My rats never sleep?

[Deedles]

I keep hearing of people talking about the cute things ratties do when sleeping... but my 2 are always going and going... My boyfriend is usually up at unusual hours and he keeps telling me that he never sees them sleep... they sometimes kinda rest or doze off, but the second you get near the cage they leap up and start the sniffing through bars thing. Is this a young rat thing?

-D

[kmw]

I think it IS a young rat thing.  My older boys will sleep, even with me poking at them, but Joey Bad Rat NEVER sleeps.  He spends his time looking at me from his hammock or a balcony, sending rat mind signals to take him out of the cage

[Ratty Corner]

I can change out and wipe down the whole cage except the level they're asleep on, and they don't even notice! :ratsmile:

[Rachel]

I have to agree....my younger rats are on the go 24/7...but my older rats(mainly my males) will usually stay passed out even if I poke them...I've had one that would stay asleep even if I picked him up...he's just look grumpy and push my hand with his little feet, open the eye a crack and peer at me, then sprawl back out and sleep =P hehe

[ckhs]

My girls sleep but as soonas they hear me they are up and putting the pressure on to come out,they are about 9 months old,i don't know if thats considered young or not.

[jo.lin]

my boys are only 2 1/2 months old, and they're already starting to act like "typical" males.  they're slowly becoming more and more lazy as the days pass on.  when i first got them, they were running around all the time.  now i find them sleeping quite a bit.  if i poke them through the cage, they'll look up and me with tired eyes as though they're thinking "momma, i'm sleeepy!"  there are definitely times when they're out and about, mostly play fighting and figuring out which ones the alpha rat.  

however, i've noticed that when  they're out of their cage and playing with me, they're much more energetic... for about half an hour.  then they're happy snuggling in my lap.

i wonder if they're gonna be true lap rats in a few months...  

[afmommie]

I'd have to say a young rattie thing too. My young ones are constantly on the go. They may stop for a bried snooze in their hammock but as soon as any one gets near them they are romping again all over. My male Spooky could care less what is going on and will even sleep through me cleaning his cage, or sleep while I'm vaccuming the rattie room.

[Mousie's Mom]

Yeah, it's definitely a young rattie thing.  My younger girls 5-6 months jump up and come running if you get near the cage.

My older girls will open an eye sometimes when you come near the cage.  Sometimes I can put my hand in, pet them, talk to them and wiggle them a bit and they go on sleeping.

My ratties normally sleep from 9am to 6pm.  The older one's that is.  But the little ones will sleep unless you "look" at them.  :-z)

[Cherylnv]

My Piglet never sleeps. Er she just dozes off once in a while. But she runs that *squeeky* wheel all day and all night. I got her in the beginning of November of last year.

The cute thing is, if i take her out in the middle of the day if i hear her running. She falls asleep in my lap

Cheryl

[JanetC]

Cheryl ... for a solution to that squeaky wheel, try putting vegetable oil or olive oil on the "joints." It really helps. Unfortunately, I've heard some hamster owners who learned the hard way that rodents will taste whatever you put on the wheel to stop the squeaking ... and WD40 is fatal!

[Cherylnv]

Ya, every once in a while ill put some olive oil on the joints, but in a day or so its back to squeekin.

I don't hear it so much anymore anyway Too used to the sweet sound of Piglet running.

Cheryl

[Rachel]

Cheryl ... for a solution to that squeaky wheel, try putting vegetable oil or olive oil on the "joints." It really helps. Unfortunately, I've heard some hamster owners who learned the hard way that rodents will taste whatever you put on the wheel to stop the squeaking ... and WD40 is fatal!

eek! what kind of idiot would put that into their pet's cage?!?!

[Deedles]

I use baby oil... its non toxic, and it works great. None of my rodents have tried to eat it yet, and it lasts longer then veg oil and it doesnt get sticky at all...

-D

[Tracy]

Jair is about 10 months old and he will let me pet him and do whatever I want to when he's in sleepy mode.  Pollyanna will be 1 in October and as soon as she sees a movement, she jumps on the bars with her nose forcefully poked out.  When she does decide to nap, I can attempt to pet her head but if I stray, she perks up again. Maybe it's a gender thing or maybe my kids are just the exceptions to the rule.

[JanetC]

I don't hear it so much anymore anyway Too used to the sweet sound of Piglet running.

Cheryl

So sweet! What a doll! I've never tried a wheel because I've heard about so many ratties who don't use 'em. Sounds like you're a lucky rat mom!

[Cherylnv]

I don't hear it so much anymore anyway Too used to the sweet sound of Piglet running.

Cheryl

So sweet! What a doll! I've never tried a wheel because I've heard about so many ratties who don't use 'em. Sounds like you're a lucky rat mom!

Most my girls use the wheel (except maybe two of em, but both are surpasses one year old)

My boys? Never All they do is knock it over and use it as a boxing ring!

[Ali]

I think it's definitely a young rat thing! When we got the boys they were 7 weeks old and simply never stopped. More than once they had Simon yelling and me in tears in the middle of the night (they're in our bedroom!) because of the awful noise they made. They'd never sit still, and were just complete and utter loons.

From about 3 or 4 months though they started chilling out. Now they sleep practically the whole time! Like others have said, I'll poke them if they're asleep and they just open one eye and look at me as if I'm crazy! There are a few hours in which they'll go bonkers for a while - but it's only because they get excited at the prospect of coming out of the cage and finding another hideyhole to sleep in!

Don't worry, you're littl'uns will calm down. Try and enjoy them whilst they haven't yet turned into ratty blobs!

[mamarat]

If my boys are really asleep they can't be bothered but if they hear us moving about the house they are up and wanting to come out.  The girls are the same, and 2 of my girls always seem to be up and moving about.  My older girls have calmed a bit but Einstein, who will be 2 in October, is always up and clinging to the cage as soon as she sees either of us.  Especially if its me!

Jen and the rat pack

[Elaken]

I swear my girls only sleep at night.  I usually stay up way late, or I use to, and they were always sleeping.  Which I never understood because unlike some of you guys I only give them about 2.5 hours of outside time, so they can't be that beat!!  But I do have one of those non-sleepers.  No matter when I come in she is looking at me, wanting me to take her out.

[toad]

How funny - I was JUST thinking this today! I just got 3 boys (7 weeks old) last week, and today I pointed out to my mom, "They never sleep! Ben and Dizzy (10 months) are over there snoozin' away like always, and the 3 boys haven't stopped playing!
OH - and another young vs. old question... do any of ya have young ones that do the eye thing?  
Cuz my Dizzy only started doing it and like 7 months...and Ben doesn't do it...but I want my little guys to do it! It cracks me up when Dizzy's that relaxed and happy!