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Rescue :: Rat
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The Rescue Rat
There are many rat books on the market and most of them very
good and informative. I have used at lot of their ideas and
benefited from the advice in the health sections over the years,
but these books are usually aimed at the person who has had
a rat from a baby who is a loved and contented creature. However,
as with all animals there are many unwanted, abused, abandoned
and neglected rats that end up in rescue centres every year
and looking after you of these is a whole different kettle of
fish!
So, if you are looking for a rat who needs a loving home, or
you already have a rescue rat then maybe the following will
help...
Finding a rescue rat
Firstly, how do you go about finding a rescue rat?
The Internet is an excellent place to start. Using various
search engines you will find a multitude of people who are committed
to looking after and re-homing rats. If you cannot find a Rescue
local to you, ask your vets as they may know or look in your
local paper. Also, check the various online rat forums.
Once you’ve found a rescue, don’t think that it will be like
walking into pet shop, selecting your rat and leaving with him
or her or her. Some centres may be happy to ask you a few questions
regarding your suitability but others may be more stringent
about where these poor creatures are going and will ask many
question and even book a home check. Don’t take this personally,
it is no reflection of you or your skills as being a rat owner!
Don’t forget, if an animal has ended up in a rescue centre it
has obviously suffered some trauma in its short life so it is
paramount that the right home is found.
All rats are unique and like humans they all have different
characters, so if you are looking for a rat that’s going to
sit on your shoulder while you watch TV then you are likely
to be disappointed.
If you’re are lucky enough to rehome a kitten (that is, a baby
rat) then you’re in with a chance that it you can bring him
or her home, let him or her settle in for a few days then begin
bringing up your new friend to fit in with your lifestyle.
But if you are rehoming a frightened individual or one that
has had a bad start in life, then be prepared to spend a lot
of time - maybe months - getting them to trust you. Also be
prepared that he or she never will!
Please don’t be put off at this point, maybe he or her won’t
ever sit contentedly on your lap but you will see changes in
him or her, as they gradually become more relaxed that will
be so rewarding. I found it a good idea to keep a rat diary,
where you can put down any significant events, so that when
you read back over them you will be reminded how he or she was
when he first arrived to how he is say 3 months later. Having
said that, a good rescue centre will not send you off with a
traumatised rat as your first rescue.
Health
Healthwise, getting a rescue rat is a bit like the lottery
– you may or may not come up with a winning ticket – more than
likely ‘not’.
Rescue rats may be more susceptible than their pure bred counterparts
to health problems such as respiratory disease (either caused
by their traumatic past, bad husbandry or genetics), and tumours.
Vets bills can be expensive so do bear this in mind when getting
a rescue rat. If you are not able to get to a vets easily (due
maybe to working long hours) or cannot afford financially frequent
visits, then do not get a rescue rat.
Most rescue rats come from poor breeding lines where genetic
problems are rife. For example, someone will go to a pet shop
and buy two ‘males’ and then find one morning that they have
a litter of babies, no doubt fathered by the mum’s brother,
making the offspring more susceptible to genetic problems..
Pure bred rats come from breeding lines where, wherever possible,
‘bad’ genetics are bred out. (This does not mean a pure bred
rat from a reputable breeder won’t get respiratory disease or
tumours , but it is less likely.)
Also, when taking on a rescue rat, do ensure you have a good
rat vet lined up just in case (see out Guide
to Choosing a Vet).
Building trust
So, you’ve got your rescue rat and got him or her home. Leave
them for a few days in their cage to settle in and get to know
the noises and smells of their new home. Once they are settled
in, then it is time to start handling them! However, when you
can’t handle your rat, you need somewhere that you can let them
come out of their cage without you worrying where they’re going.
My hall is an ideal place with all the doors shut. If it’s practical
take the whole cage, it is where they will feel safe and can
run to if they get nervous. If not take them in their bed so
they have some place they recognise to hide. Open the door of
the cage and make sure it is secure then sit down and wait.
And wait!
Some respond to gentle calling but if they are still scared
of you, just keep quiet. As I say each rat is different so you
will have to judge this. With a nervous rat I would not try
to interact with them to start with but would manoeuvre myself
so that in order for them to get back to their cage or bed they
would have to climb over my leg. This gets them used to touching
you first.
(I had you rat though, living in 2 storey cage with the door
at the front, I had placed my feet either side of the door so
she had to climb over me to get back in. It was quite ingenious
really, she climbed up the side of the cage, down the front
and in the door head first to avoid me).
Gradually as they become more confident I touch them as they
walk by. Once I was in the hall with my rescue rat Ruby reading
a book (me, not Ruby) when without thinking I put my hand on
her as she walked by. Bless her, she must have jumped 2 feet
in the air. If everything is done gently eventually they stop
trying to avoid you.
It could take weeks or months - or as I said before, never
– until your rat trusts you, so do be patient. Treat your rat
like they are a small, frightened child, let them make the first
move - let them take the lead. Never shout at them – or have
lots of noise going on around them such as crying babies, screaming
kids or loud music – and don’t try when you are feeling stressed
as the rats will pick up on your anxiety and then get even more
anxious themselves!
A friend once took in a very aggressive rat (the previous
owner had used him as a place to stub out his cigarettes and
as something to taunt). She named the rat Brian and was scared
witless by him! However, one day she took a large shot of whisky
to calm her nerves and bravely let Brian walk out of his cage
on to her arm. Normally by now he would have bitten her - because
he would pick up on my friend’s fear – but this time he didn’t.
After a week of doing this, no drink beforehand was taken and
still no biting! A mutual respect and trust had been built up
between the two of them and within two months, Brian was handable!
Summary
There are thousands of rescue rats needing homes nationwide.
If after reading this and despite all the traumas and worries
– as well as the upsides of having a rescue rat – have made
you even more determined, then why not contact a rescue local
to you? If you can give an abandoned, unwanted or abused rat
a second chance at life, then the rewards in having a new furry
family member will be relentless.
Author : Kerry May : Additional words by Stella Hulott
