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The Mischief Mind:
Building Trust and Settling Your Rats at Home.
Building Trust and Settling Your Rats at Home.
Bringing home new pets is exciting and if you are reading this you have probably done lots of research and planning and now are eager to play with your newest family members. Please keep in mind that rats are prey animals and if you are bringing home new babies from us they will have lots of firsts on the day you pick them up so might be very shy initially.
Remember to be patient during the first couple of weeks while they are getting used to their new surroundings, sounds and smells of their new home and getting used to their new humans.
Whether you have just brought your first rats home or are introducing new rats who may be less confident that the rats you are used to, this article might be helpful.
Introducing new rats and supporting shy personalities as they grow comfortable and connected.
Introducing new rats and supporting shy personalities as they grow comfortable and connected.
When rats find themselves in a brand‑new environment, their first instinct is to cling to what feels familiar. And in a neutral space, that familiar “thing” is you! At first, they’ll stick close, checking in whenever nerves or curiosity bubble up. As their confidence grows, they’ll start to wander further, exploring tunnels, corners, and new textures — but they’ll keep circling back to you like a little safety anchor.
Neutral Space
Neutral Space
Typically when in a new place rats gravitate to what they know, when they are in a ‘neutral space’ YOU are the familiar ‘thing’. Once they start exploring the space they will regularly check back in with you when they feel nervous or afraid.
Bed, Couch or Play Table
Bed, Couch or Play Table
Cover the area with a towel or fleece blanket that you don’t mind getting soiled/chewed.
Place a litter box or a stack of paper towels where they can easily get to it if you are training or have trained your rats to use one.
Place some boxes, paper bags and or tunnels so they have a place where they can feel secure and hide while they are exploring.
Position barriers (cardboard works well) along edges and be prepared to gently pick up and move your rats away from the edge.
Bathroom, Kitchen or Laundry
Bathroom, Kitchen or Laundry
If you want to use a room instead of furniture, prepare the room by sweeping or mopping the floor as needed.
Remove anything hazardous like cleaning products, toilet brush, power cords.
Close the toilet lid, trust me they can jump that high!
Cover gaps or cracks where they could escape or get into any cabinets with rolled up towels or cardboard.
Transporting Rats to the Play Area
Transporting Rats to the Play Area
If you aren’t able to pick up the rats from their cage yet you can either transport the whole cage to the play area (if it is small enough) or if this isn’t practical you can put a snuggle sack, box or carrier in or near the door and wait for them to climb in.
I have trained very nervous rats to look forward to climbing in the box by saying “boxie” in a high and friendly tone each time I bring it near.
If you’re already able to pick up your shy rats while they’re inside their cage, bring them into the prepared area in a snuggle sack or bonding pouch.
Encouraging Exploring
Encouraging Exploring
Now that you have prepared the neutral space and transported your rats to it the fun can begin. If they are in a cage, carrier or box open the door or uncover the box.
If after a couple of minutes they are still too shy to come out, offer some tasty treats. Dab a bit of baby food on your finger and let them lick it off slowly bringing your hand closer to the play area. You can use other treats like bits of low sugar cereal but I prefer baby food as it also helps with bonding since they can’t grab it and run away to eat.
Rats are very smart and they learn quickly, if when offering a treat they don’t come up to you for it and you bring your hand closer they will quickly work it out that you will reward them even if they are being stubborn. If you get them to come 1 cm closer to you for each treat they will learn that it is good to come to you because the closer they get is when the treat is offered.
Once they are out of the cage/carrier/box put it somewhere they can’t reach it and now you become their safe space.
Talk softly and sweetly to your rats during this process and try to avoid any sudden movements or loud noises.
Be Patient and Kind
Be Patient and Kind
You have probably seen so many adorable photos and videos of rats being super sweet with their humans and can’t wait for yours to be like that. Please remember rats are prey animals and it is in their nature to be cautious of new things. Also they all have unique personalities and not all rats are as affectionate or cuddly.
It could take you weeks to get your rats confident enough to enjoy exploring time. Start slow and do these sessions regularly. On the first day keep it short, 10-15 minutes, even if this means they are only reaching the point of sticking their head out to accept a treat after 15 minutes, call it a day.
Increase the time they are ‘out’ gradually by adding 5-10 minutes per day. If you are able to have these exploring sessions twice a day that is good, but don’t add time to the second session.
Mischief Magic Tip:
Mischief Magic Tip:
Consistency is really important to get your rats acclimated and adjusted to their surroundings.
Consistency is really important to get your rats acclimated and adjusted to their surroundings.
Understanding Pet Rat Relationships
Understanding Pet Rat Relationships
Are my Rats Playing or Fighting?
Are my Rats Playing or Fighting?
