Be Prepared - Before You Adopt:
Before you come get your Px rats, here are steps that I recommend you take to make the trip home comfortable for your new friend(s).
The trip home can will depend on your personal travel time and route.
Day Of - Arriving Home:
Once home, how you introduce your rats to their new home can make a difference in how quickly they adjust and get comfortable with both the new environment and you. While they may initially be somewhat fearful for the new environment, when adopting a Px rat you do not need to leave them alone in the cage to get them fully comfortable with their home before you start interreacting with them... it's not their home they need to get used to; it's you. You are their companion and parent now and need to become their safe zone.
When they are put into the cage, take some time with them by sitting in front of the cage and if possible, have the cage door open with your hand in the cage close to them. Let them come to you and sniff you, softly talk to them, try giving them some treats and then soft pets on the head. If they are acting fearful and do not come to you or are huddled in the corner then try just talking to them and getting them to start accepting treats from your hands so they learn that good things come from human hands. Once they are comfortable with this them they will start opening up and trusting you which is a big first step in the bonding process. This may take a few days to a few weeks FYI, don't rush things and be quiet, soft and patient while you are putting on be fearless, smooth, cool,, confident, steady handed demeanor when interacting with them as this will help feel safe and build their confidence quicker. FI you are nervous the rats will always be nervous and this behavior will become harder to overcome in time as well as a major health determent to the rats to be in a constant state of fear. This can also lead to unwanted behaviors like fear biting, cage aggression, resource hiding, in fighting and depression.
*** If you have other rats in the home - We recommend keeping your new Px rats separately in a different cage/bin for at least 3 weeks as a monitoring period. Rats will have to get used and build up an immunity to any native bacteria in the colony and this gives you the chance to fully monitor each group for any kind of symptoms such as sneezing, itching, appetite/energy losses, etc. Please see The Rat Guide's Basic Health Check List for more of what to look out for. If any of these symptoms are noticed they need to be address immediately and before any introns are started. Never jus throw rats all together in one cage, this can be very dangerous and lead to ultimately unsuccessful intros and they will never be able to live together or worse, rats will be killed. Proper intro methods need to be done with patience, safety and time. Please email or let us know at the time of the adoption pickup appointment that you would like additional info on how to do proper rat introductions. The new rats need to be housed in another cage during this time, preferably not in just a sectioned off part of the cage or in a cage put right next to each other (we do not recommend this as a proper way to do intros!) This creates an ongoing stressful environment for all the rats, allows direct transfer of all bacterial/viral/parasite infections and can result in the loss of toes/ears/tails/body parts or injury needing vet care or amputations or even possibly them bleeding out. And remember ultimately you want your new rats to bond and feel good with you first then with the other rats and the home environment, this separate housing monitoring period method allows you to do that. Once the 3 weeks i sup and all the rats are healthy you can start with proper intros and continue down with our method.
The Next Step - Handling and Play Time:
Once they seem friendly enough and your confident enough then feel free to start picking them up. We do recommend that at first you practice picking them up within the cage itself or over a modified bin in case they fall or bolt away. Do this as much as possible throughout as many time in the day as you can, this will get you comfortable and experienced with them and their movements and them with you. Once you are fully comfortable with picking them up within the cage them move to walking around with them on your shoulder or in a bonding pouch type bag, carrier, hoodie pocket etc. daily and sit with them for quiet couch or bed time for a few minutes. Once everyone is good with this then you can move into longer out times and general open play in the play pen, on a couch, bed, or in a secure room. Push their limits, but don't push yours. Don't do anything that makes you feel nervous because they will sense that and it will make them more nervous.
Alternative Methods for Special Cases
The above method is what I have personally done with all of the rats I've gotten from other sources and it has generally always worked but sometimes you will have rats that might need a little extra help in the transitional and bonding process depending on the individuals, age, source etc. For those that maybe not able to overcome their fear and the above method does not seem to be working then we recommend using these alternative methods to eventually get them to the point where you can use the above method then. This also works well if you are adopting rats from alternative sources such as traumatized rescue rats or some special stock (like lab rat strains).
Final Notes: One common mistake for a lot of new owners is rushing/pushing things and not understanding that sometimes it take a good amount of time from when you first get your rats to when they are fully comfortably bonded to you with daily kisses. This may be weeks to months or even years to accomplish and it shouldn't be pushed. Enjoy the journey to becoming an experienced rat owner and get to know your rats, they've each got very individual special personalities, likes. dislikes, quarks, and so on. Don't do anything stupid! General rule of thumb is to use your common sense... if you think its dangerous or stupid then it probably is, error on the side of caution and don't do it. Rats are animals and also prey animals at that so expect general behaviors as such like bolting at loud noises, naturally wanting to hide/not be exposed in open areas, having poor eyesight and not knowing what that dark shape coming at them is, being a pack animals and enjoying/needing other rat company as well as human, not liking to interact/ play with cats or dogs, going to the bathroom if out for a long time, chewing on things, hiding illnesses well till its too late, etc,
If you have comments, questions or need to contact us about any adoption placement or additional info - Email us at pxrats@gmail.com
Before you come get your Px rats, here are steps that I recommend you take to make the trip home comfortable for your new friend(s).
