School pet rats

Question
I'm a ninth grader, and my biology teacher has six class pets, and two of
them are 6 week old female rats, I think. (the other pets are a turtle, a skink,
a tarantula, and a snake).  My biology teacher really trusts me (I'm like her
favorite student), and so she trusts me enough to hold the rats after school if
I want to.  What I want to know is how can I get the rats to trust me, even
though I don't own them and I can't spend much time with them?  I've read
similar questions you have answered, but they basically are meant for rat
owners.  Those sweet little darlings (we haven't even named them yet) are
skittish and nervous, of which I understand.  And I know that gaining their
trust will take time, but I want to know if I should wait for my biology teacher
to gain their trust first or what.  My second question is this; the rats live in a
tank, and it is difficult to get the rats out without picking them up with just
my hands.  And since they are babys and are skittish, they aren't very eager
to be held.  So I can't do the "soft food on a spoon while coaxing them out of
their cage bit by bit" thing.  I love those rats, and I just want them to trust me
and think of me as a friend.  What can I do without being elaborate, since
they aren't technically my pets?

Answer
Well, you can still help them to gain your trust by always having yummy treats to give them when you are around. If they have a hiding place in their cage (which they should since they need one to feel safe) just try to coax them out of that, and when they do come out- give them treats... They will still associate you with giving yummy treats. Your teacher can do the same. It might help them to trust ALL people, not just you and your teacher.

Whenever you do need to handle them, like cleaning the cage out, do it as calmly as possible (even if they are FREAKING out and squealing, still handle them calmly and quietly and swiftly put them in their holding area whatever that is, but put them back calmly and gently as well)... Allow them to always grab your fingers and hands and sniff them if they wish.

One thing you might want to tell your teacher about is that aquariums are no good for housing rats. They need to be able to have levels to climb and hammocks to sleep in and the air ventilation in an aquarium is terrible, even if the cage is clean and the bedding is safe, there are still millions of particles of dust in their cage and they have extremely sensitive respiratory systems. A cage with levels, a solid floor, and bars is best. Plus, aquariums tend to be much to small for rats. Measure the aquarium in inches and input the information in a cage calculator, it will tell you how many rats can comfortably fit in it... 10 gallons are not even big enough for 1 rat, and 20 gallons only big enough for maybe 2 babies. I have a 55 gallon that should never house more than 3 adults, however- it is our nursery tank. The only rats ever kept in there are mamma and babies, or a male and female that are mating... The reason for the aquarium for babies is so they don't fall through the bars as pinkies... Here is the cage calculator: http://www.rattycorner.com/odds/calc.shtml
Don't forget to change it from centimeters to inches and measure the cage in inches. Good luck and please let me know if you have other questions :)