Rats are social, expressive, and full of personality — which makes watching them interact a real joy. They have complex social systems both socio positive (grooming one another, play fighting and sharing food) and socio negative (aggressive grooming, chasing and fighting). So when they wrestle, chase, or squeak, how do you know if it is positive or negative? Learning to read their body language and cues helps you keep the peace and protect your Mischief from stress or injury.
Play
Play
Play is usually easy to spot. Your rats bounce around, chase each other, and look relaxed. There’s no puffed-up fur, no biting, and definitely no blood — just joyful mischief and friendly sparring. You might even catch them “boxing” with their tiny front limbs, which always reminds me of a T-Rex!
Dominance
Dominance
Not quite play, not quite fighting — dominance behaviour can look intense but stays within safe bounds. You might see pinning, chasing, or mounting, but without puffed fur or injury. Most rat groups naturally form a “pecking order,” with one rat claiming the top spot. This social structure often helps maintain harmony.
Pinning
Pinning
A dominant rat may flip another onto their back. If the pinned rat stays put, it’s usually a peaceful surrender. Sometimes the dominant rat holds the pose until they hear a squeak (or two), then backs off once they feel unchallenged. If this happens often — especially with males — tension can build. Neutering one or both often helps reduce hormone-driven (also called hormonal aggression) clashes.
Power Grooming (Barbering)
Power Grooming (Barbering)
Another dominance move: one rat aggressively grooms the other. The “recipient” may squeak but often allows it. If both rats accept the dynamic, it’s usually peaceful — though it can happen repeatedly.
Fighting ⚠️
Fighting ⚠️
Real fighting looks very different. Watch for these danger signs:
Puffed-up fur — makes them look twice as big
Sidling — sideways approach with a hind-leg “karate kick”
Hissing — vocal warning of serious tension
If you see these, separate them — but take care not to get caught in the commotion (use gloves or fleece to keep your hands safe). Ideally, you’ll spot the warning signs before things escalate. Keep toys nearby to redirect their energy, but avoid using treats during aggression. Save those for calm, positive behaviour.
Suggestions
Suggestions
If your rats aren’t always besties, it helps to keep a few tools on hand:
Fleece blanket or towel — toss over the aggressor to break focus
Oven mitts or gloves — protect your hands if you need to separate them (aim for the less aggressive rat)
Neutering males — can reduce hormone-driven aggression (allow 6–8 weeks for hormones to settle; house separately until then)
Females fighting? — check for triggers like food, toys, or territory. If they were recently introduced, step back and reintroduce slowly.
It’s helpful to know that male rats often experience hormone surges roughly every six months — commonly around 6, 12, and 18 months of age. During these times, you might notice shifts in behaviour, especially if a previously submissive rat starts challenging the dominant one in your Mischief.
This could be part of normal dominance sorting, or it might be a sign of hormonal aggression (HA). The two can look similar, but understanding the difference is key to keeping your rats safe and stress-free.
Your Mischief Matters
Your Mischief Matters
If you’re unsure whether your rats’ behaviour is hormonal or behavioural, reach out to your breeder or vet — they can help you assess what’s going on and guide you toward the right support.
If you’re unsure whether your rats’ behaviour is hormonal or behavioural, reach out to your breeder or vet — they can help you assess what’s going on and guide you toward the right support.
Why Enrichment Matters for Rat Mental Health
Why Enrichment Matters for Rat Mental Health
If you have been reading other areas of our website you will know by now that rats are clever, curious, and social animals. Just like us, they need more than food and shelter to thrive — they need stimulation, variety, and opportunities to use their natural skills. That’s where enrichment comes in.
Enrichment Keeps Minds Active
Enrichment Keeps Minds Active
Rats love solving problems, exploring new spaces, and working out how to get to hidden treats. Without enrichment, they can become bored, stressed, or even depressed. If you are interested in 'scientific proof you can read more here. Providing toys, tunnels, and foraging opportunities keeps their brains busy and builds confidence.
Encourages Natural Behaviors
Encourages Natural Behaviors
Chewing, climbing, digging, and nesting are all instinctive rat activities. Enrichment lets them express these behaviors safely, reducing frustration and promoting overall wellbeing.
Rat Enrichment Ideas on a Budget
Rat Enrichment Ideas on a Budget
DIY rat toys from household items such as cardboard boxes, toilet roll toys, pea fishing, dig boxes and hammocks are all great options for providing variety and enrichment.
Do Rats Care About Us?
Do Rats Care About Us?
Exploring Empathy Across Species
Rats are more than clever companions — they’re emotionally attuned animals which most people notice shortly after they bond with their pets. Most empathy studies focus on rat‑to‑rat behavior, but emerging research shows that rats also respond to human emotions and build relationships with their caregivers.
Rats Feel Our Emotions
Rats Feel Our Emotions
Voice & Touch: Rats respond to human tone and gentle handling. Studies show they vocalize with joy during simulated play (like tickling), revealing emotional engagement.
