socializing a rat

[pscychopomp]

I got a female rat about 3 weeks ago, she does not seem very well socialized. She was 2.5 months old when I got her (so 13 weeks now). The guy I got her from lived far from me so we arranged a meeting place, and so I didn't see how she really is. On the way home she bit me quite good when I tried to take her out of the box and put her into the one I brought for her, but we were on a loud bus so that's fine she was probably very scared. Anyway since then she's bitten my mom twice (broke skin), nipped me when I offered a handful of seeds and one time I had my arm in there for her to sniff me she sort of nipped the top of my hand, or more like scraped her teeth against my skin. She has been living with my other female since the start so it's not that she's alone.

Since you guys are used to taking in foster rats which many of which probably haven't been handled much, what can I do? I've tried leaving the cage door open but she won't come out. She will take food from my fingers, but I've stopped because I don't know if that will make her bite fingers when they come at her.

 

[jorats]

Your new little girl needs lots of one on one socializing. She's a scared little one and is defending herself and her new territory.
I'd do the "down the shirt" trick with her. You put on a t-shirt and a sweatshirt over top and you put the little girl in between. Keep her there with you for an hour at a time and do this several times a day. That will get her to bond with you.

 

[rat.charmer]

The shirt trick works nicely. Just make sure it's an old tshirt and an old sweatshirt...cause...hey...rats loooove to chew on things

 

[pscychopomp]

Thanks, I had read that the 'forced' socializing was good for baby rats, but not for older ones, so that's why I was trying the opened cage thing...I really did want to just take her out though, so I'm glad that's ok to do after all. I felt bad because I can tell sometimes she does want to come out.

 

[pscychopomp]

So I have her and her cage mate on me (should I have her out alone?), I have a house coat on with the front open just letting them crawl around me while I'm at the computer. Well I went to scratch my side not even thinking about it and she nipped my knuckle, it wasn't hard, if it wasn't for the scrape mark I would question if that's what it really was. I told her no lol, not sure what else I could do. It's interesting that they know hands specifically, I can feel her sniffing my skin where the shirt doesn't cover and she doesn't bite there.
I hope she does come around :/

 

[jorats]

Having them both is good... makes them feel more secure.
Some rats do nip but not in a hard way more like in a testing teasing you way. My girl Loki did this all the time. She would nip gently then look up at me and wait for my reaction. silly girl.

 

[Joanne]

One of my girls likes to nip me, but it's really not a bite. I think it's a play/dominance thing. You KNOW when they bite - it hurts like hell and bleeds like crazy!
I don't think that having food on your hands will cause her to bite. My kids get excited when I have food sometimes, and they will grab my finger thinking it is a piece of food, but it is never too hard, and they quickly figure out it's not food. If they hang on a bit too hard, I squeek very loudly to proclaim my displeasure. It's funny to see everyone freeze for a couple of seconds! Do NOT yank your hand away. If they are trying to get the food, they will try even harder and may not be as gentle the next time.
*Just picture someone holding out a $20 to you, and as you reach for it, they yank it away. Then you grab even harder and faster, trying to get the $20.* Same with ratties and food.....(and for that matter, it works for dogs too - don't yank your hand away, just take the nibble and holler loudly if it's too hard!)

 

[pscychopomp]

So in everyone's experience, about how long does it take them to stop? I have her (Freyja) and the younger one (Thora) out on me/my computer chair right now. I went to pet who I thought was Thora and received a nip on my thumb, didn't break skin but scraped a layer of my nail off...ok fine, but she just nipped me on my side where my shirt wasn't covering, no broken skin just scratch marks, and this is the first time she's done that, I've felt her touch/sniff bare skin before but she never bit it. She always catches me by surprise so I can't try the 'squeek' thing, I just say no...
Frustrating :/

 

[Joanne]

Instead of saying 'no!', squeek loudly. Can't ya squeek in surprise? :wink2:

 

[Chelipepper]

this may sound stupid but are u actually seeing her nip all the time or just feeling it? (especially when shes in your clothing next to bare skin?) The reason i ask is because sometimes they scratch u with their nails if they are overexcited or trying to nab food from your fingers and they are so fast moving and have nose and feet stuff going on and coming at u lol and its difficult to tell if they nipped or u got scratched by their nails. Has happened here with new rats we have brought in who were nervous and just wanted to grab quickly and scamper back with a tidbit or who wanted to touch us but were afraid and then someone moved or a noise happened.

 

[jorats]

This might very well be part of her personality... something you'll have to get used to.