RatPalace.com - Pet Rat Care and Discussion

Sat Feb 04, 2006 10:34 pm

For those of you who aren't familiar with my "psycho" rat sootie, heres his story in short.
I got Sootie and his brother Herbie when They were about 4 weeks old. They were both very nervous but Sootie was VERY VERY nervous, he was petrified of me and anything that moved!
I reached my hand into his cage on day to pet him and he clamped onto my finger with his jaws and wouldn't let go for a few seconds. After that encounter I was always a little nervous about him so I guess I didn't really force socialisation on him perhaps as much as I should have done.
Anyway Sootie became aggressive twoards Herbie so he now lives on his own, and Herbie lives with the other 4 boys.
The weird thing is sometimes Sootie seems like any other rat, he takes treats from me so gently when he is in his cage yet when I try to pet him he whips round and bites me.
So anyway today I thought - "right I am going to make a real effort with sootie". So I opened his cage at the front, took a deep bretahe and let him smell me. He put his front paws on my hand and I braced myself for a bite...all I got was a little test nibble that all my boys do sometimes, so pleasently surprised I gave sootie a treat which he took from my fingers and ate in his cage.
Then he came back to me and made an escape up on top of his cage. I put my hands up to see if he would walk off the cage onto my hands and......he did!!!
He walked cautiously out onto my hands, so I lifted him down onto my arm, pet him for a few seconds and returned him to his cage with another treat.
I just can't believe I actually pet him without ending up injured! I am really pleased that perhaps there is hope for my little man yet!
He is about 8 months old now so I have left it a long time to make a real effort, I have just been really scared - rat bites hurt like hell!

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Laura and The animal clan!
Henry,Archie,sootie,Herbie, Jack and Harrison - ratties
Harvey and Dylan - piggles (of the guinea kind)
Honey - kitty cat

Sun Feb 05, 2006 3:46 am

Awesome. Quiet patience pays off once again.

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Rats are man's best friend. They gave up long life to be able to give more love.

Sun Feb 05, 2006 7:28 am

Congrats on your progress with Scootie!! Patience pays off. Keep us updated on him!

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To the world, you are one person.
To a rat, you are the world.
~Charlie S.
Kristina an her babies, Basil and Snickers.
~*RIP Ema, I miss you sweetie!*~
<:3( )~~~~~~~

Sun Feb 05, 2006 7:34 pm

Oh man, thats gotta be a terrible feeling to be afraid of your rat. Ive only gotten bitten by a rat one time, and it was accidental, but man did it hurt! I wouldnt even know what to do with myself if one of my rats was aggressive, so kudos to *you*! Keep trying, and Im sure he'll get better, possibly even (dare I say?) friendly!

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Sun Feb 05, 2006 9:53 pm

Great news!

Do be careful though.....I have a couple of girls that, for whatever reason....are cage territorial. Get them out, and they are perfect little angels. But in the cage......it's hit or miss. Even with lots and lots of work, my Ruby has always been a biter (thankfully, nothing more than just hurting like heck with an occasional break in the skin).

I have learned that any rattie can be cage territorial...but I've yet to have one that is anything but friendly OUT of the cage. Ruby is the sweetest girl when I'm holding her.

I do hope Sootie continues to enjoy your company and comes out for snuggles. Hopefully, he'll come around and be your best pal

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Debbie and the gang of spoiled furries

Mon Feb 06, 2006 6:04 am

Congrats! My Gilly HATES other rats. He loves his mum & dad, but, he'll live alone for the rest of his life. I broke up a fight he was having with one of the others, and I took a terrible bite, right to the bone on my index finger. Got my right in the middle of the joint. Hurt like a bear, for a loooong time, and it still aches when it gets cold out. I was leary for quite a few days after, but, I realize that it's not his fault.
Margie

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Sammi, my Angel.