Genre: Instruction

Rats That Bite There is an argument that suggests that any rat that bites should be humanely destroyed , as a biting rat is not acceptable as a pet . While I agree with that in part , there are also a whole host of reasons why this does not have to be the ' unwritten law ' of rat keeping . Pet rats are generally kept in cages - they can not bite anyone outside their cage , only someone who infringes on their territory by putting their fingers through the bars , or their hand through the door . Being a biter does not necessarily make the rat dangerous ( as long as you follow basic rules , like NOT sticking your fingers through the bars ) , neither does it mean that the rat in question ca n ' t have a long and fulfilled life ( it may be perfectly happy with cage mates ) . As an owner , you have to decide whether you are willing to accept the constraints of a biting rat and whether you are willing to put in the time and effort to correct this character flaw . You also have to consider , especially if there are children involved , whether it is realistic to even attempt to do this - it may be wiser to pass the rat over to someone else who is less interested in having the rat as a cuddly pet . It is very rare for pet rats to aggressively bite , but they can and will bite for a whole host of other reasons . Understanding the reason ( s ) can help an owner overcome the problem , or at least allow themselves not to be hurt when dealing with a particular rat , as well as allowing the rat to lead as normal a life as possible . The primary cause of any bite is fear . A well-socialised regularly handled rat is highly unlikely to bite compared to a solitary un-handled rat . Unfortunately , unless you buy your rats from reputable breeders , you will have no way of telling how socialised your new friends are until you try to pick them up - they may be used to the person in the pet shop , picking them up for short periods or shooing them out of the way while their cages are cleaned , but that does not mean they can cope with , or understand , the loving attentiveness of a new owner . As an owner you must be patient and understanding , giving your new friends time to settle into their new environment and introducing yourself to them slowly and carefully . Start off by just resting your hand in their cage , so they can get used to your smell , or try putting an old t-shirt that you 've recently worn in their cage . You will be able to tell , quite easily , which of your new rats are nervous and which are quite happy to see you : nervous rats will cower , run away , move in a jerky manner and make every attempt to avoid your hand at all costs ! This is when you need to be extra patient because the one thing that will get a rat to investigate you is curiosity . By talking calmly to the rats and not making any sudden movements , even the shyest of kittens will try and sneak a sniff , a lick or even a ' is it edible ? ' nip ( which wo n ' t hurt you at all ! ) . Trust building exercises , like letting rats lick yummy stuff from your fingers , help to teach the rat to associate hands with nice things and also that fingers are not for biting , only for licking . When venturing to pick up your baby rats , NEVER EVER pick them up by the tail - either use a scooping motion supporting the tummy , or place your first 2 fingers either side of their neck , just above the shoulders , with your thumb and remaining fingers supporting their tummy . You obviously ca n ' t do this with bigger rats , unless you have big hands ! Once you 've scooped them up you must support their feet : rats feel very vunerable when left dangling in mid-air ! When you first get your baby rats out of their cage , do n't go too far with them - stay close to the cage so that they can still smell it and , if they panic , you can easily put them back . You must handle your baby rats daily , for at least 20 minutes - there is a theory that a baby rat can not stay frightened for more than 20 minutes so , by handling them for at least this length of time in any one go , they will realise that there 's nothing to be frightened of . However , some rats are far more nervous than others , and can show obvious distress at being handled after only a very short time . Stress is very bad for rats so I would suggest that nervous rats should have their handling time gradually increased - a little amount of handling but several times a day . If they are particularly nervous you will need to make sure they do n't associate your visits with just being handled : on one visit to the cage handle them , on the next give them a treat , on the next just have your hand in etc. If you do have nervous babies , it may be worth considering not giving them a covered bed or bolt-hole in their cage : this may seem a bit harsh but most pet shops do not provide cover and , for the first few weeks at least , it will be easier for you to handle the rats if you do n't have to chase them round the cage or fish them out of a hidey-hole ! Gradual but continual ( and that 's the key ! ) trust building will socialise your rats in no time and , though it wo n ' t guarantee a shoulder or lap rat ( that depends on the personality of the rat ) , it will almost certainly guarantee that your baby rats wo n ' t grow up to be biters ! Older rats that bite are more of a problem and the reasons behind their biting can be more complex and harder to figure out . If you ' adopt ' an adult biter , you have no way of telling whether it has been handled regularly , whether it has been mistreated or whether it is insecure and unsocialised . Trust training can also work with adult rats , though will probably take longer and require a lot more persistence on your part . Thick gardening gloves can be worn to minimise the risk of damage to fingers , or some people use a thick towel to scoop or catch the rat in , should it be necessary to handle it . You have to decide whether this will stress the rat out and undo all your hard work of trust training , or whether you should ignore the handling aspect of socialising your rat until it feels safe in your company and is used to you lightly touching or brushing it with your fingers . There is no need to feel rushed in your socialisation and trust training of your new rat - each rat is different and each will take their own time to ' come round ' to your way of thinking ! Being naturally sociable animals , it is very rare for a rat to just be aggressive and unhandleable with no hope of character redemption , but any rat that exhibits outward unprovoked aggression should NEVER be bred from . Responsible breeders breed as much for character as they do for colouring and they socialise their rats almost from birth , getting them used to being handled from an early age - a good reason to consider buying your rats from breeders rather than pet shops , which can sometimes breed and sell rodents for reptile food ( ' feeders ' ) and are consequently uninterested in the character and health of the animals they produce . Whether from a breeder or a shop always get at least a pair of same sex rats . If buying from a pet shop , unless you know the shop to be reputable , get young , recently weaned rats . Wherever you buy your new pets from , the time spent building bonds can be one of the most rewarding experiences of rat ownership , so have fun !