One was initially fine with being handled, with the other wasn't, so I changed tactics to go for giving treats and trying to get them to come to me and stopped trying to pet or pick up the rats and generally just spending time in the room going about my business. This is showing real improvement; it takes less time for the rats to carry on their business when I enter the room, they're coming up the the cage bars and are fine with sniffing me through them and I've had a couple instances of both rats putting their paws onto my hand and arm when I've had my arm laid out in the cage. Still a bit weirdest out and it can take 15 minutes for them to settle, but they're body language is getting there at not being so low and frightened.
One of them, who was a sweetie pie last week has taken to biting however. They both mouth, but this has gotten quite hard and like he's telling me to go away rather than curiosity. I'm standing ground and Eeping at him, but he'll do it 3 or 4 times before backing off. I'm wondering if he now feels like I'm a push over at not handerling him for a few days, or if he's just accepted the cage as his home and is being a bit territorial? Should I go back to picking him up, as he was fine with hanging out in my hoody before? Is it ok to use different bonding techniques with individual rats?
More looking for validation if I should just trust my instincts and run with forced bonding for one and a more gentle approach with another? Worried about setting them back and scaring them.
And yes, I do know it's only been a week and not to expect miracles. Just surprising that that one has turned out to be the biter!
