Ways to Bond with Your Rat

Ways to Bond with Your Rat. Contrary to popular belief, rats are clean and affectionate and make loyal pets. They are easy to care for, but bonding with a rat requires commitment and patience. Owners can bond with their rodent pets in many ways; a new owner should experiment to find the techniques his rat responds to best. When it comes to pet rats, the stronger the bond, the more rewarding the relationship.

Provide a Comfortable Home

A rat must feel safe and comfortable in its environment before it's able to bond with its owner. Rats need at least 2 cubic feet of space each. Wire cages provide ventilation and easy climbing, which helps keep these rodents active and alert. Rats also need quiet places to hide and sleep, so provide a small nesting area. A shoe box, pet hammock, PVC pipe or small flower pot can give rats privacy, rest and a sense of security.

Gradual Socialization

Rats have poor vision. They rely on keen senses of hearing and smell for identification. A new owner can talk to his pet rat while sitting in front of its cage. If the rat comes for a closer look, give it a treat. Feed the rat through the open cage door. Never feed a rat through the bars of the cage wall, it encourages biting. Allow the rat to sniff your hand, but do not pet the rat. To get the rat to venture out of its cage, start to leave the door open. Place treats outside the cage.

Grooming

In colonies, rats use social grooming to assess competition, to communicate and to establish social hierarchy. By mimicking grooming behaviors, humans can communicate approval and friendly intentions. Once a rat has grown comfortable with moderate handling, mimic maternal grooming by gently stroking the rat's face and ears. If the rat rolls onto its back and exposes its underside, it's asking to be groomed. Lightly scratch the rat's exposed underside. The rat may reciprocate grooming by cleaning its owner's hands and fingernails.

Forced Socialization

While other methods of bonding stress a gentle and slow introduction, forced socialization espouses the opposite. Forced socialization calls for the owner to hold the rat for 20 minutes at a time, even if it means restraining a squirming rat. Proponents believe this replicates a relationship commonly seen among rats: Rats trust bigger rats that have displayed the ability to dominate them but which never hurt them.

Pouch Bonding

With this method of bonding, the owner straps a carrying pouch to her body and carries the rat everywhere for hours each day. The rat's extended exposure to its owner's scent can jump-start the bonding process. This method also desensitizes rats to unfamiliar sounds and smells. A major drawback is that it can drastically reduce physical contact. Regular handling teaches rats to trust humans and show affection. Pouch bonding should be used in conjunction with other bonding techniques.

References

• ASPCA: Rat Care
• Animal Welfare Information Center: Environmental Enrichment in Rodents; Vera Baumans, et al.; September 1995
• The Humane Society of the United States: Welcoming Your New Rat
• Fancy Rats: Taming Your Rats