*sigh*

[fireworks]

I feel like a failure. :wallbang:

I've had my rats, my two boys, Romeo and Remi, for months. I give them rat food and water everyday as well as fresh veggies and sometimes snacks like crackers and such, which they love. They live in an FN 142 all to themselves, complete with toys and hammocks. I clean the cage all the time, so they are never living in a dirty environment. I handle them very gently, and Romeo likes to give me kisses and sit on my shoulder. Remi is a lot less outgoing than Romeo, but I'd say they are both very, very timid and scared rats.

For some reason, they HATE being out of their cage. They just hate it! I recently built a small enclosure that they can go in and out of their cage from, so it's less stressful being outside their cage. That didn't really work. I sat there for a little while and Romeo went down and up a couple times but Remi refused to go anywhere near it and stayed in the cage the whole time, watching Romeo. Also they refuse to eat when out of their cage. They will only take treats from me if they are in their cage, and when they are in their cage they take as many treats as I'll give them!

I always see pictures and stories of people who let their rats loose in their house or in a room and the rats just came to their name when called and will happily sit on their owner's shoulders and brux and boggle. I fear that will never be the case with my boys.

Oh, another thing. Neither of my rats have EVER boggled. I'm not sure about bruxing, Romeo has grinded his teeth together, but I'm not sure if it's in happiness or stress.... But they've never showed me that they were truly happy. And it makes me so, so sad. Just today I was sitting with Romeo on my lap, and he was doing this weird vibrating thing - I kept wondering what that meant. But he was perfectly calm and everything, he wasn't really moving that much but would look around some and kinda just sit there. I looked it up what rats vibrating meant, and on yahoo answers it said that it meant the rat was scared. What is he scared of?! I have never been mean to him or been rough with him or anything! And I was sitting with him RIGHT next to his cage. It's like they are getting less and less sociable and it's killing me. I've tried so, so hard with them and they're getting nowhere.

It's not that they're untame or wild or anything. I mean they will take treats & food from me, climb up my shirt to sit on my shoulder, Romeo will sometimes give me kisses, and they eat and drink perfectly fine but it's just that... I don't feel like they love me like I know most of your rats do.

I just don't know.

Any tips?? I've let them lick yogurt off my fingers like someone here suggested but.. I think that's more of a taming exercise than a bonding one.

 

[NezumiNeko]

Rats are like that at first. I'm sure you're a fantastic owner!

You can put them in your sweater, so they'll bond to your scent. (thanks Jo!) But honestly, I think the best way is to just take them out. They won't like it at first, but you really have to force them, it sounds harsh, but it's the best way to bond.

 

[fireworks]

Thanks Nezumi. =]

The problem is, they are 6 months old already. I've had them since they were little babies. We've gotten somewhere, and they're tame, but still timid. I don't know really.



And yeah I've done the sweater thing a lot before. I haven't done it in a while but I'll try. Thanks so much, I wasn't sure if I was supposed to leave them or take them out a lot. I mean I already take them out every day (unless I'm super-busy!) but I guess forcing them to socialize is better than just letting them be!

 

[MumsyRat]

Put the cage near to where you are and just leave the door open while you do your own thing, i.e. watch TV, work at the computer, etc.. When they come out (and sooner or later they will) approach them slowly and talk to them in soothing tones. 6 months is still young - they'll come around!

 

[jorats]

Rats seem to go through another phase after 3 months old, it's like they become more aware of their surroundings and need to be reassured that all is well. Even now, my rats will have some off days where they would rather stay in their cage.
I'd do more socializing, more big boy ratties down your shirt, or put on an old blanket on your bed and let them run around there, with only you as their toy, only you to be their hidey house.

 

[fireworks]

Okay, I will try letting them on my bed as well. Thanks.


And Mumsy, I'll try to sit near their cage more. Problem is it's quite big and not really transportable.

 

[NezumiNeko]

I used to read on my beanbag with the cage door open. Now my room is much to messy for this.

 

[CardboardCastles]

Also they refuse to eat when out of their cage. They will only take treats from me if they are in their cage, and when they are in their cage they take as many treats as I'll give them!

My girls absolutely will not touch ANYTHING thats offered to them outside the cage, ever, I just don't bother anymore. On the up side, they aren't CHEWERS when they're out of the cage either, so I don't have to worry about my stacks of books and papers everywhere!

 

[LA]

Our girls Ruby and Hazel were less outgoing but then at one year they all of a sudden changed, they climb on to your shoulder etc. I do agree having the enclosure around their cage where they can have access to it is a good idea. We used to have the enclosure separate from their cage and they constantly tried to jump out. When we put it around their cage they started to play more and were more relaxed overall. Give them time, they might be going through a stage as Jo said. Mine were like this too, I would see others having big sucks and mine weren't like that then everything changed.

As for food, that took a while too. I'm sure you are a wonderful owner, it will come in time.

 

[NezumiNeko]

My rats only eat in the cage too, unless it's something really yummy. Does anyone know why they do this, is it a security thing?