[Nescathewolf]

im worried im not giving my girls enough attention. over the past three weeks work as been supper ultra MEGA busy lol and i've been up early down late and running around all day and i haven't had time for my girls daily free rangeing.
Now i got two girls so they can have company when myself and my partner can't have them out. still we try to handle our rats for at the very very least half hour a day or free range for an hour daily. unfortunatly i havent been able to do this daily for the past couple of weeks so im worried they are bored or cramped up....
hopefully life will calm down soon but what should i do so their happy without extra attention?
also side note when i do have my girls out they like to curl up in my shirt or sleeves but dont like being petted... is this normal or am i not petting them right?

 

[VanillaRat]

Normally rats should be let out at least an hour a day. I let mine out 1-2 hours (sometimes more,depending on a few things) on during the nights,when I am less busy. Is there any way you could set aside an hour for them a night?

Also through out the day I will take a few out for a few minutes during the day if I am home. If this is not possible at all for you right now,make sure they have toys and things to do...ladders,tunnels,boxes (mine LOVE tissue or cookie boxes).

As for not liking to be petted,well some rats (especially females) don't like it. It doesn't mean you are doing it wrong. All 4 of my females are like that. They don't like being petted,but are very friendly. They also prefer to run around then spend much time with me! My males are a whole other story though,big mushy cuddle bugs.

 

[breyer08]

You can make them a playpen! That way, they get much more time out of their cage without you having to constantly monitor them. (Here's a thread about my playpen...it has changed since then, but you get the general idea, anyway: http://www.paw-talk.net/forums/f16/ratty-playpen-54455.html?highlight=playpen)

 

[VanillaRat]

That is a good idea that I didn't think of. I want a playpen for my rats,but have not gotten one yet.

 

[Dustette]

my female rat loved being with me, she always curled up in my sleeve when i was at the computer or in my shirt, but she did not like to be pet very much until she got older. She was very very licky though!

 

[Vladina]

Breyer has the most awesome connected play area to her boys' house and you have to see it, it is marvelous. I think she posted a link to a picture of it? If you could set something up like that, your girls could get as much outside playtime as they wanted.

 

[KamiWilson]

Normally rats should be let out at least an hour a day. I let mine out 1-2 hours (sometimes more,depending on a few things) on during the nights,when I am less busy. Is there any way you could set aside an hour for them a night?

Also through out the day I will take a few out for a few minutes during the day if I am home. If this is not possible at all for you right now,make sure they have toys and things to do...ladders,tunnels,boxes (mine LOVE tissue or cookie boxes).

As for not liking to be petted,well some rats (especially females) don't like it. It doesn't mean you are doing it wrong. All 4 of my females are like that. They don't like being petted,but are very friendly. They also prefer to run around then spend much time with me! My males are a whole other story though,big mushy cuddle bugs.

How do you let them out im always scared they are gonna ran away so I usally hold the each during the day and my little sister too, what do you recommend for like training them not to run away or come back. i dont want to loose them in my house 3 levels and a cat who just loves rats lol

 

[pseudorocknroll]

I let mine our for about 5-7 hours a day. Right now they are tiny babies so we make biiig playgrounds on the couch. We put a blanket over it so they can't burrow into it and then use curved pvc pipes for extra barriers. It's great fun..they love crawling all over me and the couch.

Toys are:

boxes, pvc pipes, baskets, wheels, purses filled with paper (favorite), pen cups (OBV. clean) , chewbulars, ladders.

I'll have the girls on 1 couch and the boys on another. My husband is making a playpen, though, for when they get older.

 

[pseudorocknroll]

ALSO: what cage are they in. try and find a picture. In your situation they need a big cage with tons of toys. Ladders, ropes..and TONS of things to chew on.

 

[VanillaRat]

How do you let them out im always scared they are gonna ran away so I usally hold the each during the day and my little sister too, what do you recommend for like training them not to run away or come back. i dont want to loose them in my house 3 levels and a cat who just loves rats lol

I have a rat room,it is rat proof and I let them run free in there (supervised though). When I cannot be there,they stay in their cages. I love sitting in the middle of the room and watching them,they are always so amusing.