Scent & Stress: Research confirms rats can detect human fear through smell, reacting differently to calm versus stressed handlers.
🔗 University of Bristol – Rats’ emotional response 🔗 Science in Poland – Rats can sense human fear through smell
Rats Choose Their People
Rats Choose Their People
Social Bonds: Pet rats often show preference for a favorite person, seeking out contact, grooming their humans, and showing distress when separated.
Attachment & Trust: Owner insights confirm rats build relationships based on affection and routine, mirroring attachment seen in other companion animals.
🔗 Do rats have a favorite person? – IERE 🔗 Through Human Eyes: Owner Insights into Pet Rat Relationships – MDPI
What This Means for Care
What This Means for Care
Gentle handling matters: Rats are sensitive to human tone, scent, and stress levels. Calm, consistent interaction fosters trust.
Social enrichment includes humans: For pet rats, humans become part of their social group, and rats often respond to human moods and routines.
Ethical implications: Recognizing rats’ capacity for empathy strengthens the case for treating them as sentient companions.
Final Thought
Final Thought
At Misty’s Mischief, we know rats are more than pets — they’re partners in play, comfort, and connection. Science is only beginning to confirm what rat parents already see every day: rats notice, respond, and care. They don’t just steal treats — they steal hearts. Their ability to tune into us, and provide emotional support, shows just how special these little companions are.
Your Mischief Managed Tip:
Your Mischief Managed Tip:
When we nurture their empathy with kindness, enrichment, and respect, we’re doing more than caring for rats — we’re creating a Mischief built on trust, joy, and mutual understanding.
When we nurture their empathy with kindness, enrichment, and respect, we’re doing more than caring for rats — we’re creating a Mischief built on trust, joy, and mutual understanding.
Yes, Rats Really Do Laugh!
Yes, Rats Really Do Laugh!
It might sound silly, but science says it’s true — rats laugh when they’re tickled!
These joyful little chirps which humans can't hear without specialised equiment aren’t just adorable; they’re proof that rats experience play, pleasure, and emotional connection.
The Tickling Experiment
The Tickling Experiment
In the early 2000s, neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp and his team asked a curious question: Do rats laugh?
They gently tickled young rats and recorded their responses using special microphones that could detect ultrasonic vocalizations around 50 kHz — sounds far too high for human ears. What they discovered was amazing: rats emitted high‑frequency chirps during tickling, and even chased the researcher’s hand to get more tickles!
These chirps were linked to positive emotions and social play, much like laughter in humans. The experiment showed that rats don’t just tolerate play — they actively enjoy it and seek it out.
Rat Language & DeepSqueak
Rat Language & DeepSqueak
Ever wondered what your rats are really saying when they squeak, chirp, or chatter? Rats have a “language” is full of clues about joy, nerves, and everything in between. Scientists have discovered that rats use dozens of different calls to share emotions, bond with friends, and even ask for more playtime.
Rat Language in your Mischief
Rat Language in your Mischief
Bruxing & Chatter: Grinding teeth can mean deep relaxation (like purring) or nervousness, depending on the situation.
Quick Squeaks: Short bursts often signal surprise or mild discomfort — like saying “Hey, watch it!”
Long Squeals (22 kHz): Lower calls linked to fear or pain. They’re ones we can hear and are your cue to check in and make sure everyone’s safe.
Mischief Magic Tip:
Mischief Magic Tip:
Listen closely during playtime — those tiny chirps are your rats saying “This is the best!”
What Is DeepSqueak?
What Is DeepSqueak?
Developed at the University of Washington School of Medicine (2018), DeepSqueak uses artificial neural networks to detect and classify rodent ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs).
Rats and mice produce calls at frequencies too high for humans to hear (often 50 kHz). These calls are associated with play, reward anticipation, fear, and social bonding.
Traditional software struggled to distinguish calls from background noise. DeepSqueak reframed the audio as images (sonograms) and applied computer vision algorithms — similar to those used in self‑driving cars — to decode the chatter.
What It Revealed
What It Revealed
Rats are “chatty” animals, producing a wide range of vocalizations in everyday interactions.
Positive calls: High‑frequency chirps during play, tickling, or anticipation of treats.
Negative calls: Lower‑frequency vocalizations linked to stress or discomfort.
DeepSqueak has helped researchers study empathy, social bonding, and emotional states in rats more precisely than ever before.
Why It Matters
Why It Matters
For rat parents, this research confirms what you have probably already observed: rats express emotions in subtle ways, and their vocalizations are part of their social language.
For science, it opens new doors to studying animal welfare, empathy, and even models of human psychiatric conditions.
🔗Futurity: “‘DeepSqueak’ program decodes rat speak”
💜 One squeak at a time, you’re learning the language of love. 💜
Compassionate and ethical rat breeders. Sustainably 3D‑printed accessories, wholesome rat food.
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