RatPalace.com - Pet Rat Care and Discussion

Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:35 pm

Mice would always ignore me before. I've been spending time talking to them about how I feel about Duffles (and now Splinter) being gone and the white girls ignore me, but Pipi comes right over to the bars and sticks her nose through. I didn't want to pressure them into liking me since that might just drive them away more, but I talked to her a lot over the past couple of days, just sitting there.

She can fit out of the bars and comes out on her own very often, just sitting there to watch me until the inevitable time comes I put her away and explain to her that if the rats find her they will probably eat her, and she doesn't want that..>.<

So yesterday I openered the cage door, wondering what would happen..would she run away or hide in her house? Nopers. She came right to the door and poked her nose at me, you could tell she was scared as my handmovements made her jerk back a little, but she sat still long enough for me to pat her head. I patted it for a second time and then I gave her a piece of Kix cereal. She seemed SUPER happy, ran away to eat it, and thenI heard the two white girls pouncing her and stealing her treat. She came back to the door and got another piece of cereal and went and ate it in a hidey spot away from her sisters

They have never approached me before, let alone taken food from me! LET ALONE sitting there to listen to me. I got nipped at by her once, she was trying to get the cereal as quick as possible and kinda missed ^^;

But there was no malice. She is happy to watch me and let me tickle her tummy through the cage bars. Pipi is now a nice meece

Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:22 pm

Aww, they do like you! wink

It may actually help for you to handle them more - even if they don't seem to want you to at first.

I usually use the forced socialization method with all of my mice, and it works extremely well. All of my adults love me, and will come running to my hand and climb right on - and usually they do not want to get back off! It can make a big difference in their temperaments in no time. wink

_________________
Shanna
~ Serendipity Rodentry ~

Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:28 pm

If I do that they bite me. Hard.

And then try to escape >_>