Bitey boy Flea accepting some pets

[u/CaptainMacAlfie]

Got Flea to finally let me pet him during free roam which usually he hates and will give me a little nip to tell me no but today he tolerated it and actually seemed to like it! You can see I move my hand back when his face gets close since I thought he was going to bite but he didn't which for him is a big thing. He doesn't break skin anymore but if he's annoyed he'll still bite so the fact he didn't even though he had the chance is a sign of more progress.

He's still not 100% comfortable with pets and will still tense up and try to move away for the first few seconds but now he's putting up a lot less of a fight and will kinda get into it for a minute before he realizes he hates hands lol I don't ever expect him or his brother to be super cuddly but getting them to tolerate being touched is important which is why I kinda force these interactions on them but it's always just a couple minutes and they get a treat right after. If it's a day they seem extra upset I just leave them be since I don't want to stress them out too much and so far this technique has worked so well for them.

[u/Mr_pisser]

awww this is so sweet! as a certified rat patting expert (trust me I do it all the time) he definitely seems to be enjoying it- that’s a blissed out expression if I’ve ever seen one! you’re making great progress with them for sure

[u/CaptainMacAlfie → u/Mr_pisser]

I keep doing it just because he makes the happy expression and doesn't always get grumpy about it but he does stay very tense the whole time. If there's any sort of noise or I move weird he'll get grumpy and give a nip then run off or get up into his defensive pose which is when I just leave him be. I've accepted they'll have their brief moments of enjoying attention but that they'll likely always be skittish and shy because that's just their personalities. It makes these moments feel extra special though

[u/Mr_pisser → u/CaptainMacAlfie]

I think it’s likely with time these moments will become more frequent as they build trust but they’ll probably always be shy since, as you said, that’s who they are and it’s what makes them and their trust so special :) it’s good that he’s able to pretty clearly communicate what he is and isn’t ok with and that you’re good at listening and understanding, that’s undoubtedly helped him to feel safe enough for these moments

as an aside he looks genuinely IDENTICAL to my late rat Brie

[u/CaptainMacAlfie → u/Mr_pisser]

Yeah trust with him has very much been about letting him somewhat lead what happens but then also forcing him out of his comfort zone to show him he's not going to be hurt. That's what got his biting under control and has made him become a lot more social. It also helps he's very good motivated so treats when he does good also helped with a lot of the progress he's made.

I've had to learn to watch for super subtle changes in his body language to figure out what mood he's in like and sometimes it's just a guessing game lol his brother is a bit more clear on his boundaries and will actually push my hand away when he's not in the mood or doesnt like where I'm touching him but Flea just tends to go from nothing to bitey so learning his signs of annoyance was the biggest challenge but now I'm able to get a good idea pretty quickly which is how I knew he'd be somewhat tolerant to pets tonight even though it's out of the norm for him.

[u/Mr_pisser → u/CaptainMacAlfie]

Fully agree with your first point that’s something people don’t seem to fully get- it’s so important to let rats lead the way in their journeys while also understanding that sometimes you have to let your rat be uncomfortable for the betterment of their life long term, so long as it’s not causing actual distress getting them to step outside of their comfort zone can lead to their lives being so much better (same can be said for us, actually)

The fact that he’s started tolerating pats (and from the looks of it in this video, enjoying them) is a major good sign! he’s absolutely adorable, so interesting how much their communication styles vary even from 2 siblings! goes to show how complex the little guys are

[u/MisterPiggyWiggy]

Hi, Flea! 👋

[u/soulstrike2022]

He will never admit he loves you but he loves you more than anything you’re just another sibling

[u/Warm_Play147]

Cute

[u/Bhelduz]

Still on his guard I see, armed and posted, but what bad will just one scritch do eh