Congratulations! You've been approved you've paid the adoption fee, you have a date for pick up! 

What do you need? What should you do? This is here to explain it all. 

You need to have some things ready at home. You need a carrier, a cage, a water bottle, food, and enrichment toys.

On our services page, I have Adoption Kits available and outlined but the above is about the same. My kits just include very clear products that I have used and love. You're welcome to just read my simple list and go off that. 

When you bring your new family home there gonna be very overwhelmed. Some of the best temperament rats I've had have just ran out of the cage on day 1 to be with you. But most rats need at least 24 hours to settle down. I like to give all new rats about 24 hours to settle into their new homes. After that opening the cage and chill with them letting them come to you, and treats, that is how you get to their hearts. 

Little babies are prone to nibbling, not biting. Nibbling is testing you with their teeth. Biting draws blood and it hurts; a lot. Nibbling is part of how they groom and how they test if something is food or not, or if it's a toy. They are like human babies who put everything in their mouths. If they ever nibble too hard squeak clearly and loudly. That's how they tell each other there being too rough, you will be surprised at how quickly a pup will hear that squeak and back off just to come back licking and apologizing like they would a sibling who they played too rough with. Rats see humans as part of the family, the mischief as most hobbyists call them. They see you eye to eye as part of their network. It takes time to develop that relationship, but most rats bond in a month maximum. I set up a step-by-step introduction process for you. 

Step 1: Chat and Chill - Getting them used to you're voice and smell is important. You should be considered normal and comforting even. Day 1 you shouldn't push them to come out, but you should chill with them and talk to them. Get them used to you. 

Step 2: Spoons of Yogurt - Nervous about the nibbling? Use a spoon of low-fat greek yogurt. That or Oatmeal. They will love it. If they don't pull and bite the spoon you can move on to dipping your fingers into the bribe food and let them lick it off you. This mixed with petting is exactly how to get them to associate you with awesome stuff. 

Step 3: Out Time- When you have gotten them to associate you with all the good things in life and they are running up to the front of the cage every time you pass, that means that it's time for out time. I like to start in the bathtub. Sitting with them letting them get used to climbing about with me in the center of it. Then I move on to free roam on the bed or in a rat-proofed room (my bathroom is rat-proofed and I have a playpen. I use). After all that I like to give them shoulder rides and they fold into my family.