After Easter me and my housemates have work experience for five weeks, this means only three or four of us will actually be living in the house out of six and that the house will most likely be empty from around 8am til 6pm (possibly longer)
Chaplin usually only gets free run when we're in and awake, which is the majority of the day, pretty much only an hour here and there where she's in her crate (and during the day on Monday as we are all out from 9 til 5). However, during work experience she's going to have free run of the halls, stairs, landing and kitchen during the day (the only reason she doesn't know is because we have a housemate we do not trust but he'll be gone by then). I suggested she have her crate on the landing (she currently has it in someones room) just so she has a bed to go to if she wants, she always has hay and water out during the day anyway but for some reason one housemate has decided against this, as she doesn't want the landing cluttered :roll:.
I'm not really worried about the free range aspect, as she will be out from 7 til 11 every day (possibly over night too, if I have anything to do with it, I don't agree with shutting her up really but it's not my choice), the problem really falls to the point where she won't be getting the attention she's used to, there's pretty much always someone in the house, except Monday, so she'll get played with and get attention, however, when we're doing work experience we'll be out all day every day during the week, she can then socialize with us for a couple of hours, but we also have two groups of rats to free range and she can't be in the room during that as she'll just get in the way and obviously we don't let them near each other.
How do you think she'll handle this? If she doesn't get the attention she wants she usually chews doors frames and stuff which we discourage but she has learnt that doing this will mean someone will appear to talk to her. We can be with her for an hour or two each day but the rats obviously need attention too, so we have to split the time somewhat equally. Weekends will be fine, and she'll get all the attention she wants.
If one of my housemates stays it won't be too bad, as Chaplin will generally have constant access to her room whilst she's home, but if not, by half 8 she'll have to be shut out of my room whilst the rats get to play and I don't think that'll make her too happy =/. I just worry she's going to be completely alone from 11 at night until 6 the next evening, 5 days a week for over a month, which is a long time!
Chaplin usually only gets free run when we're in and awake, which is the majority of the day, pretty much only an hour here and there where she's in her crate (and during the day on Monday as we are all out from 9 til 5). However, during work experience she's going to have free run of the halls, stairs, landing and kitchen during the day (the only reason she doesn't know is because we have a housemate we do not trust but he'll be gone by then). I suggested she have her crate on the landing (she currently has it in someones room) just so she has a bed to go to if she wants, she always has hay and water out during the day anyway but for some reason one housemate has decided against this, as she doesn't want the landing cluttered :roll:.
I'm not really worried about the free range aspect, as she will be out from 7 til 11 every day (possibly over night too, if I have anything to do with it, I don't agree with shutting her up really but it's not my choice), the problem really falls to the point where she won't be getting the attention she's used to, there's pretty much always someone in the house, except Monday, so she'll get played with and get attention, however, when we're doing work experience we'll be out all day every day during the week, she can then socialize with us for a couple of hours, but we also have two groups of rats to free range and she can't be in the room during that as she'll just get in the way and obviously we don't let them near each other.
How do you think she'll handle this? If she doesn't get the attention she wants she usually chews doors frames and stuff which we discourage but she has learnt that doing this will mean someone will appear to talk to her. We can be with her for an hour or two each day but the rats obviously need attention too, so we have to split the time somewhat equally. Weekends will be fine, and she'll get all the attention she wants.
If one of my housemates stays it won't be too bad, as Chaplin will generally have constant access to her room whilst she's home, but if not, by half 8 she'll have to be shut out of my room whilst the rats get to play and I don't think that'll make her too happy =/. I just worry she's going to be completely alone from 11 at night until 6 the next evening, 5 days a week for over a month, which is a long time!
, but her care will be up to me and my girlfriend solely during those five weeks. I would love to get her a friend but cannot for now, if I can somehow pry her away from my housemate when I move out one of the first things I'll do is try and get her company!
