The Complete Guide to Rat Training

Book excerpt: Rats are the equal of dogs and cats in playfulness, personality, and intelligence—making them great pets for both children and adults. In fact, over half a million households in the US own a pet rat or mouse. One of only a few books devoted entirely to rat training, The Complete Guide to Rat Training teaches you how to have fun and enhance the relationship you share with your pet rat. The step-by-step format thoroughly and concisely covers a variety of training topics, including positive reinforcement, clicker training, behavior modification, litter training, basic and advanced trick training, and how to set up games and science projects. The authoritative text explains how to read rat behavior and body language so you can understand your rat and learn the similarities between rats and humans. It includes plans and instructions for building training equipment such as mazes and intelligence tests, and provides guidelines that will facilitate a rat’s adjustment to domestic life and help foster a lasting relat