my pet rats

Question
Ok, so I've had my rats just about two months now. I bought them from Petco. I have no idea how old they are or what type they are either. I have two of them in a nice cage big enough for the both of them. I clean it every Sunday and give them rat pellets but when they don't eat those they seem to like cheerios and sunflower seeds. They love sunflower seeds and i hand feed them all of the time. On a few occasions I've even managed to get them to come out onto my hand and up my arm leaving my hand connected to the platform in their cage so they can go back. They never want to come out and play with me and when i take them out they frantically run around and by about the tenth minute they start pooping and peeing. I don't understand why they don't like me. I talk to them and hand feed them everyday. I leave the cage door open when I am in my room (I'm in college) in the hopes that they figure out that I want them to come out. Recently they have been coming out on top of the cage and will get on my bed and hide in my clothes but never want to come out of the clothes. Please give me some advice because i want to keep them but if they don't start liking me soon him getting rid of them.

Answer
You need to read my website, Sandyscrittercity.com.   Their diet is absolutely horrible and  your rats will not live long if they continue to eat cheerios and sunflower seeds.  Please refer to my page on proper diet.

You also never got them to trust you.  Its not that they dont like you, it is that they do not trust you.  You must have a set play area for them.  You should not have to grab them and force them out of the cage or have them run from you.   Please read on how to trust train rats on my site too. Also, the most important thing is a play area that is all of their own.  You need to read on my page GETTING STARTED and set up a play area for them.  You can sit in this play area too, open the cage door and let them come out on their own, never force them or this makes them scared of you. Hand feeding them is not enough for them. They need to be secure in their own area and when they are on your bed it is YOUR bed, not theirs, so they become scared and go to the bathroom due to fear.  Getting rid of them is cruel just because they have not warmed up to you.  Its not their fault. They do not know any better. This is your job to learn how to get along with rats rather than buy them and expect them to get along with you on their own. The first step was contacting me and now the rest is up to you.  If you read up on them and how to take care of them and train them to trust you and how to set up a play area, I think they will bond with you and in a few weeks from now you wont believe that you even thought of getting rid of them for one minute.  Rats are great pets, but people need to learn how to handle them first.  Rats do not live on seeds and the crappy diets they sell at pet stores are a sure way to shorten your rats life.  I am glad you wrote to me, now they have a good chance at a happy life with you and will be taken care of properly soon as you get them on a good diet.  Good luck!!