 

[Kendalle]

i always closed my door to my room and just let them free they arent very sneaky and so they are easy to find. One of mine was like a dog, she came when called. Another thing you can do is move the treat bag and there they come running.

 

[Nescathewolf]

wow thanks for all the replies Guys! i've never heard of a play pen for rats but its a good idea and when ive got time i sit on my huge bed and bring out the girls for a snuggle and explore in the blanket... lol no matter how many times they sit with me as i read they still act like its the first time theve seen my blanket... proberly cause of all the ruffles change
the've only got a small two level cage ATM but im petioning a very stubborn hubby that though their small they need more space. ill upload a pic soon of my cage thou ive had to be carefull that they have lots of toys and hammocks without crowding them.
any ideas on what i could use instead of ladders? plastic or wood if i put a ladder in the next time i come by they have taken it down and pulled it out of the way and wont even chew on it?
thanks for the advice

 

[VanillaRat]

i always closed my door to my room and just let them free they arent very sneaky and so they are easy to find. One of mine was like a dog, she came when called. Another thing you can do is move the treat bag and there they come running.

Hehe,or even non-treat bags! I noticed when they are running around free range if I pick up ANY type of bag that makes noise,they will come running to me thinking I have food for them! Sillies.

 

[VanillaRat]

wow thanks for all the replies Guys! i've never heard of a play pen for rats but its a good idea and when ive got time i sit on my huge bed and bring out the girls for a snuggle and explore in the blanket... lol no matter how many times they sit with me as i read they still act like its the first time theve seen my blanket... proberly cause of all the ruffles change
the've only got a small two level cage ATM but im petioning a very stubborn hubby that though their small they need more space. ill upload a pic soon of my cage thou ive had to be carefull that they have lots of toys and hammocks without crowding them.
any ideas on what i could use instead of ladders? plastic or wood if i put a ladder in the next time i come by they have taken it down and pulled it out of the way and wont even chew on it?
thanks for the advice

Blanket caves! When I used to free range my rats on my bed,I would pile the blankets up and make caves for them to explore!

Could you secure the ladders on to the cage somehow? Sometimes my rats will pull the ladders down,but I find they don't always do it.

 

[Nescathewolf]

Blanket caves! When I used to free range my rats on my bed,I would pile the blankets up and make caves for them to explore!

Could you secure the ladders on to the cage somehow? Sometimes my rats will pull the ladders down,but I find they don't always do it.

i can try that but they in general dont seem to like them.... unlike their hamock when its cleaning time they try t stop me from takeing it out to wash lol i think brumby would rther it stay all smelly and icky lol

 

[Nescathewolf]

well heres the cage pics i promised ive got hamocks on order from dapper rat (awsome site) but before i ordered them i made a tea towel hammock, theres a pipe of chewable carboard, a little carboard house (waiting to go into town and get an igloo there is no pet store in my town) a sock of my hubbys which i swear i didnt give to them lol (he was takeing his boots off near the cage and placed his socks next the cage and one mysterysly managed to get inside and modified by my thoughtful girls to be more of a summer sock lol) the white dish is a mix and the clear dish did have peas in it lol
also i thought id post some free ranging fun of brumbys. brumbys mine and though i pet and play with rin occasionaly if hubby can't brumbys the one who i romp around with :lol:
rins the white one looking up at brumby the black one who was crying "FREEDOM!" i had to get them out after the photos lol who can resist?

 

[Nescathewolf]

brumby loves books and rock and roll lol

 

[KamiWilson]

oh ok I tried letting them on the couch but they find a way to escape lol

 

[KamiWilson]

this is my cage
it wouldnt let me upload the pic but here is a link where the pic is on http://www.paw-talk.net/forums/f16/quick-question-59622.html

 

[Nescathewolf]

oh ok I tried letting them on the couch but they find a way to escape lol

same here if they get couch time i gotta keep an eye on them otherwise they want to be helpfully by artfully airateing my couch lol