Article: Keep the rat cage in an area where you are often present and the rats can watch what's going on around them. This will prevent feelings of isolation. The more attention you give, the more bonded, active, healthy, and friendly your rat will be. A single rat is a lonely rat, and this can cause behavioral issues. Unless your rat is aggressive, they are best not left alone. Even if they are aggressive, patient love and attention can bring them around. Handle the rats daily, preferably two to three times a day for ten minutes or more. Rats love to learn and solve problems, so consider setting up little obstacle courses containing hidden treats in order to mentally stimulate your rats. Teach tricks by starting slow, rewarding, and reinforcing with treats and praise if done correctly. Rats are very intelligent, and can learn many tricks, such as jumping through a hoop, spinning in a circle, standing up, and even giving a handshake, all on spoken command. Do not punish your rat for failure. Rats don't understand negative punishments, and will only confuse the rat. Instead, give them a treat when they do it right. If your rat bites, don't give him a firm tap and a "no." Instead, squeak like a rat would and pull away. Eventually your rat will understand. Do not forget that each rat has his or her own personality, meaning that one rat may learn differently from others. Any specific method of teaching may work for one rat, but may not for another. The key to successful training is to be persistent and have lots of short training sessions filled with treats. Rats enjoy a change of scenery and a chance to stretch their legs and explore. Rats should be taken out at least one hour per day. You can let them roam around on your shoulder or somewhere in your house where it won't be a problem. If you take your rats outside, a harness is a good idea so that you have some control if the rat becomes frightened. There are many rat websites, forums, and other online communities to join with other rat lovers if you'd like to talk with like-minded people and share.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Make sure your rats have good visibility. Spend time with your rats. Teach them tricks. Take them out.