urinating.... is he scared ?

Question
I have just purchased two dumbo rats, one is naturally inquisitive and  doesn't mind being held, the other always hides and constantly urinates and defecates every time you pick him up. Is there anything I can do

Answer
Hi Mark

CongrRATS on the purchase of your new rats. Dumbos are adorable. No matter if they chew your most favorite comfy sweat shirt or your great great great grandmothers expensive draperies that once hung in Buckingham Palace,something about the way those ears allows them to get away with anything!

As for the dumbo going to the bathroom on you...he is more than scared, he is totally terrified. Commonly referred to as "fear poop" among the rat keepers, it is very normal for a rat to alleviate himself when he is away from his comfort zone, which in this case would be his own cage.
Rats are born terrified of humans. They do not trust anyone other than their own species by natural instinct because, well...lets face it, rats are the number one most preyed upon animal in the wild and have many enemies with man being one of their worst. Humans have been trying to all but wipe out the entire rat species and wouldn't care if they were extinct!! However, the wild hybrid rat is so smart they have always been on step ahead of us and it has been a long time joke among rat owners saying rats are smarter than exterminators!!  That being said, if rats are not held and exposed to human touch from the day they are born, they are naturally shy and scared of humans especially in new surroundings. They are not sure what will come at them at every angle and until this rat trusts you, the big "hand" that always is reaching around trying to grab at him, he will continue to defacate and urinate out of sheer terror.

You asked if there is anything you can do so here are a few tips when dealing with shy little ratties. The good news is, rats are very smart and just by observation, he will eventually see that all the good food he gets comes from you..and will start to see you as his source for survival but you want more than that, of course, so it will take a bit of work since it appears he was not properly socialized by the breeder that had him last.
So here are a few things you can do to bring him out of his shell:
For starters, don't pick him out. Do not reach in and grab him no matter what unless of course it is an absolute emergency.

I am not sure how old they are but will assume he may be young. Do you have a rat safe area for them to roam around in?  
For starters, that is what you will need...an area where the rat can roam but roam safely without worrying about getting loose.  I have a great thing for you to check out if you follow this link. Its a cardboard wall several feet high that you can make simply out of folded cardboard boxes and you can make it as big as you like. I have a regular fence with the same idea in mind and I spread it in a circle around the room from one end of their cage and spread it around and fasten it to the other end of their cage so they have a play area over 15 ft. in diameter! I can sit in there with them and let them just climb all over me or roam the area and give them boxes and other fun things to climb in and play on. Anyhow, this is what you can do for the new rat and sit back, open up the cage door and let him come out on his own.  He will eventually be curious enough after several days of watching his cagemate venture out of the cage to roam around and exercise.  What you can do is wash your hands and just lay them in the cage and allow him to sniff your hands but again, do not try to pick him up or grab at him in any way. He will eventually come out of hiding and sit sit on your hand. When he comes close, offer him a treat...but be sure its a treat he never gets other than during this time of trust training. I like to use cheerios (the yogurt flavor is a huge hit!!)
Anyhow, during play time, keep the cage door open and just allow him to come out on his own.  If you reach in and grab him he will just dart right back into the cage again and hide so let him decide on his own when he feels comfortable enough to venture out...and when he does, be there to offer him a reward.  Eventually he will come to associate the big "hand" as being trustworthy    and before you know it, he will be coming out when you call  his name. I have trust trained many rats this way successfully, including my beloved wild rat, Holly who was not only shy but a terror  that would attack and bite if cornered! After a week of working with her she turned into one of the finest rats I have ever raised.
Meanwhile, here is the link to check out that cool looking cardboard "wall" that you can use to keep the rats confined and safe while out during playtime.

http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm

Please let me know how things are going!!

Good luck!!

Sandra