Is it ok to keep picking up my sleeping ratties to hold them?

[~Lilly's mama~]

I love holding Lilly, but she sleeps alot during the day.  Is it alright if I wake her to hold her?  She seems to love being held.  

TIA!!

[Anna]

I've never had a problem with waking mine. Until they fully wake up they're pretty snuggly. Plust they have the habit of going back to sleep.

Anna

[pegc]

How cute Anna is! Yes, rats are pretty accomodating, and are not as strictly nocturnal as , say , hamsters.

You can pick them up any time you want. They will catch up on their zzzzs later!

[Anna]

Why thank you! The rat's name is Muffin btw.
Anna

[rogermerriman]

My old boy will often not wake when I come up to see the rats in the afternoon and will not wake fully even when carried down to watch me surf. lazy old boy!

[Eileen]

My girls are ALWAYS more than happy to wake up to play. I usually talk to them first to make sure it's OK
with them, rather than just scooping them up.
But by the time I am taking the clips off their tank,
they're usually up and yawning, ready to go!

[SCRAPPYSMOMMY]

Yes, but out of respect for your rattie friends, it may be nicer to wake them up before picking them up.  They will appreciate being gently woken rather than being scooped up without warning.  

[SADCAT]

I agree, don't just reach in and take them out without warning. You may be greeted with a nip if you surprise a rat who's in a deep sleep (reflex I guess). I usually let my girls sleep because they just look so happy in their hammock, but after wandering around the room for a while they will usually hear me and wake up on their own to come out.

[emmamay]

yeah i usually open the door to their cage and my boys will come out if they want, i usually give them 5min and if they dont come out then, then i just close the door and leave them be, but it is sooo cute when they are sleeping,
it feels like they are sending out little sibliminal(sp) messages! "pick me up, or just leave the door open and walk away!" hahaha cheeky things

[magenta]

Anna:
muffin is gorgeous! what breed is she?

[Anna]

She's an american slate blue as far as I know. She's also a little demon  
I tried to breed her, but she refuses. She beats the boys up and then humps them. Couldn't get her pregnant for the life of me. *Sigh* oh well.
Anna
ps she was a pet shop rescue who had the pneumonia sneeze very badly. They gave her to me because I could treat her.

[Yresim]

My rat actually wakes up anytime anyone gets too close to the door.  She expects a treat or some time in her roller-ball if she knows there is a person right there.