Making Friends

*Please note, I have written this page with rescues and pet shop rats in mind. I would expect that a rat bred by a reputable breeder would be already used to human contact and, after the first couple of days of settling in and getting used to you, should be eager to come out and play.*

Once you bring your new friend home, and she has been left a day or two to recover from her trauma, you can start to make friends. Rats are naturally friendly gregarious creatures, so whatever age your new pet is or however she has been treated in the past, she will generally trust you in the end.

You should make a start by talking softly to your rat so she becomes used to the sound of your voice. Next, place your hand inside the cage. This will worry the rat and she may run away at first. However, her natural curiosity will soon overcome her, and your pet will come over to investigate. You can further aid this encounter by placing some food on your hand. After all, the way to any animals’ heart is via her stomach! Never make a grab for a rat straight after you put your hand in. This will make the small animal nervous and afraid of you, as oppose to the wariness she displays first, which is more easily overcome. If you make your rat afraid of you she will take a lot more time to become your friend. Kindness gets everything done easier than force, and if you trample in loudly and impatiently, you will scare the rat. Never rush her. If a rat has been in a pet shop for more than a month she will find it much harder to adapt to being in such close proximity to humans, as pet shops rarely have the time to socialise their animals. Because of this the process may take longer but you’ll get there in the end.

Generally speaking, rat kittens that have been raised with love and handled every day by a breeder should be fairly friendly from the offset, but do bear in mind that the rat won't know you straight away so may be a little wary at first.

When the rat is used to your smell and voice, and only then, you can try to pick her up, speaking softly all the time. When the rat is used to you and your voice, she will know your voice as belonging to her protector and, therefore, whenever you speak to her the rat will feel reassured. You pick a rat up by firmly (but not tightly) grasping her around her belly. Never ever pick a rat up by her tail - the skin on the tail will come off.

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