How to train rats?

Decorative rats have a high level of intelligence. Such rodents are curious, active and learn something new quite easily. However, the process of training rats has its own subtleties that pet owners need to know. In our article, we will talk about how to properly train decorative rats.

Domesticated rats are orders of magnitude smarter than other rodent species and respond well to training. Animals have a well-developed logical thinking, which allows them to understand cause-and-effect relationships. However, the result of training does not always depend only on the intelligence of the rat, the skills and patience of the owner.

The process of training pets has its own characteristics and a number of rules that must be followed.

An obligatory component of all training should be motivation. The animal should receive rewards in the form of treats for correctly performed actions.

Before you start training, you need to establish a relationship of trust with your pet. It makes no sense to try to train the animal if it is afraid of the owner and does not make contact. For classes, it is advisable to take a separate place in the apartment and make it as safe for the pet as possible.

Rats are naturally highly intelligent. However, this does not mean that all individuals are equally easy to learn. Depending on the characteristics of the character and physiology of the pet, some skills will be easier for him to acquire than his fellows, and something will be more difficult for him.

Whatever you have to train your pet, good results can be achieved only when all the key points are present in the training:

• trusting relationship with a pet;
• motivation in the form of rewarding a treat;
• constancy of actions;
• fixing the result by repeated repetition;
• patient attitude towards the rodent.

Rodents can learn to perform a wide variety of different tricks. Most often, owners teach their pets the following:

• climb on the shoulder to the owner and sit on it;
• respond to your name and execute simple commands;
• understand the word "no";
• going to the toilet in the tray;
• passing a lane with obstacles;
• orientation in space and the ability to get out of the labyrinth;
• moving along the ropes;
• stand on two legs;
• push the ball in a circle.

Regardless of what the rat will be learning, preparation must be done in advance for the start of training. So that the pet does not feel uncomfortable during classes, it does not need to be overfed, but it also should not starve. The rodent should familiarize himself with the training area in advance, as well as with the props.

It is recommended to start training decorative rats with the simplest things. To begin with, the pet must get used to its nickname and begin to respond to it.

After the animal has begun to respond and run up to the owner at the call, you can proceed to teaching simple commands. For example, an animal can climb onto its shoulder or enter a cage when it clicks. When your pet has mastered simple commands, it will be possible to move on to teaching more serious tricks.

You can start teaching rats to tricks with a stand on their hind legs. They usually learn this quickly. It should be borne in mind that the pet must make the stand on its own - you cannot touch it with your hands and put it in the right position. It is necessary to bring a treat to the rat's nose and gradually raise the food up.

If classes are not conducted with a well-fed pet, then he will immediately rise after the treat. It is important to give him food when he gets up on his hind legs. Simultaneously with stretching the treat, you can pronounce any command.

Rats can jump with ease. It is best to start learning this trick on your knees. To do this, the rat must be put on the left leg, and the right one must be taken a little to the side. A treat is placed on the right knee, and the animal will be forced to jump over to the other leg to receive it.

You can also give a command or click when the food is placed on your foot. Over time, the animal will start jumping short distances without requiring a treat. Animals can be taught to jump through small holes or over obstacles.

Usually decorative rats willingly make contact with a person and quickly become attached to him. However, there are exceptions among animals. The rodent can be afraid and avoid people. In this case, before you start training your pet, you need to tame it.

It is best if you initially purchased a tamed rat.

Tame rodents can immediately be safely given into the hands of a new owner. Immediately after buying a pet, you must try to establish contact with him. You need to talk to the animal regularly, and when passing by its dwelling, treat it with a delicacy. It is not recommended to put food in the cage between the bars, as the rat can get scared.

First you need to open the door, call the pet by name, slightly tug at the bowl of food, and only then put the treat into it. Decorative rats are quite playful, so you need to devote time to playing with the animal every day.

Thus, the animal will quickly get used to the hands of the owner, and they will be associated with a pleasant pastime.

Taming semi-wild and wild rats will take longer and require patience from the owner.

First of all, these rats are taught to eat from their hands.

First, for several days in a row, the treat is placed in the cage, so that the rodent sees and understands that the owner has brought him food. Then you need to carefully bring the treat to the animal in the palm of your hand. It is important that the rodent itself comes to the hand and at that moment the main thing is not to make sudden movements so as not to scare the pet away.

The next step is to establish close contact.

You can put the rat on the back of the chair next to you. If the rodent wants to climb the collar of the clothes, you do not need to interfere with it. Thus, the animal will feel calmer and at the same time will begin to get used to the smell of the owner.

With wild individuals, things will be a little more complicated. Such rodents do not trust people and are afraid of them. They may not allow anyone to come close to them, as well as bite in self-defense. The domestication process will be similar to working with semi-wild individuals. However, in this case, you will have to show more patience and be extremely careful.

Otherwise, the animal may perceive them as food and bite painfully. In the case when the pet refuses to come to the palm with a treat for a long time, you can specifically cut back on its diet. A little hungry, a rodent is more likely to accept food from the hand than on a full stomach.

You must constantly talk with a decorative rat and call it by name. So she will quickly get used to the voice of the owner and her nickname. At the same time, speech should be calm and without increasing intonation.

It is enough just to take the pet in your arms, go with it to any convenient place in the room, and then sit down next to you. So the pet will understand that the world around him is not dangerous, and the owner does not want to harm him. When the taming stage has been successfully completed, you can start training.

Despite the fact that decorative rats lend themselves well to training, in the process of training at home, it is recommended to follow certain rules. It is undesirable to do activities with an animal for too long.

During class, it is advisable to praise your pet as often as possible. Host approval will help the rodent feel more confident. In this case, it is worth monitoring the volume of the voice and intonation: rats do not like loud and harsh sounds and movements. If the pet refuses to follow any command, then it is strictly forbidden to punish him for disobedience.

The training process will not be as productive if the rat is not tamed to humans. The animal needs to be given a lot of attention, not only during classes. So that the rodent is not afraid of the voice, you need to talk to him regularly and a lot.

However, do not train male and female rats together, as this can distract them. It is recommended to include an element of play in the training process. Thus, the activities in the animals will generate more interest.

In the learning process, not only verbal praise is needed, but also encouragement with a treat. These can be pieces of fruit or nuts, or other favorite food for your pet. It is important that there are not very many delicacies, since the rodent should not gorge itself. Another rule of training is the transition from easy exercises to more difficult ones.

How the process of training a rat takes place, see the video below.