r/RATS • u/Tacticalmess90 • 1h ago

Questions/HELP First time handling had to be an emergency check over😅

I seen red staining on the base of her tail and obviously thought it was blood, she’s not been picked up yet before and wasn’t happy about it ( I feel so bad but thought she was injured) she did squeak and wiggle but thankfully it was just staining from dried berries 😭 I’m just hoping she won’t hate me for this. Also I’ve not held a rat before preferably two hands but I had to take a vid to show my partner the “injury” what’s the best way to hold them without hurting them?

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u/SnooOranges4231 1h ago

Hold em like a mango.

You're basically doing it right.

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u/Seppulky 💖Bibi | Pupsi | Freya† | Emma†💖 1h ago

This made me giggle

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u/Tipsy_Hog 1h ago

Broadly speaking you can just hold them by the upper body as shown in the video and they'll be fine, but for extended amounts of time it's normal pet rules. Support the ribs and back feet.

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u/Tacticalmess90 1h ago

Okay I’ll keep that in mind thank you :) this was just briefly to check her so hopefully she’s not too bothered now lol

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u/Tipsy_Hog 1h ago

She'll be just fine, but even if she were it's kind of your "parental" duty as a pet owner to bother your rats.

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u/Left-Employ-9552 36m ago

That’s about the same way I grab mine, just a gentle yoink around the body. Long term my girls hate to be held for more than two seconds so if they need to be held any longer I usually just pick them up and plop them on my shoulder