by
NinaH
on
06/02/08
: (according to rat research expert S. Anthony Barnett in his book "The Story of Rats").Probably your only hope is to use a live trap. Of course, there is always the possibility that the rat has found a way out of the house altogether. If this is the case, it's doubtful she will ever return. If you continue to leave food out the in the open and it remains untouched, the odds are good that she has escaped out of the house. If she has escaped to the outside, don't worry about her. Rats are masters at survival. She will probably be able to take care of herself and live a good life outside.
Anyone who has ever owned pets has some kind of similar story to tell. I lost a hamster years ago, in very much the same manner as your rat. We never did find it. It's sad, but you learn your lessons and try again with a new pet.
Best wishes.
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RATING
by
NinaH
on
06/02/08
: My guess is that she could have hidden in the linen closet at first, if you have one in the bathroom. She could even have climbed to the top and hidden in a stack of towels. However, she may have moved on to another location by this time. Like a person, a rat needs food and water. If she is alive, she will have found a food source somewhere in the house. You might want to play detective and leave a plate of food right out in the open in each room overnight. In the morning check to see if any of the food is missing. If it is, that's a very good sign your rat is alive and just hiding out. Unfortunately, rodents that spend a week or two in hiding revert to acting like wild animals. This is actual biology--their brains begin to change over to be more like a wild animal's brain, otherwise they couldn't survive on their own (according to rat research expert S. Anthony Barnett in his book "T
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RATING
Novice
144 Points
