How to stop a new rat biting

Question
Hi there,

I have just got 2 new does and one is very friendly and curious and when I open the cage she is coming out but when i put my hand out to catch her she will step on it sniff it and "feel" me with her teeth (almost like a soft bite but then the bites start getting harder and I am worried she will start breaking the skin soon and I will get a fright and drop her!!  I want to nip it in the bud and start off on the right foot with her as she is such a friendly little girl she will be an amazing pet.  My other little girl is very shy and timid so hopefully she will come round soon.

I had read your previous answer to a similar question but was just wondering about another couple of details such as if the rat does bite how would you put her back into the cage without treat etc if she will not be handled?  Also would you recommend gardening gloves to handle them at first for confidence?

Thanks,
Gemma

Answer
Hi Gemma

I have found with rat behavior they need to learn to trust us, or rather, we need to earn their trust.  They learn alot from our scent and the way our hands smell and the movements of our hands. Do you make sure you wash up first before touching her? Their sense of smell is incredible and she can pick up many scents from your hands.  Are your finger nails long? Do you have on rings,bracelets etc?  Rats love bling bling and will chew it or try to taste it.  The gloves will tell the rat you do not trust her. She wont be able to zoom in on your scent and learn it so this would actually hinder your attempts at making friends.

What you should not do for now, if possible, is try to pick her up at all.  Allow her to come out of the cage on her own and when playtime ends, you can simply pick her up from under her belly, almost like scooping up a puppy, just enough to lift her feet from the ground, aim her toward the cage ramp or whatever means she uses to get in and out of the cage (I made a ramp since it was too high for them to leap in and out of) give her a boost and she will go right back in the cage. If not, just lift her fast and set her in the cage, but dont try to hold her just to snuggle her yet.  With rats that were not properly socialized, this is often why these rats act so timid.  Your right to worry that you may get scared if she bit you enough to cause pain and this can in turn, be dangerous for the rat if you can believe that. Some people have sent their rats flying across the room by accident only to cause fatal injuries to the rat. I have learned to actually take it, allow them to finish their bite first before pulling away but believe me this is not as easy as it sounds.

Tell me about the play area you ahve for them, if any.  Do they have their own safe play area?