Pet rats are fast becoming the number one small pet in the country and for good reason. They are smart, fun and affectionate and able to form close bonds with their owners. When most people get their first pet ratties it's from a reputable breeder, I'm hoping anyway...but no matter how you acquire your first pet rat they are usually between the age of 4 and 8 weeks of age and are still very small. I've been trying different things in my rattery, (ratdippityrattery dot com) for use during the socialization and bonding process of humans and their new pets. I have a bonding pouch that ties around your neck, but just recently I've tried something new.
I call my new design a socialization pouch. It's approximately 12 inches long and 6 inches tall. It can be set on your lap, where you just reach down and pet your animals and inneract with them. But it can also be set on a table or chair and you can put your face up close so they can smell you and you can whisper to them and give them special treats.
The pouch has handles on each side like a purse. You can carry it from room to room. As you can see from the pictures (yes, those are my darling baby ratties I'm raising in my rattery for adoption :>) The ratties in the picture are very contented and happy. These babies are 2.5 weeks old. Though curious they are content to stay inside the area of the pouch.
These pouches can even be hung from the inside of cages for a sleeping hammock. These pouches can also be used for nesting boxes and sleeping areas on the bottom of cages. These are very versatile creations. These pouches are perfect for people who run a rattery or who are raising babies of their own. It allows you to take the litter and keep them all together safe and warm and pet them, kiss them and love them. They then start to gain trust in humans and the bonding process begins.
This pouch will hold two female ratties or one large male rattie or 7-12 babies. These pouches are good because they keep bathroom accidents off your clothing. They are completely washable and dryable. The outer layer is usually an off white color. The inside layer is made of soft warm fleece. You won't find anything like this in any pet store as it's my own design developed for myself and used for raising my rattie babies. (I've raised over 500 pet ratties and specialize in pet rat behavior.)