pixie) to be handled and put in a carrier, the other (Harper) was a very different story, the staff struggled to get her and she ended up jumping out of the cage onto the floor, luckily we caught her straight away. I knew straight away that Harper would be shy and nervous but I took the challenge (these aren't my first rats btw)
A week after I got them I had to go away for the week to live in at college and run the horse yard so i left them in my dads care, I thought this week would give them a chance to settle in and then when I got back they would be ok. Pixie is now very friendly, I can hand feed her, pick her up, stroke her etc and she loves the attention. Harper is a very different story. She won't come near me! She wont be handled, stroked and wont accept any treat off me, if I come near the cage she runs and hides, she hasn't offered to bite she just wont come near me.
Earlier tonight I had to clean them out, Pixie was fine I got her out of the cage safely and we had a cuddle, but Harper wow, she jumped a good 4 feet out of hands onto the floor and ran behind my cupboard (which I had blocked off, obviously not good enough) but I got her into the carrier and away, I had never been so scared, I was so worried for her.
I'm at the end of my tether, I just don't know what to do? She is really really scared. What can I do, please help me? :gaah:
I guess i'll start from the beginning, about a month ago I brought two female rats aged about 8-9weeks old. One was perfect (Pixie) to be handled and put in a carrier, the other (Harper) was a very different story, the staff struggled to get her and she ended up jumping out of the cage onto the floor, luckily we caught her straight away. I knew straight away that Harper would be shy and nervous but I took the challenge (these aren't my first rats btw)
A week after I got them I had to go away for the week to live in at college and run the horse yard so i left them in my dads care, I thought this week would give them a chance to settle in and then when I got back they would be ok. Pixie is now very friendly, I can hand feed her, pick her up, stroke her etc and she loves the attention. Harper is a very different story. She won't come near me! She wont be handled, stroked and wont accept any treat off me, if I come near the cage she runs and hides, she hasn't offered to bite she just wont come near me.
Earlier tonight I had to clean them out, Pixie was fine I got her out of the cage safely and we had a cuddle, but Harper wow, she jumped a good 4 feet out of hands onto the floor and ran behind my cupboard (which I had blocked off, obviously not good enough) but I got her into the carrier and away, I had never been so scared, I was so worried for her.
I'm at the end of my tether, I just don't know what to do? She is really really scared. What can I do, please help me? :gaah:
