Why is my rat going crazy when I got a new ferret hammock for their cage?
I just got 2 little boys 3 days ago and I went and got a new hammock from the pet store and when I put them on it one couldn’t care less but the other one is going CRAZY. Is it good or bad? Should I take it out?
That’s not that unusual, the same thing happened when we bought a hammock for our boys. Two of them sat underneath it, enjoying the shadows it made, but our more hyper boy, Raichu, was running all over, climbing all over it, and we could hardly even pick him up because he was moving around so fast! Some rats adapt to things easier while some don’t. It’s not that it smells like ferrets or anything- unless you bought a used one, which I doubt you would do at a pet store! Soon, he’ll mellow out and get used to it. Raichu now sleeps up in the hammock with his friends, no problem.
The crazy rat didn’t like the ferret hammock he wanted a rat one
I’d suggest leaving it in there for a week, and see if the little guy gets used to it. Rodents, especially young ones, tend to take a while to get used to any changes in their "world". It probably smells weird, if you got it from a pet store it may even smell like other pets. If it smells like ferrets (possible, if it was near them in the store) then the poor little guys might be in fear for their lives!
If they don’t calm down and get used to it in a week, then it might be good to remove it. But I think they’ll learn to like it!
Rachelle; Rats are genetically hard wired to live in morbid terror of ferrets ~ their arch nemesis.
What’s happened there is that the rat going crazy was paying attention when ye told them it was a Ferrets Hammock. The other one was distracted and missed that point.
Now the freaked rat is freaking out because it reckons the ferret may be along presently, to have a lay in its hammock. Right after it slaughters both rats. As any self respecting ferret would, of course, do.
I suggest ye take the hammock away. Then come back, gaining Both their attentions, and Loudly and Clearly announce that ye have a Rabbits hammock for them. Rabbits don’t scare rats.
Unless, of course, the one rat figures the smell of rabbit may attract a passing ferret?
In that case? I’d send that rat to a good school! Such intelligence deserves nurturing.