Quote Originally Posted by satomi325 View Post
I have feeder-turned-pet rats as well. They're also my breeders. And I've gotten the 1 story version of your cage.

I would just leave them be for a little bit. It's a new place away from other rats. They just need time to adjust. They can smell the food and water. If they're hungry enough, they'll go up and get food. To make it easier for them, I would move the food bowl to the second level w/ the water. And when they get the hang of if, then you could move the food back up to the top. Taking little steps are the key when introducing new animals to a new home.

Turning off the lights or covering their cage will help as well. Since rats are nocturnal, they'll feel more comfortable in the dark. It will help them relax.

And they'll stop pooping on you when they become more comfortable. Pooping continuously during handling is a sign of stress.
Thanks.

I've been trying to leave them alone, they are in the living room which is currently dark. I will move the food dish down to the second level for them. I hadn't considered doing small steps. All I saw was a gaping hole in the floor and figured if they were silly enough to fall through it was better that they did it on the second level instead of the top.