Rats are highly intelligent animals and can be trained to perform simple tasks. Rats are trained to perform in magic tricks, television shows and movies, to carry cables through walls, to be companions for autistic children. Rats' adaptability, intelligence, and focus enable them to be trained in a short amount of time. You can also train your pet rats to perform some simple tricks or tasks at home. The training session should be enjoyable for both your rat and you.It is best to start to train your rats as young as possible. They can be trained as young as 3 weeks old. Look for a time when your rat is most active and responsive to perform a training session. There are a number of tricks that you can teach them. Few of the simple ones will be to come when their names are called, to stand and stay on command, and to toilet train them.
A food reward is typically the best way to change and reinforce behaviour, but constant reinforcement with food is only needed for the early stages of teaching a trick. Once your rat learns a given behaviour, switch to a variable schedule of reinforcement, rewarding only the best examples of the desired behaviour. Rewarding a learned behaviour on occasion is actually more effective than using a constant, predictable schedule or reinforcement; when the rat doesn't always know when to expect a reward, he works harder to get it (Petster, 2008). The food reward you offer should be something different than their usual menu. Yogurt drops and dried fruits are some healthier options for food reward. If they do not show interest in those reward, you can use some human food, such as jelly, cookies, and cereals to keep your rat interested.
Know your name
Step 1: Place your rat a few feet away from you but within reaching distance so that he can still sense your actions and in case he tries to run away.
Step 2: Call you rat's name and signal it with your body gesture to get his attention. If he doesn't come over to you, put the treat near to his nose and guide him to you. Reward him when he follows you.
Step 3: Place him back to the same place and repeat Step 2 until he loses interest.
Step 4: Call his name frequently when you're working with him as another way to help train your rat to respond to his name. Call him by his name when you are playing with him, holding him and giving him affection.
Step 5: Go to his cage and when he comes over to greet you, say his name and give him a treat to train him to respond to his name.
Stand and Sit on command
This trick is very useful if you wish to bring your rat out often. Many owners enjoy having their pet rats sitting on their shoulder while doing other things in hand. This trick also train your rats' ability to focus, to be patient, and to be discipline. Remember to use a consistent command so that you don't confuse your rats. Body gestures (consistent) or sound such as claps and whistle will further help them to enhance their memory.
To Stand
Step 1: Hold a treat above your rat and call the command "stand!"
Step 2: Your rat will sniff the treat and follow the treat; hold the treat high and guide your rat to stand.
Step 3: Give the treat to him as soon as he stands and praise him.
Step 4: Repeat the steps everyday and practice the trick until your rat stands for you whether you give him a treat or not.
To Stay
Step 1: Place your rat on you shoulder and call the command "Stay!"
Step 2: If your rat attempt to run away, hold a treat near to him to get his attention. Tap your shoulder again and call the command to bring him to your shoulder.
Step 3: Try to walk around with your rat on your shoulder. If he tries to move, call the command "Stay!", and praise him and give him a treat if he does.
Step 4: Repeat the steps frequently until he is use to staying on one spot quietly without a treat.
Step 5: After he is used to staying on your shoulder, you can slowly train him to stay on command in any other place.
Toilet training
Rats are clean creatures and will go to the toilet where they smell that they, or other rats, have already gone. This method can only work for their droppings, not urine. Nevertheless, litter training makes things much easier for you when you are cleaning the cage. It is also cheaper to do so, as you can now replace the bedding with fabric and only use replaceable bedding in the litter pan.
Step 1: Find the corner of the cage that your rats usually go to the toilet, then place a litter pan filled with litter inside.
Step 2: Pick up all their droppings in the cage and some old bedding and place them in the pan.
Step 3: Remove all the bedding from the cage and wash it with natural soap. Dry it and place a different type of bedding in the cage (old towels, recycle shredded paper...) . It's essential that your rats can distinguish between the toilet area and the living area.
Step 4: Place your rats in the pan to introduce them the toilet. If they shit elsewhere in their cage, tell them 'No!' and place the droppings in the litter pan. If they use the litter pan, give them a treat and praise them.
Step 5: Repeat the steps consistently.
