How To...

Train a Rat to Play Basketball
by Coach Braxton Benefield, McWane Science Center

To train rats, I use a process called Operant Conditioning. Through this form of conditioning, rats learn how to shoot the basketball by getting a reward (A.K.A. Cheerios). It’s simple, if a rat performs the task he/she gets a treat. 

A rat, of course, does not learn how to play basketball overnight. Through trial and error, I have figured out how to get the rats to play on their own in just less than a month.

Day 1: Introduce the rat to the basketball court, equipped with everything you will need for training already in place.  It is better not to introduce new things to the court during training. This alleviates stress for the rat. For example, I use a small, wooden platform to help train the rats. Keeping the platform on the court, even if they will not use it until later in the training, keeps them from getting scared when they will later need to use it. The rat should stay on the court for approximately 30 minutes each training session. During this time, the rat will learn that when he/she touches the ball with his/her nose, I will click an agility clicker and he/she will receive a treat.

Day 2: The rat needs to be trained to come to a certain area to get the food. This process ususally takes a couple of days.

Day 3: Begin putting the ball on the platform at its highest level. Every time the rat jumps to touch the ball make them come to the designated area for a treat, by clicking the agility clicker.

Day 4: By this time, the rat knows that the ball is key to getting food. The rat should be able to roll the ball. After some frustration, and a lot of patience on your part, give the rat a treat as soon as he/she rolls it toward the goal.

Day 5 & On: Continue this process until the rat accidentally rings the goal. Once this happens, never give him/her a treat until he/she makes a basket. Over time, the adjustable platform can be lowered until he/she no longer needs it. 

REMEMBER: Every rat has different abilities, and some rats may never learn to play. I have also learned that one day, the rat will decide he/she does not want to play any more. When this day comes, praise him/her for the year or so of March Madness he/she provided.

Happy training!