The number one question I'm asked when people learn I own pet rats is "Don't they bite?" Fortunately, most domestic rats are astonishingly reluctant to bite humans no matter how severe the provocation. Certainly anything with a mouth can bite, and a rat bite can be very nasty; if you are ever bitten hard enough to draw blood, apply disinfectant and see a doctor.  There's the occasional unpleasant rat who just plain doesn't like to be handled, but the odds that you'll encounter one are slim. Most bites occur because the person hasn't paid attention to the warning signals given off by a terrified or injured rat, a doe protecting her litter or another pregnant female, or a solitary rat (usually a buck) who has become cage territorial due to boredom and lack of handling.


To pick up your rat, grasp it gently but firmly around the midsection. Be confident in your approach; the more you hesitate, the more the rat will believe there is reason to be hesitant. Never pick up your rat by its tail; the only safe place to grab the tail is at the very base where it joins the body, and then only long enough to set its feet on a solid surface.  Most of the time, if a rat squeaks, you've caused it some kind of mild pain (generally by squeezing it too hard), but there's the occasional rat who always squeaks when you pick it up for no apparent reason.