- Get a proper carrier: Having a proper carrier that is not only large enough and secure enough but also comfortable and suitable specifically for transporting ratties is very important. You want a carrier that is also large enough for at least a pair of babies but will be enough room for them as they grow into large adults to save you from having to upgrade and rebuy a carrier. We recommend making a modified bin of your own (see THIS guide on how to make them) or commercially bought ones like: Frisco Top Entry Two-Toned Small Pet Carrier, Rosewood Pet Pod Small Animal Carrier (Large Only), Hagen Living World Carrier. You can also bring any small cage that can be seat belted into your car seats. We don't generally recommend cloth style carriers as these can be quickly chewed out of. While there are many carriers to choose from, please email is if you are at all unsure about the suitability of your carrier. The carriers should be lined with soft fabric and some sort of 'housing' option such as a cardboard box or plastic house etc.
- Have their cage ready: GO ahead and have the cage is all set up with bedding, hammocks, toys, food, water bottles etc. You don't want to have to keep the rat in the carrier while setting up the cage or if waiting on shipping.
- Pack a bag of "travel at supplies": This can be water sources such as a bottle of water and attachable water bottle or water rich foods like melons/bananas/kale/carrots, treats and a little bit of their food. We also suggest some extra nesting materials in case its windy or cold out, this can be bits of fleece/fabric or paper products. You should being some sort of carrier cover such as a blanket or towel to put over it while being brought in and out of the house for added protection and offers a dark secure comfortable environment for the rats.
The trip home can will depend on your personal travel time and route.
- Do NOT open the carrier during transport, this can be deadly for both you and the rats.
- Secure the carrier with a seatbelt or wedged in so that it does not move. Not only does this eliminates any distractions for you and stresses of being tossed around on the rat but it's safer setup in case of a wreck.
- Do not put the carrier on the floorboards of the car, some cars can have small carbon moxide leaks in them which arise from the floorboards areas and can easily kill your rats. Also there is usually a big temperature difference between the floorboards and seats, you want them to be comfortable as you are with the temperature between 68-75 degree at most. We don't recommend having the window down (unless the car has no AC) as wind can not only be too much, too cold/hot, too much air but also the noise itself can increase the stress and fear of traveling for the rats potentially.
- Offer water bottle drinking breaks for the rats if your trip is 3 or more hours.
Day Of - Arriving Home:
Once home, how you introduce your rats to their new home can make a difference in how quickly they adjust and get comfortable with both the new environment and you. While they may initially be somewhat fearful for the new environment, when adopting a Px rat you do not need to leave them alone in the cage to get them fully comfortable with their home before you start interreacting with them... it's not their home they need to get used to; it's you. You are their companion and parent now and need to become their safe zone.
When they are put into the cage, take some time with them by sitting in front of the cage and if possible, have the cage door open with your hand in the cage close to them. Let them come to you and sniff you, softly talk to them, try giving them some treats and then soft pets on the head. If they are acting fearful and do not come to you or are huddled in the corner then try just talking to them and getting them to start accepting treats from your hands so they learn that good things come from human hands. Once they are comfortable with this them they will start opening up and trusting you which is a big first step in the bonding process. This may take a few days to a few weeks FYI, don't rush things and be quiet, soft and patient while you are putting on be fearless, smooth, cool,, confident, steady handed demeanor when interacting with them as this will help feel safe and build their confidence quicker. FI you are nervous the rats will always be nervous and this behavior will become harder to overcome in time as well as a major health determent to the rats to be in a constant state of fear. This can also lead to unwanted behaviors like fear biting, cage aggression, resource hiding, in fighting and depression.
*** If you have other rats in the home - We recommend keeping your new Px rats separately in a different cage/bin for at least 3 weeks as a monitoring period. Rats will have to get used and build up an immunity to any native bacteria in the colony and this gives you the chance to fully monitor each group for any kind of symptoms such as sneezing, itching, appetite/energy losses, etc. Please see The Rat Guide's Basic Health Check List for more of what to look out for. If any of these symptoms are noticed they need to be address immediately and before any introns are started. Never jus throw rats all together in one cage, this can be very dangerous and lead to ultimately unsuccessful intros and they will never be able to live together or worse, rats will be killed. Proper intro methods need to be done with patience, safety and time. Please email or let us know at the time of the adoption pickup appointment that you would like additional info on how to do proper rat introductions. The new rats need to be housed in another cage during this time, preferably not in just a sectioned off part of the cage or in a cage put right next to each other (we do not recommend this as a proper way to do intros!) This creates an ongoing stressful environment for all the rats, allows direct transfer of all bacterial/viral/parasite infections and can result in the loss of toes/ears/tails/body parts or injury needing vet care or amputations or even possibly them bleeding out. And remember ultimately you want your new rats to bond and feel good with you first then with the other rats and the home environment, this separate housing monitoring period method allows you to do that. Once the 3 weeks i sup and all the rats are healthy you can start with proper intros and continue down with our method.
