HANDLING AND RESTRAINT
There is a right way and a wrong way to handle and restrain rats - both from the standpoint of the animal and the operator. Rodents that may be somewhat fractious when they arrive but tend to become more docile if they are handled frequently and with gentleness.
To restrain a rat you should gently grasp it around the chest and shoulders just behind the forelegs and lift the animal from the cage. The forelegs will tend to cross each other and act as a barrier between the rat's mouth and your thumb.
Restraint method for a rat