How to Pet a Rat
Contrary to popular opinion, rats are wonderful small pets because they're clean, intelligent, affectionate, and playful. Rats can be kept in small places, making them popular pets for people who live in dormitories or shared housing. They are good pets for children because they're easy to feed and care for, and their upkeep is inexpensive. For first-time rat owners, petting a rat can be awkward.
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Instructions
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Give your rat a chance to get used to you and its new home when you first bring it home. Let it alone in its cage for at least a day and a night, but give it food and talk to it so it learns your voice and smell. A skittish rat can easily escape from your hands, and they're really hard to capture.
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Open the rat's cage and give it a chance to come to you. Some rats are friendlier than others and want to be held and played with while others are more reticent. Coax a shy rat to come to you by offering treats. The rat will like you better when it learns you're a source of food.
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Pick up the rat with one hand under its forearms and scoop up the hindquarters with your other hand. The rat needs to feel supported to be comfortable. If it's not supported well, it will squirm, struggle and swing its tail around in circles.
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Bring the rat to your chest and hold it there with both hands. This will make the rat feel secure and it will be more comfortable with the heat from your body.
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Pet the rat's body along its back. Use the tips of your fingers or your whole palm. You can pet baby rats in either direction, but most adult rats don't like being stroked against the way their hair grows.
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Stroke the rat's tail, going from the base to the tip. Most rats love having their tails petted, as long as you pet it in the right direction.
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Scratch the rat's cheeks and ears gently with your fingertips. Rats really like to be scratched, and will often press their faces into your fingers for more scratching.
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Scratch your rat's belly only if he's comfortable being upside down. Most rats don't like lying on their backs, but some will roll over for a belly scratch.
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Tips & Warnings
If your rat is otherwise comfortable but seems to be trembling, don't worry. This is akin to purring in cats, so it means the rat is really happy.
Never pick up your rat by the tail. This can hurt the rat's tail or spine, and it can frighten the rat enough for it to bite you.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons
