Specific guidance for rats when conducting minor procedures without anaesthesia

Handling and restraint

Rats are generally docile rodents provided they are approached and handled in a gentle manner. The rat should be picked up by grasping it around the shoulders (Fig. 1) and then lifted clear of its cage.

If the rat struggles when first restrained, it can usually be calmed by applying only minimal restraint and allowing the animal to rest on the handler’s sleeve. The animal can be allowed to move around with intermittent restraint being applied around the shoulders or to the base of the tail when it becomes necessary to adjust the position of the rat or to prevent escape.