These girls came to us on 4/26/26 due to their owner’s health issues.
Fostered by Annie in Brighton, MA.
#20260182, “Peeka”, Rat, Black and White, Berkshire, Standard Ears/Standard Coat, Female, DOB: 08/17/2025, Spayed/Neutered?: No
#20260183, “Boo”, Rat, Black and White, Berkshire, Standard Ears/Standard Coat, Female, DOB: 08/17/2025, Spayed/Neutered?: No
UPDATE 7/21/26:
Peeka and Boo were very fearful and cautious when they were first taken in, and have made amazing progress since then. With patience and consistency, they have settled happily into their new home and now excitedly approach the front of the cage or the edge of their play area to see if the humans have anything interesting or tasty. They are still naturally somewhat skittish and don’t enjoy being handled or petted, but they are very sweet and will do well with owners who have some experience with rats and are willing to give them the space they need to feel secure.
Peeka is the more adventurous, brave, and playful of the two. She loves free roam/playtime, and comes bounding to the front of the cage when either morning or evening playtime is approaching. She is curious and loves to explore the structures we set up for them during playtime, as well as new toys and climbing arrangements in their cage, and is also generally very willing to climb onto our laps. In the cage, she particularly enjoys nesting, often gathering new scraps of paper and other bedding for her nest before eating new snacks when the cage is reseeded with both. She also loves foraging in the substrate, cuddling with her sister, running on the wheel, destroying corks and other chew toys, and navigating high-variety cage setups with impressive agility. Peeka thrives when her environment changes regularly and would benefit from a caretaker who enjoys making the cage feel unique from week to week, creating foraging toys, and keeping the free roam area varied.
Boo is more shy and cautious than her sister, but because she is highly food motivated, she has become quite human-focused as she has grown comfortable with us. Although naturally circumspect and more easily startled than Peeka, Boo finds it easier to try something new or go somewhere that feels less secure if Peeka does it first, so she often follows her sister around. Boo has also come to love free roam time, but tends to lose energy and find a comfy spot to relax before her sister is ready to slow down. However, if there is even the hint of a snack, Boo is alert again and ready to do what it takes to convince you to hand over more treats. When in the cage, Boo’s favorite activities are foraging for snacks, curling up somewhere where she can watch what the humans are doing nearby, cuddling with her sister, and destroying chew toys. She does best when she has a consistent routine and feels very safe in her cage. Boo, especially, would benefit from a patient human who respects her autonomy, letting her dictate the pace of familiarity.
Peeka and Boo are a bonded pair and cannot be separated. They love to play and cuddle with each other and are most secure when the other one is nearby. Occasionally, they will fight over food and chew toys, and Boo will sometimes nip at Peeka when stressed. They may do well with careful introductions to an existing mischief, but would also be happy continuing as a dynamic duo.
Because of their difficult start in life, both girls can still be startled by interactions that aren’t calm and predictable. Peeka, especially, can be defensive around unexpected hands. If she unexpectedly encounters a hand, including one that has been resting quietly out of her view, she may bite. We have found this to be very manageable by letting her initiate interactions and making sure she always knows where our hands are before bringing them near her. When she feels in control, she is happy to approach us for treats, free roam, and lap time.
Both girls can tolerate some very limited handling, but still prefer interaction on their own terms and transportation methods that let them feel in control. They are currently easiest to transport in our “rat robe” both to and from the cage. They know that when we drum our hands against our legs it means to climb in, and we are teaching them to generalize this behavior to other soft carrier methods. In general, these girls are quick studies. Both are good at learning to use the litterbox (especially Boo), know the sounds that mean treats or mealtime, and enjoy solving novel puzzles and foraging toys. We have not done any trick training, but I suspect Boo would be fantastic at and love it with her focus and food-oriented mindset.
Although Peeka and Boo have become quite friendly and sweet, as I mentioned initially, they were extremely fearful and skittish when they arrived. Their new caretakers should expect them to need some time to settle in after adoption and should plan to earn their trust with patience and consistency. Because of this, I’d recommend they be adopted by someone with experience with rats and their body language. Once they feel secure, Peeka and Boo have shown themselves to be sweet and rewarding companions that are well worth the upfront work.
Peeka
Boo
Together
