There are three main ways you can hold a pet rat. We’ll also look at some basic rat handling etiquette to keep your furry friends feeling safe and secure.
Three methods of holding rats
Different rats may have different preferences. Some will feel more safe if you hold them securely while others will prefer more freedom. You’ll probably learn your particular rat’s preferences pretty quickly. Most rats like for their feet to feel supported.
The Offering
This is where you hold your hand out and let your rat climb into it if it so pleases. Many rats will be super friendly right from the start and curious enough to climb aboard.
If your rats are shy, you might have to either bond with them some more, or be more assertive in handling them. A super nervous rat may never come to you on their own, but it’s still important to get them used to being handled.
I do recommend wearing a long sleeve shirt if you let your rats climb you to avoid little tiny scratches all the way up your arm.
The Scoop
Scoop your hand(s) underneath their feet so they can sit in the palm of your hand. You can scoop them from the front or from the sides, using one hand or two!
New rats usually prefer this method to the Dangle because they can easily see your hands coming. Rats are not big on surprises!
If your rat doesn’t fully trust you yet and resists being held, sometimes distracting them with a treat they can hold in their hands can help them get used to The Scoop.
The Dangle
You can also hold rats around the middle like a can of pop. Rats are quite flexible, and holding them like this doesn’t hurt them in any way. This hold works well for naughty rats or when you need to rescue them from danger. It keeps them more contained and lets you look at their adorable rat bellies.
With babies, their whole body will fit in your hand. You can hold bigger rats around the shoulders with your thumb and forefingers. You’ve probably seen pictures of rats being held like this to show off their markings.
Some rats are more chill and will let their feet dangle for awhile, but most don’t love their feet hanging in the air. They might “windmill” their tail and bottom around in circles to try to get loose. If your rats don’t like dangling, you can place your other hand underneath their feet for support.
How to train your rat to be held
Some rats will happily jump on you right away, while others can be shy with you at first. Keep in mind too that younger rats are super wriggly and just want to explore! They probably don’t mind if you handle them, but wont want to sit still for very long.
Depending on your level of confidence and experience with pet rats, you might want to let a new rat approach you first. More experienced rat handlers might just get the holding part over quickly so the rat doesn’t have a chance to get worked up about it.
- Let your new rat get used to your hands first. Try placing your hand near them to see how they react. They might sniff you and even climb aboard right away. Other rats might be cautious – this is totally normal. Just sit near their cage, talk to them and keep offering your hand for a few days.
- If your rat seems absolutely terrified of your hand, try offering them some wet food like baby or dog food from a spoon. This helps them get used to having your hand nearby without getting too close to it. After a few days of this, try giving them little rubs on the side or top of the head with your finger while they’re eating. They’ll quickly figure out that you’re a friend, not a danger.
- Once your rat seems comfortable with your presence, try scooping them up from under their feet with both of your hands. This is the most secure position for them and still lets them escape if they want to. Distracting them with a solid food they can hold in their hands works well at this point too.
- With very nervous and shy rats, you can try carrying them around in a hoodie pocket. They can get used to you without the scary hands part.
Rat holding etiquette
Here are some tips to keep in mind when you’re holding rats!
Never hold a rat by its tail!
Not only do rats hate this, but you can badly injure their tail and cause them horrible pain. Their tail isn’t really strong enough to support their entire body weight, and the skin can separate from the bone. Never dangle a rat by their tail, and never pull on the middle or the tip. Most rats are very precious about their tails, and prefer that you leave them alone.
Avoid dropping your rats
Besides the tail, rats aren’t super fragile. You don’t have to be worried about hurting them, as long as you’re not too rough.
You do want to be able to hold your rats securely enough that they don’t fall. Rats have decent balance, but they can slip off your arms and shoulders sometimes!
Rats can generally fall about 3 feet before the height becomes a hazard to them. (Some sources say as much as 50 feet! But I find that a bit suspect.) Still, when you hold them, keep them close to your body so that they feel safe.
Many rats – especially babies – are extremely active and will probably try to climb your arms and sit on your shoulder. You might want to wear a long sleeve shirt when you play with them if you don’t want little scratches up your arms!
Be calm and confident
Be gentle, but firm, and try not to be too jumpy with your rats if you can. Calm, smooth movements make them feel safe. You’ll quickly figure out how tight to grip them so that you can hold them securely without hurting them.
If you’re nervous about learning to hold your rat, try setting their cage on the floor and sitting down with them so they aren’t too far from the ground.
Give them a heads up
Try not to grab a new rat from above or behind by surprise. Startling a new rat when it doesn’t trust you can result in them biting you in self defense.
Rats are very small and don’t have great eyesight, so as far as they’re concerned, you could be an eagle, a hawk, or any other scary predator coming to eat them.
After being with you for awhile, your rat will be much more calm and happy to be picked up.
Do pet rats like to be held?
Some rats LOVE to be held, and will happily snuggle with your hand or ride around with you in a hoodie pocket or on your shoulder. There are exceptions though and every rat is a little different.
Some rats enjoy massages and scritches, while others don’t have the patience. Some prefer the freedom to explore, climb, and zoom around the room!
Like any animal, rats need to warm up to you before they fully trust you. Make sure you let them settle to their environment and bond with them before trying to pick them up or carry them around.
Don’t force things if they are struggling against you, as you might set yourself up for a defensive bite.
Conclusion
I hope this helped you understand how to cart your little friend around! Good luck and happy rat holding! 🙂
