New Rat Owner - Advice please !

[Northumberlandlass]

Hi, we got 3 female rats a week ago for my son's 9th Birthday. Lemmy (very very shy, won't even sniff our fingers), Bon (will have a sniff, but won't come close to us) & Francesca (Ballsy little thing, who will take food from me now & is always coming to say hello).

I know I need to handle them early (from pet store) but they are very skittish and I'm worried that I am scaring them!

After general advice really, on how to make them more used to us and keep them happy.

I feel quite stressed cleaning them out, as I am sure they are !! at the moment, I've just put them in a cardboard box but is a small travelling case better?

Any advice, wise words are welcome !

Thanks

Hello, congrats on your rats!! We were new owners, too, back in Nov, and got great advice on here, will try and find a link to the thread. What worked for us was to use an old pillowcase, gently scoop/usher the ratties into it and sit with it on you so they can run in and out, just initially for five mins, work up to 20 minutes. Persevere, this really works!

Could you set up a rat-safe space in your house, perhaps the bathroom. Let them out to explore & clamber over you, feed them when they will come close. They just need to spend time with you, really.

i think if i ever got rats again i would go to a breeder rather than pet shop....but that aside they are very entertaining and make good like pets. The more you handle them the more used to it they get.