Hides and houses
Shelves and ledges
Foraging and toys
Cage accessories
Kits and bundles
Fairy forest
Spooky mischief
Sweetie stash
Game mode
Forest floor
Castles and cathedrals
Training sits best inside good everyday care, so start with our pet rat care guide if your rats are new, or our first 30 days with pet rats plan. The pet rat supplies guide covers what the cage needs.
Quick reference
| Observation or option | Next step | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Approach a familiar cue | Reward one voluntary step nearer | Never use recall as an escape barrier |
| Step onto scales | Reward approaching and then standing | Keep the platform stable and low |
| Touch a target | Reward an easy investigation | Do not pull or push the rat into position |
| Rat walks away | Make the next try easier, or stop for today | Walking away is an answer, not stubbornness |
Can you train rats?
Yes. The RSPCA describes rats as intelligent and easy to train, and says they can learn to respond to their names, give high-fives, fetch a ball and roll over. RSPCA Australia agrees and adds the one rule that matters most: use only positive reinforcement, meaning rewards the rat values, such as small food treats, and never punishment.
Before you start: trust and safe handling
Training goes fastest with a rat that already approaches your hand. RSPCA Australia says rats used to people usually come to a hand placed in their enclosure, and that you should let the rat decide whether to interact. Newly homed rats need a few days to settle before handling, according to PetMD. If your rats still run from you, spend a week or two on calm, daily hand-feeding first.
- Let the rat sniff your hand before you touch it
- Pick up by sliding one hand under the belly and cupping the other loosely over the back, close to your body
- Avoid reaching down over the top of the rat, which can be stressful
- Never lift a rat by the tail or hold it by the scruff
- Do not hold a rat up high; work low or over a soft surface in case of a jump
- Supervise children closely, and keep young children to watching
- Wash your hands before and after handling
If a rat nips during handling, our guide to pet rat biting explains the usual reasons and safer handling. Our visual guide to rat body language helps you see when a rat is relaxed enough to learn.
Choosing training rewards
Use something your rat loves, cut very small, and count it as part of the day's food. The RSPCA says fruit, vegetables, cooked egg, grains and seeds come out of the daily food allowance rather than being added on top, and that foods high in fat or sugar, such as dairy, should only be occasional treats or training rewards. RSPCA Australia says treats should be no more than 10% of the calories your rats need, and names apple, berries and kiwi as examples.
| Reward | Size per reward | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pea (fresh or frozen, thawed) | Half a pea | Easy to hold, low in sugar: see can rats eat peas? |
| Blueberry | A quarter of a berry | Sweet, so save for harder steps: see can rats eat blueberries? |
| Apple, no pips | A crumb the size of a grain of rice | Remove pips and core: see can rats eat apples? |
| Plain cooked egg | A crumb | Counted in the daily allowance |
| Their usual rat food | One piece | Works well for keen rats and costs nothing extra in calories |
| Yoghurt drop or dairy | A lick from a spoon | Occasional only, as the RSPCA advises for fatty and sugary foods |
Check anything new against our list of what rats can eat before using it as a reward.
Start with a voluntary approach
Choose a familiar, secure place and a time when your rat is already awake. Let them approach rather than taking them out of a resting place for a lesson. The RSPCA advises keeping feeding, cleaning and interactions to rats' active periods wherever possible. Pick one consistent sound or word and pair it with a small suitable food reward when they come towards you.
- Choose a cue. Pick a word, the rat's name, or a sound such as a soft click of the tongue, and use only that one.
- Say it close by. With your rat a hand's length away, say the cue and offer a reward the moment they turn or step towards you.
- Repeat a few times. Do several easy repeats, then stop while your rat is still keen.
- Add distance slowly. Over the following sessions, ask from a little further away, only once the closer version is easy.
- Practise in the safe area. Train inside the cage or a secure free-roam space, away from an open door or any route out.
Begin nearby: this is an invitation, not a test of whether a rat will cross an unfamiliar room. Gradually ask for a little more only when the earlier version is easy.
Teach a target touch or a step onto scales
RSPCA guidance specifically suggests teaching rats to climb onto scales for a reward, which makes regular weighing easy. A target touch works on the same principle and is the base for most tricks. Keep each step small enough that you do not have to push or restrain them.
Stepping onto scales
- Set the scales low. Place kitchen scales, or a small tub on them, securely at floor level, and let the rat explore.
- Reward interest. Reward approaching the scales, then a single paw on the surface.
- Reward standing. Reward two paws, then all four paws, then a few seconds standing still.
- Add a cue. Once your rat climbs on readily, say a word such as "scales" just before they step on.
- Weigh at cleaning time. The RSPCA suggests weighing at the same time as cleaning to keep disturbance low. Note each weight so you can spot a change.