The Next Step - Handling and Play Time:
Once they seem friendly enough and your confident enough then feel free to start picking them up. We do recommend that at first you practice picking them up within the cage itself or over a modified bin in case they fall or bolt away. Do this as much as possible throughout as many time in the day as you can, this will get you comfortable and experienced with them and their movements and them with you. Once you are fully comfortable with picking them up within the cage them move to walking around with them on your shoulder or in a bonding pouch type bag, carrier, hoodie pocket etc. daily and sit with them for quiet couch or bed time for a few minutes. Once everyone is good with this then you can move into longer out times and general open play in the play pen, on a couch, bed, or in a secure room. Push their limits, but don't push yours. Don't do anything that makes you feel nervous because they will sense that and it will make them more nervous.
Alternative Methods for Special Cases
The above method is what I have personally done with all of the rats I've gotten from other sources and it has generally always worked but sometimes you will have rats that might need a little extra help in the transitional and bonding process depending on the individuals, age, source etc. For those that maybe not able to overcome their fear and the above method does not seem to be working then we recommend using these alternative methods to eventually get them to the point where you can use the above method then. This also works well if you are adopting rats from alternative sources such as traumatized rescue rats or some special stock (like lab rat strains).
- Bonding Pouches: Found on Etsy, Amazon and a bunch of online stores (you can also just make your own), they are simply cloth bags to highly designed wearable pouches that let you to safely, securely, comfortably take your rats out of the cage and carry them around to either the next play area or for extra direct and in person bonding time. These pouches essentially let you have direct access to touching and petting them while they are feeling safe within the pouch and can be great for rats that are insecure about being picked up, touched and even for those that are biters/mouthy as this avoids a direct threatening approach of my hand within the cage. I simply put the pouch down onto the floor in front of the rats and pickup the lip a little to encourage them to go into it on their own. Most rats will naturally do this but sometime you'll need a little further enticement with some treats or gentle talk. Eventually they will learn that the pouch is a cool, safe place and everything time you put it into the cage they will automatically go into this. The pouch can then be taken wherever I need to whether its playtime, couch movie time, sitting with me while I work or even for a vet visit. Over time this also gives confidence with being put and handled by both parties and sometimes you can skip the pouch and use your hands.
- Offering a smaller option before the big cage move: Sometimes cages like even the single Critter Nation model can be too much for some rats esp if the rats are really young, a single/duo only or just weaned. For these rats that may have a tougher time with transitioning then we suggest using a smaller cage or modified bin to house them in for a few weeks until they, and you, are ready to move into the big house. This is especially true if you currently have other rats in the house that you will be introducing them to. Your Px rats need a good amount of time with you first and foremost before you start the very stressful nd sometime dangerous into process and so they need an alternative comfortable and safe place to live till then. These are also good options for hospital/nursing/hospice cages so you should have at least one on hand anyways.
- Especially fearful or aggressive rats: Since we do not offer these types of rats for adoption here at Px and I have never used any other method of socialization, I cannot offer any advice other than recommending an internet search or asking on rat forums. I do believe that with time, understanding and using some of these alternative methods first that any rat just about can be saved and turned around. Sometimes it's simply setting up what boundaries there are for both you and the rats that leads to a peaceful coexistence, sometimes its accepting who, what and where they are and just letting them live as a rat. This may mean that your not pushing excessive handling or socialization techniques on them but just merely letting them have their space and time in the group. Over time this leads to a better outcome, less chance of injury and higher reward when you get a hardship case to turn round even just a little.
Final Notes: One common mistake for a lot of new owners is rushing/pushing things and not understanding that sometimes it take a good amount of time from when you first get your rats to when they are fully comfortably bonded to you with daily kisses. This may be weeks to months or even years to accomplish and it shouldn't be pushed. Enjoy the journey to becoming an experienced rat owner and get to know your rats, they've each got very individual special personalities, likes. dislikes, quarks, and so on. Don't do anything stupid! General rule of thumb is to use your common sense... if you think its dangerous or stupid then it probably is, error on the side of caution and don't do it. Rats are animals and also prey animals at that so expect general behaviors as such like bolting at loud noises, naturally wanting to hide/not be exposed in open areas, having poor eyesight and not knowing what that dark shape coming at them is, being a pack animals and enjoying/needing other rat company as well as human, not liking to interact/ play with cats or dogs, going to the bathroom if out for a long time, chewing on things, hiding illnesses well till its too late, etc,
If you have comments, questions or need to contact us about any adoption placement or additional info - Email us at pxrats@gmail.com
