Tunnel Fetch
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Step 1:
Teach your rats to pick up your chosen fetch object. Do this by placing your object on the ground nearby, and reward your rat for any interest in it. If they don’t seem interested in it you can either move it around to make it more interesting, or rub a treat on it.
Teach your rats to pick up your chosen fetch object. Do this by placing your object on the ground nearby, and reward your rat for any interest in it. If they don’t seem interested in it you can either move it around to make it more interesting, or rub a treat on it.
Step 2:
Once they are constantly sniffing it for a treat, you then want to start to wait a few seconds to see if they will try and bite or pick it up. Continue to gradually increase how much they must interact with the item until they will readily pick it up.
Once they are constantly sniffing it for a treat, you then want to start to wait a few seconds to see if they will try and bite or pick it up. Continue to gradually increase how much they must interact with the item until they will readily pick it up.
Step 3:
At this point you want to take your short hoop and place it against a solid wall. Place the item into the hoop, then show it to your rat. They should go to pick it up, and naturally bring it out of the hoop, after which you want to reward them.
At this point you want to take your short hoop and place it against a solid wall. Place the item into the hoop, then show it to your rat. They should go to pick it up, and naturally bring it out of the hoop, after which you want to reward them.
Step 4:
Repeat this a few times, then switch out the hoop for a short tunnel. Place the tunnel against a wall, and place your item at the tunnel entrance. Lure your rat to the item, and again reward them when they take it out of the tunnel.
Repeat this a few times, then switch out the hoop for a short tunnel. Place the tunnel against a wall, and place your item at the tunnel entrance. Lure your rat to the item, and again reward them when they take it out of the tunnel.
Step 5:
Repeat this a few times, then start to place the item further and further into the tunnel. Once you can place the item at the end of the tunnel, you can now start to gently roll it in, and this will become the cue for your rat to follow the item into the tunnel and pull it out.
Repeat this a few times, then start to place the item further and further into the tunnel. Once you can place the item at the end of the tunnel, you can now start to gently roll it in, and this will become the cue for your rat to follow the item into the tunnel and pull it out.
Step 6:
Once your rat is comfortable with fetching the item from a short tunnel length, you can then start to gradually make the tunnel longer, each time making sure your rat is comfortable with the length before moving on.
Once your rat is comfortable with fetching the item from a short tunnel length, you can then start to gradually make the tunnel longer, each time making sure your rat is comfortable with the length before moving on.
Video Tutorial:
Disclosure: Esther (and her site rattrix.weebly.com) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com