Another new rat oddity

[Heatherama]

OK, this one is completely new to me.  I've had rats for almost 10 years now and never seen this behavior.   

When I have the new blue boys out, and both of them do this but it's mostly Hovis the dumbo, they run around, have a good time, enjoy a scritch...but as this is happening, every couple of minutes one of them will get right in front of my face on my chest, flatten out their body, tilt their head up toward me, and just stare...being completely still for around 30 seconds, then run off playing again.  I'm serious....just stare.     I pet them and talk to them while they do this...they don't move, it's like they are a statue.  They do it when they are happy, so it can't be a bad thing....man, I thought my dog was the only animal who had a staring problem.   

[hairless_love]

Maybe it's the weight loss...they wonder where you're going lol. 

Ya I really don't have any better answers than smart a** ones....

[whtnyte]

MeeToo doesn't go quite that far, but he is very much a "daddy's boy" and when he's awake and romping around he comes and BEGS to be picked up every 10-15 minutes. He gets some attention, wiggles around, wags his tail, and then he's off on another adventure!

I just say he needs to "check in" every 1/4 hour lol!

[Rattenburg]

Sure he's not marking you? I've had them do that before, you sit there and think, AWW, how adorable, then find a streak on you and it's not quite so cute anymore. It is cute though, minus the marking.

[gesticulator]

could it be just a submissive posture? like a "bow" to their leader?

[lilspaz68]

Its a lovely experience, you really feel the rat is "seeing" you rather than just bouncing around taking you for granted.  I love it myself.   

[cheerio]

  We're not worthy oh provider of yogies and other nummies.  That sounds so cute! BTW...I'm very very jealous that you have blue babies in your house. Luckily for the time being my attention can be directed elsewhere to our 2 new little dumbos, or else there'd be some attempted rat-napping going on 

[trentsheba]

That's actually really beautiful, if it's what one of my boys used to do.  He'd just stare into my eyes for a while.  It was the most loving and heart warming look.  It's the thing I miss the most about him.  It was a look of complete adoration and trust.

[RachelnJoe]

I'm sooooooooo jealous. My girls pretty much use me as a jumping off point to get to their next adventure. 

[Heatherama]

That's actually really beautiful, if it's what one of my boys used to do.  He'd just stare into my eyes for a while.  It was the most loving and heart warming look.  It's the thing I miss the most about him.  It was a look of complete adoration and trust.

It really is too.  The first few times I thought there was something wrong.  But now I love it!  Those big baby eyes staring at me like "thank you momma for letting us run around like crazy little monkies".     It really is very sweet.

[Mischief Mistress]

It's cause you're beautiful