File :-(, x, )
Anonymous
I heard rats are very smart pets. So, how smart exactly? What's some cool stuff they might do even if you don't teach them?
>> Shainako
I own seven of these loveable little guys and I can gladly tell you that they're damn smart. I don't really bother to teach mine tricks, but they all know their names simply because I've repeated it while talking to them, they can walk a tightrope-esque thing if set upon it, know how to get out of one of the cages I used to keep them in within one day of being put in it.. They learn a lot of little odd things that you wouldn't quite expect all on their own. Pretty neat.
>> Anonymous
>>65950
Teach 'em most eberything you can teach a dog, only to a smaller scale. Takes a bit longer on more complex behaviors.

Great pets if raised to the hand.
>> Anonymous
My rat jumps on command, comes to me when I call him, can walk a tight rope..
I didn't think he was smart when I got him, and I tied a cheerio to a piece of string to tease him with it and after one try of trying to pull it off he grabbed the string, chewed through it and got his treat.

He's spent his entire life in a cage before I got him, he was a little over a year old.


But you can teach rats to go through obstacles, they can swim(which isn't really a trick but fun to watch them do it), they can be taught to ride on your shoulder..
I'm currently trying to teach mine to take something from me and put it in a little ring, like basket ball.
>> Anonymous
We're working with rats in my animal psych lab. Basically, just reward them for doing behaviors closer and closer to what you actually want them to do (shaping). Make sure that they learn each stage fully before going to the next closer approximation of the behavior you want them to do.

They're pretty smart little bastards.
>> Anonymous
obedient = smart?
>> Anonymous
^ A behaviorist would say yes lol!
>> Anonymous
I'm thinking about getting a pair of boys sometime in the future (I've got gerbils right now, so no rats).

What I want to know is if it's possible to teach them to sqeak back to me when i talk to them. THAT would be awesome.
>> Rats Nanashi
Rats only learn tricks that they can benefit from :)

My 4 boys come running when I call, because they know they most likely will get treats or cuddles :D
Rats like human company, so even a scratch behind the ears is a reward.

They also know a number of everyday words like cage, food, kitchen etc.

The only reason my rats don't do tricks is that I'm too lazy to teach them...
>> Nanashi
... More inconvenient, self-taught tricks include opening closets, stealing food/other things and climbing up bookcases and other furniture...
>> megsuma
I've had two boys and now I have two girls. They're trained to come on command for teh win, but keep in mind that boys fail (what with their testicles dragging along everything even your neck eww)