Target touch
- Pick a target. Use a safe object such as a wooden spoon handle or a chopstick, held still.
- Present it near the nose. Hold it a short distance from your rat's nose and reward the moment they sniff or touch it.
- Move it a little. Move the target a short distance and reward again when they follow and touch it.
- Name it. Once touches are reliable, say "touch" just before presenting the target.
- Use it to guide. A rat that follows a target can be guided onto scales, into a carrier or through a hoop without being picked up.
These are practical examples of reward-based training, not promises that every rat will learn at the same speed. Record what the individual actually did rather than assigning a success score for the whole group. Our guide to rat carriers and travel cages pairs well with target training for vet trips.
How to teach a rat tricks
Every trick is built the same way: reward a tiny piece of the final behaviour, then ask for a little more each time. Trainers call this shaping. The RSPCA names high-fives, fetching a ball and rolling over as tricks rats can learn.
| Trick | How to build it | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| High-five | Hold a reward just above head height so the rat lifts a paw; reward any paw lift, then hold your flat palm where the paw lands | Most rats once they take food from your hand |
| Spin | Lure in a small circle with the target or a reward; reward a quarter turn, then a half, then a full turn | Active young rats |
| Through a hoop | Hold a hoop on the floor and target the rat through it; raise it only a little at a time | Rats that already know target touch |
| Fetch a ball | Reward touching a light ball, then picking it up, then carrying it a short way to your hand | Confident, food-keen rats; slower to teach |
| Stand up | Raise a reward slowly above the nose; reward the moment the rat stands on its back legs | Most rats; gentle for older rats on a soft surface |
Make training easier, not hungrier
Do not withhold the normal diet or water to make a reward more persuasive. Use small suitable portions, counted as part of the overall diet, and stop before interest turns to frustration. If the rat walks away, make the next opportunity simpler or try during another active period.
Avoid chasing, startling noises, forced poses or punishment. RSPCA Australia is clear that training should use positive reinforcement only. If a previously willing rat suddenly avoids handling or food, consider a welfare problem rather than calling them stubborn, and ask a vet about worrying changes in appetite or movement. Skills should make everyday care more cooperative; they do not replace companionship, cage enrichment or supervised exercise. A short successful interaction is enough even if no new trick appears that day.
- Rat is awake and came out by choice
- Rewards cut tiny and counted in today's food
- Training space is enclosed and low, with no route out
- One skill per session
- Stopping while the rat is still keen
Make one useful observation today
Choose the part of this topic that fits your own rat rather than changing several things at once. Write down what you saw, what you changed and what happened next. Keep necessary veterinary care separate from optional accessories: a new hide, shelf or toy is not evidence that a health concern has been resolved. For concerning symptoms, contact your vet instead of waiting for a home experiment to work.
Related rat guides and accessories
Read on with rat body language, rat respiratory signs, what to feed a rat and rat enrichment ideas.
Frequently asked questions
Can rats learn their names?
Yes. Rats can learn to respond to a consistent cue, and the RSPCA lists responding to their names among the things rats can be trained to do. Say the name, reward the rat for turning or coming towards you, and start close by. Do not rely on the response to keep them contained.
Do I need a clicker?
No. A clicker is optional. A short, consistent word such as "yes" works as a marker just as well. Consistency and the timing of the reward matter more than buying equipment. If you use a clicker, pair the click with a reward many times before asking for any behaviour.
How long should a lesson last?
Follow the rat's interest rather than a fixed time target. A few minutes is often plenty. Stop if they walk away, seem worried or no longer want to participate, and end while your rat is still keen so the next session starts well.
Should I skip food before training?
No. Do not deprive a rat of their normal diet or water to make them work for a reward. Use tiny pieces and count them as part of the day's food, because the RSPCA says treats and extras come out of the daily allowance, not on top of it.
What if one rat learns faster?
Adjust the task for each individual. Reward a manageable step rather than comparing them with their cage mates. Rats differ in personality and in how they were raised, so one rat may pick up a lesson in a single session while another needs many.
Can you train rats like dogs?
In the same way, yes: reward-based training works for both. The RSPCA says rats can be trained to respond to their names, give high-fives, fetch a ball and roll over. The difference is scale. Rewards must be tiny, sessions short, and every lesson held somewhere safe and enclosed.
Can older rats be trained?
Yes. Adult and older rats can learn with the same reward-based steps, though a nervous adult may need longer handling and trust building first. For older rats, pick skills that suit their mobility, such as a target touch at floor level or stepping onto low scales, rather than climbing or jumping tricks.
Can you litter train a rat?
Many rats can be encouraged to use one corner. Notice where they already toilet, put a tray there with a little of their used bedding in it, and reward them for using it. Expect progress rather than perfection, and clean the rest of the cage as usual.
General information, not an individual veterinary assessment. Source guidance checked November 2026.
