..::Rat~Chat::.. {Note On Page 11}

[resfeber]

Absolutely. ^.^ Of course, I have no idea how to upload videos but pictures I can do. Trick training is really easy, actually. It's always one-on-one time and most of them like it, but the girls are very active and have short attention spans. The key to training them is to rotate treats constantly, keep them in a relatively familiar place so that they don't have to investigate everything, and train in intervals. Our training sessions usually last fifteen minutes with breaks in between. Like, five minutes on, five minutes off ( or rotating to another rattie), and so on, but that's just an example. You really just need to be in sync with your rat and know when they are getting bored. :)

Stand up is the first trick mine are taught, and it's really easy. All you have to do is show your rat a treat in your hand, then slowly lift it up above their head. They will eventually get the notion of the trick and will stand up on signal, wether you signal it by voice or gesture, or both.

Spin is a bit harder. It took my smartest one two weeks to master, and is the hardest trick they were taught besides fetch. I think they get the trick, but once they learn it, it's hard to incorporate a gesture in there but words would be better. You simply train them like a dog would to spin. Show them the treat, then move it in a circular motion slow enough for your rattie to follow. Soon, you'll have an adorable sight the moment you pull out the treat box, and all the rats spin just begging for noms. ouo

Shake is pretty simple. Use your finger from one hand and place it just in front of their body, almost touching them. Then show them treat, and your rat will immediately step up on your finger to get it. The key to this trick is rewarding them instantly, and then your rats will get the point over.

Fetch is the basis of a lot of those out in the basket/ect tricks I mentioned. And, the hardest trick, but the cutest. ^.^ The first step is to find a small object that your rat is interested in. Not one that your rat just sniffs and then walks away from- you need one that upon investigating said object, rattie snatches away toy and runs off to go stash it in their cage. But they should know come when called, so call their names repeatedly until rattie's attention is won over. My main problem was that many rats dropped the toy and came bounding over ( and one stubborn little guy just kept going.. >.< ) but you have to try over and over again until you get a couple times those rare occasions that the rat will not drop the toy. Then, hold the treat in your hand and trade treat for object. Then, you can swap objects to suit your need, like a ball or ring or something. To train them to put an object in a certain other object, simply common them to fetch an object then place treat in what you want rat to drop their toy in.

Stay is all about voice tone. Being one of their basic shoulder rat training tricks, stay happened when rats decided to climb into whatever object that I didn't think they should climb into and I said in a very stern voice, "Stay!" Immediately, this rat responded and I was like "wut.. Awesome." Then we practiced the trick like a dog. Just keep staying stay, and every time the rat moved firmly say it again and place them in that place once more. Just rotate places constantly so the rat won't associate stay with one area.

:)

[DeckOfCards]

Poor Mari died about a week ago. Now I'm worried about Pansy. I made a thread about this subject hereso you don't have to read through a wall of text on this thread if you don't want to. Anyone have any ideas on what happened to her?

[.Middy.]

We got our new boys today! My boy is the black (possibly agouti) masked, he is named Banshee
My stepdad got his brother the blue masked, named Cyclops
Then my mom accidentally fell for the blue who she named Beast.

So we went from 2 rats to 5 today, and they are so cute!

[DeckOfCards]

We got our new boys today! My boy is the black (possibly agouti) masked, he is named Banshee
My stepdad got his brother the blue masked, named Cyclops
Then my mom accidentally fell for the blue who she named Beast.

So we went from 2 rats to 5 today, and they are so cute!

Very cute! I love baby rats, the poofy and energetic. Too bad my rat is all growed up. D:

Would you ever plan on breeding your rats?

[.Middy.]

I love them too! Haha

And for breeding, I'm not sure. My mom talked about how she would like to breed (aka play with the babies since I'm the only one that knows about genetics) but who knows if it will happen. Why?

[DeckOfCards]

I love them too! Haha

And for breeding, I'm not sure. My mom talked about how she would like to breed (aka play with the babies since I'm the only one that knows about genetics) but who knows if it will happen. Why?

No reason in particular, but I've been researching a lot on it. I plan on maybe breeding one day when I have the time, space, and money. Not Pansy, of course. She's too old. But I do plan on breeding one day. Do you have all males?

[.Middy.]

I'd love too one day, I've done a bit of research. I'd need a mentor and everything. My newest boys have good genetics I know but I'm not 100% sure on the older boys genes.

And yeah we have 5 boys. Three are mine (Baze, Bug and Banshee) and then my parents each have one (Cyclops and Beast) though they will all live together.

[Toothed Goose]

I've always loved rats! And I've tried convincing my mom to get a rat, my aunt keeps talking about how her rats take baths, and her neighbors rat... etc.

They have such cute little ears and eyes! I especially love the ones with two colors and dark eyes. (Cuddles imaginary rat.)

But... my mom says no. The closest thing we've had to a rodent is a hamster, and she accepted it because 'it doesn't have a bald tail, and it doesn't look so rodent-y like a mouse or rat', (sigh), but I can still talk about them right?

I've seen the pictures, and everyone's rats look so cute!

[DeckOfCards]

I've always loved rats! And I've tried convincing my mom to get a rat, my aunt keeps talking about how her rats take baths, and her neighbors rat... etc.

They have such cute little ears and eyes! I especially love the ones with two colors and dark eyes. (Cuddles imaginary rat.)

But... my mom says no. The closest thing we've had to a rodent is a hamster, and she accepted it because 'it doesn't have a bald tail, and it doesn't look so rodent-y like a mouse or rat', (sigh), but I can still talk about them right?

I've seen the pictures, and everyone's rats look so cute!

Ugh, if there's one thing I hate, it's when people go down on rats because of their tails. I mean, seriously? Look down at yourself right now. You're about as naked as a rat's tail, and unless you cringe looking at your skin in the mirror every morning, I don't want to hear it.

And yes, rats are tons of fun, but a big responsibility. You shouldn't own one based on their cuteness, but it is a definite bonus.

[Toothed Goose]

Responsibility isn't a problem for me!

I've had:
two cats,
three turtles,
LOTS of birds,
LOTS of 'creepy crawlies' (millipedes, caterpillars, mantis...)
one hamster,
LOTS of fish,
and I've cared for my relatives' dogs more than once.

But I didn't have these pets all at once of course.
Currently I have one caterpillar and a cat.

My aunt has two cats, and she says they play with her rats!