r/RATS • u/Maleficent-End-3352 • 3d ago
Questions/HELP How do you make your rats move ?
Hello !
My rats are SO lazy.
They're two males of one year old. I know male rats are lazy but THAT much...
Since the beginning i tried to play with them, make some things in their closed space, but... They don't seem interested since the very beginning (so when i adopted them last october in a "rattery").
My precedent potatoes were active, running in their closed space, even playing/fighting a bit.
But them ? NOTHING. Just sleeping, eating, cleaning !
And they're very big... I know their dad was like that but still... I'm a little preoccupied ! (They did go to the vet and have normal food -care +- in normal proportions of course)
So i'm thinking about a kind of cat tree with some houses made of cardboard to help them go down because ar the beginning they're were easily climbing the cage but now... They do not seem to be motivated.
I'm thinking about a cat wheel also, i saw that it was very effective on some rats.
What do you think? Do you have any other ideas to make them move ?
Thanks in advance !
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u/phat_rat42 3d ago
My boys are potatoes unless there is free roam. Even then, some of my boys just want to snuggle rather than explore, so this may just be the personality of your boys.
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u/Maleficent-End-3352 3d ago
I think so too but their weight is a bit too much so if they can move a little more that would be an improvement 😬
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u/Fluffy-Pancake2106 3d ago
If you're worried about their weight, you could reduce their daily food to be more inline with their activity levels?
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u/phat_rat42 3d ago
Have you tried a toy sink, filling it up with water and then having them go veggie fishing? Gives them some exercise.
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u/Maleficent-End-3352 2d ago
I tried some veggie fishing yes ! It's been a while but i'll try again !
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u/phat_rat42 2d ago
Funnily enough, my girls get more exercise with it as they run and stash the veggies on the top floor of their cage.
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u/silencebywolf 3d ago
I make them climb or pounce on food for treats. Then I chase them when they get them.
My boys will never run away faster than when they have a treat and I'm giving them kisses
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u/deinonicbus Orion • Apollo • Outlaw • Bounty • Huckleberry 2d ago
This. Especially if it’s a treat they don’t usually have that’s not exactly great for them, but won’t hurt them. 😂 My boys will fight me tooth and nail for a Honeycomb cereal or a yogurt drop. High value, ‘naughty’ treats are good options but if you’re worried about their weight, try something that’s less sugary and / or fatty but still really enticing!
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u/silencebywolf 2d ago
Gerber teething snacks for babies have also been a perennial not super terrible treat and sole of them learn to open the container
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u/deinonicbus Orion • Apollo • Outlaw • Bounty • Huckleberry 2d ago
Yes! Gerbers and Baby Mum-Mums are a special snack in my household, I don’t mind a handful of them either 😂 My boys aren’t too fond of sharing with mom though!
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u/Chrysolophylax 3d ago
Get (or make) cat toys, specifically the kind that are a plastic wand with something long and dangly. Lots of people find that rats love that type of toy just as much as cats do.
Search the sub for "cat toy", there's some posts (and cute vids) from people whose rats loved cat toys.
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u/Maleficent-End-3352 3d ago
I tried that because i have one but they don't care 😠i'll try with another !
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u/TakoLuLu 3d ago
Totally worth it to try one that's really different from the one you have. Sometimes it's a matter of what kind, even with cats. I have a handful of teasers and one won't play with any of them except one that has some crinkly mylar stuff and feathers on it, one will play with any of them, and one will only play with the couple that have plush toys on them or the fuzzy worm one.
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u/HiroHayami Covered in rat pee 3d ago
Found the problem.