How to Teach a Pet Rodent Tricks

By eHow Pets Editor

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Appropriately sized rodent cage
Water bottle
Food dish
Sleeping box
Appropriate bedding
Rodent toys
Exercise wheel
Gnawing blocks (to wear down teeth)
Rodent food
Treats
Patience and gentle touch

The Basics

Step 1:
Teach your pet mouse or rat to be awake during the day. Although rodents are nocturnal animals, they easily adjust to daytime hours, allowing pet owners to teach them tricks during human hours.
Step 2:
Train your pet rodent to trust you and come to you on its own, even when getting them out of their cage. Whether it's a mouse or a rat, for the first few days, hand feed your pet rodent as much as you can. Also, always give them a treat every time you handle them to reinforce positive rewards from you.
Step 3:
Call your pet rodent by its name every time you take him out to play. At first, give him a treat each time so he will associate his name with a reward. Responding to their name is one of the easier tricks to teach a rodent. Although mice don't always get the concept, a rat will often learn his name by using this technique.

Teach to Respond to its Name

Step 1:
Begin teaching a rat this trick, even is she hasn't quite learned her name. Again, mice may or may not understand this trick, especially if they are having a hard time learning their name.
Step 2:
Use her name and say "Come," to reinforce both learning her name and the new command. For the first few times, give her a treat, like a Cheerio.
Step 3:
Start moving the Cheerio further away and repeat saying her name and the command "Come." Only give her the treat once she has come to you and keep increasing the distance every training session.
Step 4:
Work on this trick every day, always increasing the distance. Eventually, when she hears you call her name, she will come to you wherever you are.

Teach to Shoulder Sit

Step 1:
Begin placing your pet rat up on your shoulder for short amounts of time. This is a handy trick to teach them if you want to take them out with you. You can teach a mouse the same trick, except you will want to use a pocket instead of your shoulder.
Step 2:
Sit, and then stand, quietly next to his cage. Slowly increase the amount of time he spends on your shoulder (or in your pocket) each day.
Step 3:
Start walking around the house with him after you've spent a few days with him getting used to being on your shoulder (or in your pocket). Increase the amount of time he spends walking around the house with you each day.
Step 4:
Take him out with you to a friend's house. Only try this once he's grown comfortable with you walking around with him for extended periods of time.

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