Rats are intelligent animals who enjoy learning new things, and being social animals, they also enjoy spending time with their owners. Teaching your rat a trick or two may be easier than you think. An easy trick to teach your rat is to stand up on cue. Once your rat can do this trick, teach him other cues. Not only is this fun, but it will also strengthen your bond with your rat.
Start young
The younger your rat, the quicker he will learn. Rats younger than two years old tend to pick up on training faster than older rats. This simply means that you will have to be more patient with an older rat, but he will eventually learn what you’re trying to teach him.
High reward
Rats love food. And they don’t mind working for food, so use food as a reward for your rat’s efforts. As they are omnivores, they enjoy small pieces of fruit, vegetables, popcorn or protein, like small pieces of cooked chicken. A thin slice of banana, cooked pasta or unsalted popcorn are great enticers for rats. If possible, train your rat before his next meal, as the food will be even more rewarding.
Standing up
Step 1 Hold a small treat above your rat’s head. When he reaches up to get the treat, give it to him.
Step 2 Hold a small treat a little higher above his head. When he reaches up to get the treat, say the word ‘stand’ or ‘up’ (or any cue you like). And give him the treat.
Step 3 Move the treat higher and higher so he has to stand up to get it. Every time he takes the treat, say the cue immediately.
Step 4 Keep practising and be consistent. Over time, your rat will stand up on your cue.
Keep in mind
Keep the training sessions short and don’t expect too much from your rat. Depending on your rat, you might only be able to spend a few minutes at a time on his training, and then gradually increase the training time. Also, keep in mind that your rat might get tired or he may not be in the mood for training. If he isn’t interested in ‘playing along’, let him be. You can always try again another day.
