He's under the bed and won't come out :o(

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Pete_O - 27 Sep 2003 14:08 GMT

Skye made a jump for it as I was putting him back in the cage and he
dashed under my bed. I stayed up til 4am trying to coax him out with a
few swift attempts at trying to grab him...... it's not working.

He's been under there since 9:30pm last night and he seems terrified.

How can I possibly get him back in the cage so he can eat and drink
again? It's impossible. I've tried everything I can think of.

Pete

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J&S Bouchard - 28 Sep 2003 03:37 GMT

> Skye made a jump for it as I was putting him back in the cage and he
> dashed under my bed. I stayed up til 4am trying to coax him out with a
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Pete

Oh boy... I hated when that happens. Can you put his cage really close to
the bed and hope he will dash into the cage?
Leave out water and some food... sit by him and don't try to grab him, have
some food on you at all times, good smelling food...pizza, spaghetti and
such... And don't grab him, you'll just scare him more... just sit there and
talk to him gently. Once in awhile walk away and see if he'll make for the
cage.
Good luck and let us know how it goes... the poor fella.

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Pete_O - 28 Sep 2003 04:16 GMT

>> Skye made a jump for it as I was putting him back in the cage and he
>> dashed under my bed. I stayed up til 4am trying to coax him out with a
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>>
>> Pete

Hi Jo,

There was progress with rice crispies... he'd walk so far away from
under the bed but wouldn't take it from my hand no further then 2 feet
away, then he was back under again and was very wary of my movements.

I couldn't really put the cage near the bed because it's fairly big
plus the other two would of run out and gone under with him I bet! :o)

They're slowly getting used to my hands and been stroked etc, tho
they'd prefer to be elsewhere I've heard it's best to hold them for 20
minutes orso without actually letting them get away from you... I'd
like first hand information/opinions about this though.

Skye had a fun time before he jumped under the bed - he was climbing
on me and noseying about at my face and in my ear and seemed to like
exploring inside my pillow case. Hehe.

I had (Timmy - black head, broken line down his back and white body)
out earlier today aswell... he's getting less afraid of my movements
too. Infact they all are but they don't like when I'm going to pick
them up................ it seems the only way though... to forcefully
pick them up. Usually I get a few distressing squeeks but the next
minute they're chattering their teeth and enjoying a head rub.

I suppose it's just time really - they haven't been handled too often
before they came to me so it's to be expected I guess.

Pete

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erect featherless biped - 28 Sep 2003 11:38 GMT

> >> Skye made a jump for it as I was putting him back in the cage and he
> >> dashed under my bed. I stayed up til 4am trying to coax him out with a
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
>
> Pete

try putting a small box down, I think they like small areas to sleep in and
you might just catch him snoozing :)
efb

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paghat - 28 Sep 2003 20:30 GMT

Fortunately most of my rats come to me when I call to them, but I remember
a rat who was damned clever at finding the one place under the bed where
it was impossible to reach, & the more I struggled to get her, the more
aggravating she became. Once she was out for three days. I did put a cage
on the floor & she went in & out of it pretty regularly, but as I was
asleep I was unable to close her in. But she was busily transferring food
from the cage to a corner of the closet, & I finally woke up & heard her
inside the closet fussing about her food-stash, & then I was able to pick
her up before she could get back to the "ha ha you can't reach me!" area
under the bed.

If there's any worry about rats not coming when it's time to go back in
their cages, they can be "trained" to come to get a cheerio treat or
yogurt drop or banana chips by never giving them these treats without
first rattling them in a tin can. They will come to associate the sound of
the rattling can with the best food treats of all time. Once they're
conditioned to this they will never be able to resist coming to the sound
of the rattling can, then it's safer to let them run about on the floor
for a while with far less of a threat of their finding a hiding place &
not coming out when called.

-paghat

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"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

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Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / September 2003

He's under the bed and won't come out :o(