I got a rat question... (and a couple of pics while I'm at it...) - Paw Talk

Padfoot · #1 07-18-2006, 06:31 PM

Hello!!! Uriel has gotten big in the past couple of weeks.. she looks long and skinny and has the energy of 10 gerbils! LOL

Well.. first of all, my question. I've been giving her free time on my bed. I put different things there for her to explore and play with... but she keeps on wanting to jump to the floor. It drives me crazy, cause the room is not rodent-proof, so I don't want her on the floor getting into trouble... however, that's what she wants to do... get into trouble. First it was trying to jump into the couch, I moved the couch away from the bed and that solved that till now that she just wants to jump to the floor. She's not treat motivated, has never taken one from me... but she comes to my when I open the cage, and comes to me if I tap my hand on the bed... except when she's determined to jump off, then she complitely ignores me and I have to rush and grab her. Is there a way I can convince her that the bed is fun and the floor not? It's driving me crazy. Well.. that's my question... now, the pics... I took these last night while play-time.

"Peek-A-Boo!"

"Let me tell you a secret..."

"Hmmm, I wonder if there's something on her other shoulder"

You'd think you could read a bit while the rattie explores the bed... think again...

Well... that's all. 8)

ratty_ratkins · #2 07-18-2006, 08:13 PM

well it never worked for me! i tryed just having them on the couch or just on the bed... but i ended up having to rodent proof the room.
the rats would jump off, i would put them back on. it quickly became their favorite game!

evil_vegan · #3 07-18-2006, 08:59 PM

I have resigned myself to just let Nemo do as he pleases. The farthest he goes is to the nightstand or the table at the foot of the bed, though. They are determined little critters.
Is there something in the room that would be attracting the rat? Maybe it is smelling something yummy or interesting. Think like a rat.

andreaS15 · #4 07-18-2006, 10:38 PM

Wow, she sure is growing up!
I have a few gerbils like that, dosn't matter how much fun or large the area they have to play in is (like my entire rodent proofed living room) they want to hop over the bariers and go elseware, Porsche was oh so good at that.

You know those "Nice Idea Cubes"? Maybe you could use those to make barriers around things you don't want her to get into, like around your bed (if it's off the floor) and shelves and stuff. I know many people do that for thier rabbits. I'm to cheap, i use cardboard :p

Nara · #5 07-18-2006, 11:08 PM

I really don't think there's much you can do except to block it off. NIC cubes would most definitely not work, she would just go through them or climb over them. Cardboard might work if you had it tall enough, although one of our girls jumped over a 4 foot cardboard barrier so I don't know how high you'd need it... Good luck with whatever you decide to do. She's adorable!

Padfoot · #6 07-18-2006, 11:18 PM

Thanks... hmmm... guess I'm doomed to rush over and catch the rattie then... lol.

andreaS15 · #7 07-18-2006, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Padfoot


	Thanks... hmmm... guess I'm doomed to rush over and catch the rattie then... lol.

LOL.... well at least it's good excersize LOL

the_real_bum · #8 07-18-2006, 11:52 PM

they are almost as bad as ferrets I was trying to watch my two girls and one ended up ontop of a 5 ft bookshelf before I noticed

jennawing · #9 07-19-2006, 12:07 AM

She has really grown! Looking very pretty!

Some rats stay put- some are aware of the danger of falling/jumping- some respond to their name and stop doing that they are attempting to do- some just do whatever the heck they want to do. She wants off the bed- she's gonna find a way. Maybe choose a smaller, higher surface that you can more easily guard all sides of for her play time- like a dresser top or shelf?

Padfoot · #10 07-19-2006, 01:30 AM

Thanks!

We played in the bathtub tonight... lol. Yup, I sure looked silly in there with a rat... but, we had fun, and she had nowhere to go. We also discovered a new game. I put my fingers to the floor, as if my hand was walking on them, and start "walking/running" she will chase my hand like crazy, and when she catches it, she grabs my fingers one by one and gently gnaw on them. She also groomed my hair, licked my mouth (which I wasn't too happy about), and tried to take off my glasses (and also licked my eyes, which I wasn't happy about either). Also, unlike my other rodents, she doesn't respond to blowing on her face when she's doing something wrong. She keeps on doing it like it was nothing.

Nara · #11 07-19-2006, 02:12 AM

Lol, wait until she tries to climb into your mouth! I've found that rats don't taste too good...

dragonmaster · #12 07-19-2006, 07:05 AM

She's such a little cutie. I have that same problem, but there are two of them, and two of us. It's funny, really. We sit there and watch them run around, and the second one of us turns our back, somebody makes a break for the edge. we just toss our hands up in front of them and they turn around though. We usually don't need to actually grab them.

Padfoot · #13 07-19-2006, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragonmaster


	we just toss our hands up in front of them and they turn around though. We usually don't need to actually grab them.

Yeah, I toss my hand and she just climbs it and continues her journey... Little brat I have!

Fubie · #14 07-19-2006, 01:57 PM

Just to let you know, whatever they're not allowed to do is what they want to do the most =3 My rats are not allowed on my bed, but as soon as they learned this it's non stop mission to get on the bed. Also, rats ('specially girls) are veeerry curious and love to explore, best bet is to rat proof the floor 8D

Quote:

Originally Posted by Padfoot


	Hello!!! Uriel has gotten big in the past couple of weeks.. she looks long and skinny and has the energy of 10 gerbils! LOL Well.. first of all, my question. I've been giving her free time on my bed. I put different things there for her to explore and play with... but she keeps on wanting to jump to the floor. It drives me crazy, cause the room is not rodent-proof, so I don't want her on the floor getting into trouble... however, that's what she wants to do... get into trouble. First it was trying to jump into the couch, I moved the couch away from the bed and that solved that till now that she just wants to jump to the floor. She's not treat motivated, has never taken one from me... but she comes to my when I open the cage, and comes to me if I tap my hand on the bed... except when she's determined to jump off, then she complitely ignores me and I have to rush and grab her. Is there a way I can convince her that the bed is fun and the floor not? It's driving me crazy. Well.. that's my question... now, the pics... I took these last night while play-time. "Peek-A-Boo!" "Let me tell you a secret..." "Hmmm, I wonder if there's something on her other shoulder" You'd think you could read a bit while the rattie explores the bed... think again... Well... that's all. 8)

pinkie1205 · #15 07-20-2006, 09:54 PM

You should know she's getting used to you. Let her give you a dental exam...lol...I heard of people lining their bed with cardboard so the rat can't jump. They're just curious. Give her time and she may calm down. Have you taught her her name?