Trust Training

If you're feeling a disconnect with your rats, I highly recommend checking out the video linked above (her other videos are good, too). Depending on their personality, rats can be fairly skittish and distrustful when you first get them and, if treated improperly, these traits can actually get worse. The video goes over some good ways to help gain your rats' trust and breed familiarity with them, as well as giving some suggestions about what you should avoid doing until they're more comfortable with you. I've been using some of the tips in the video to help with my attempts to train my boys and it really seems to help keep them calmer (although it'll take some more work to move their focus toward the words and actions rather than just the food).

Rat Addictions

Photo from Brin de Folie

Thanks to the help of a number of rats, this study uncovered some interesting possibilities in regards to the addictive qualities of some drugs. In the experiment, rats were split up into two groups; one group was placed in a spacious environment with plenty of food, accommodations, and stimuli (ie. "Rat Park"), while the other group was placed in standard lab cages. Before being split up, all of the rats were given morphine for over a month, then each group had the option of drinking clean water or water laced with the drug. While the caged rats tended towards the drug-laced water, the majority of Rat Park residents opted for the clean water.

Basically, the results of the experiment suggest that the rats' reason for choosing the morphine-infused water was based less on an already established addiction and more on unpleasant living conditions. The Rat Park rats were far more comfortable than the caged rats and so could derive comfort from other sources. Granted, some of the Rat Park residents chose to continue taking the drugs, but the difference between the two groups of rats is still quite surprising. Not only did this experiment open new doors for drug research (to a degree, as it was largely overlooked), but I think it also helps to illustrate just how important a positive environment is for an animal's happiness, whether they're rat, human, or otherwise.

Some Cute for Your Day

Last night, as I was cleaning up their play area (ie. my kitchen table), Potato and Goma tried to take refuge in a tissue box. Unfortunately for them, there isn't exactly enough room for the both of them. Needless to say, I think Goma was a bit disappointed with the outcome.

How to Make a Water Rat

If your rats are anything like mine, they probably aren't huge fans of the water. If you'd like to change that - to help your rats cool down in the summer, teach them new tricks, help them cope with baths, or just to provide them with some more engaging activities - then check out the video above. I think it does an excellent job of demonstrating appropriate set-ups while also stressing the importance of taking it slow and gradually easing your rats into the activity.

I may or may not give this one a try. I suspect that Potato and Goma have had one too many baths for them to ever be completely comfortable in the water, no matter how much time I give them to get used to it. Then again, they seem to have no problem fishing for peas, so there may be hope yet.

The Power of a Rat's Love

Potato and Goma cuddling

When I stumbled upon this story about a rat named Mr. Tiffany (Mr. T for short), I didn’t expect anything deep. I was there for a cute story, some funny anecdotes, and maybe a few photos of an adorable pet. Instead, I got to read about how a fast-paced couple living abroad took in a shivering rat, alone and near death, and nursed him back to health. In the process, they became enamoured with his boundless energy and addicting personality. Mr. T allowed them to stop focusing on work and start prioritizing time at home with each other and their newly-adopted pet, which, even after he was gone, allowed for his family to feel prepared enough to have a non-furry child.

It really is heart-warming to know that one lonely rat found in an alley could have such a profound effect on people. He completely changed their lives for the better. I like to think that all of our pets do the same. I know that my rats have become an integral part of my life – apart from being the focus of this blog, they also act as silent, yet cuddly, confidants, as well as being an endless source of entertainment for my entire family. A rat’s love is, indeed, a powerful thing.

The Rise of British Super Rats

Photo from Flickr

While I usually like to stick to more upbeat stories and stories about domestic rats, I do still like to keep up with general rat knowledge and information, too. For instance, I recently read this 2009 article about British “super rats.” It seems that poison is the typical means of extermination within the country, but just like with overusing antibiotics, overusing specific poisons has allowed for the development of resistance in the overall rat populace. Basically, some of the rats had a genetic predisposition against the effects of poison and, since they’re the only ones to survive said poisons, they’ve begun to breed and spread their resistant traits. So now most of the feral rat population is almost unaffected by traditional rat poisons.

I love rats, but I can definitely see why this is such a huge issue. In the country, large rat populations can affect crops, while in cities, they can infest homes and damage buildings. If there’s no longer an effective way to control their population, they could easily overrun everything. According to the article, most people have since turned to slightly less elegant forms of extermination – everything from traps to guns and dogs. While it does come across as fairly brutal, I imagine a trap general means a much quicker and less painful way to die than certain poisons. Not that any of it is very nice, of course.

I attempted to find an update on the issue, but I can’t seem to find any articles regarding UK super rats past 2009. Whether that means that a solution’s been discovered or that people have just learned to deal with it remains a mystery to me.

Potato Tests Out a DIY Harness Prototype

I decided to give yesterday's harness tutorial a try this morning. I have learned a couple of things from this experience.

The big one is that the tutorial video suggests cutting 60" lengths of embroidery thread will provide you with more than enough. This might be true for some people, but, if you're like me, the last two inches of thread are a write-off if you want to be able to tie them off. Therefore, after an hour of work, I wound up with a harness the perfect size for a juvenile rat, which doesn't remotely describe Potato or Goma anymore. I would highly recommend cutting at least 65" or more for an adult rat. On the bright side, I now have a pre-made harness if I pick up any younger rats in the near future.

After that small disaster, I decided to make a test harness so I could get a better idea of the right length "rope" to make in the future. As you can see from the video of Potato above, it seems to work fairly well, so I might recommend this method for a quick fix if you need a harness in a hurry. Basically, I just cut some twine (since it's thicker than normal string) a bit longer than I thought I needed and measured it by wrapping it around one of my (very squirmy) rats. I then tied the ends together with a tight square knot and wrapped the knot in electrical tape to keep it from pulling too much. The rest was done the same as in the tutorial.

A fun side note: Apart from running around like a mad rat, Potato also seemed convinced that he could get the harness off by vigorously washing his ears. Needless to say, it was both an adorable and very silly sight to behold.