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Author Topic: are my rats weird?  (Read 173 times)
PnutLuv
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« on: October 07, 2008, 10:57:16 AM »

We've had them for 5weeks now. We moved them into a much bigger cage this weekend. They have yet to go to the bottom level. I've put them down there and they eventually found their way up, but refuse to go down there. (I put some super yummy treats down there awhile ago, so we'll see if that coaxes them) I'm just dying for them to USE all the space and new toys. Right now they are just using one basket to snuggle in.

They just seem so skittish of new stuff. Is that normal? They are also still afraid of the TV.

We have them out about 60-90min a day, usually in 3 separate play sessions. They are friendly enough, and are super playful during their bathroom playtime when they have the most room.

Just wondering if it's normal for them to awhile to adjust to new things, or if that's just part of their personality.
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RatAttack59
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« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2008, 11:36:33 AM »

Perfectly normal.  Also, Rats tend to like "high" places.  Sometimes I'll find all of the girls up on the top tiny shelf, piled on top of each other, when they have a whole huge cage to play in.
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BlueBalloon
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« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2008, 11:41:41 AM »

Very normal, my two boys rarely go to the bottom of their FN and avoided it completely for the first bit.
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« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2008, 12:46:27 PM »

It's normal, as long as they know it's there then they're ok.  I have 14, 8 boys and 6 girls, and they rarely stay on the bottom floor either.  They are both in cages that are 6 levels high, and th girls rarely go below the 2nd level, and they go down that far because there is a hanging tunnel they enjoy being in, as well as a hammock that gets occasional use.  The top floor hammock gets the most use.  The boys rarely go lower than the tird level.  So don't worry, your rats aren't wierd, they are just doing what most rats do.
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Addicted2Rats
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« Reply #4 on: October 08, 2008, 01:49:30 PM »

I have a FN 142 and my guys never use the bottom level either.  The only time they go down there is when they get bursts of hyper playfulness or when they know that they're going to be let out to free range.  I have a ramp that I made that allows them to run in and out of the cage on their own, from the bottom level.

Deb
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Deb F. (Certified Vet Tech)
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« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2008, 09:43:30 AM »

Wow, ok, that makes me feel better too. Mine have been doing that, and I was really worried. They started doing it after I had tried out a different cleaner than usual, and I thought that it was my fault that they were all hiding on the top. They still go to the bottom to eat and play around sometimes though. Tongue Hooray for being a paranoid newbie.
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PnutLuv
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« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2008, 10:08:02 AM »

Makes me wonder why I got such a big cage!! :lol

They still hate it down there. If I put them in at the bottom, they freak out and dig their claws into me, the door, trying not to get put in. I've put special treats down there, and they still won't go down.

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Addicted2Rats
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« Reply #7 on: October 09, 2008, 11:40:19 AM »

Yeah, I understand that, Pnut.  My cage is pretty huge for five rat boys.  But I can feel satisfied knowing that I've provided them a huge place to run around in when I'm not able to free-range them.  If I had a smaller cage, I'd feel guilty that they didn't have the room they deserve. Smiley

Deb
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Deb F. (Certified Vet Tech)
Furkids: dogs - Mandy; cats - Smokey & Daphne; rats - Riff-Raff, Izzy, Cheese Lips, Sherbert, and Ernie
RIP - Abby <3

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