Table HTML code not working in HTML block

ChancyRat · October 27, 2013

My gorgeous HTML in dreamweaver is not working in the SM HTML block. (Yes, I am careful to copy/paste only specific sections from inside Body. In Legacy I never had a problem with this method.)

I see on this thread a recommendation to use mostly CSS for a table in an HTML block.
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=241289&highlight=html+table

However I'm way less familiar with CSS than I am with HTML.
Yet, this code doesn't work in the HTML block. The text shows as plain wrapped text, no table format.

Should it work?

<table width="700" border="2">
<tr>
<td><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Blah blah blah</span></td>
</tr>
</table>

This is what it reverts to after publishing:

<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Blah blah blah</span>

jwashburn · October 27, 2013

ChancyRat wrote: »

My gorgeous HTML in dreamweaver is not working in the SM HTML block. (Yes, I am careful to copy/paste only specific sections from inside Body. In Legacy I never had a problem with this method.)

I see on this thread a recommendation to use mostly CSS for a table in an HTML block.
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=241289&highlight=html+table

However I'm way less familiar with CSS than I am with HTML.
Yet, this code doesn't work in the HTML block. The text shows as plain wrapped text, no table format.

Should it work?

This is what it reverts to after publishing:

<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Blah blah blah</span>

CSS is used to style HTML, they work together. Do you have a link to your site?

ChancyRat · October 27, 2013

jwashburn wrote: »

CSS is used to style HTML, they work together. Do you have a link to your site?

I am not unveiled yet - and thank you for responding so quickly.
I guess I'm struggling with, if I'm using valid HTML code why isn't the SM HTML block accepting it.
I'm trying to minimize CSS because I'm so unfamiliar with it.

EDIT: And I chose an HTML 5 template in Dreamweaver, hoping this would keep me most up to date.

ChancyRat · October 27, 2013

If I could devise the CSS, I guess I would. I vaguely recall doing that in Dreamweaver in a class over a year go but it escapes me now. :cry

jwashburn · October 27, 2013

ChancyRat wrote: »

I am not unveiled yet - and thank you for responding so quickly.
I guess I'm struggling with, if I'm using valid HTML code why isn't the SM HTML block accepting it.
I'm trying to minimize CSS because I'm so unfamiliar with it.

You are already kinda familiar with it, you just might not know it. If you look at the top of your Dreamweaver page, there is a section in the header that looks like this <style> </style>

There is some code that SMUG doesn't take. Post your code and lets take a look.

ChancyRat · October 27, 2013

Ahhh this is so discouraging. I'm trying to cross the ocean and the moment my feet can't touch bottom, I'm drowning. Brought tears to my eyes.

ChancyRat · October 27, 2013

jwashburn wrote: »

You are already kinda familiar with it, you just might not know it. If you look at the top of your Dreamweaver page, there is a section in the header that looks like this <style> </style>

There is some code that SMUG doesn't take. Post your code and lets take a look.

Joey I can barely see this page through tears.
Maybe for the moment I should stop trying to get a table in place and try to fix something that is broken.
SM HTML is stripping my <p> sections and substituting . I can't achieve paragraphs.

jwashburn · October 27, 2013

ChancyRat wrote: »

Joey I can barely see this page through tears.
Maybe for the moment I should stop trying to get a table in place and try to fix something that is broken.
SM HTML is stripping my <p> sections and substituting . I can't achieve paragraphs.

Try using <br />

jwashburn · October 27, 2013

I just pasted some Dreamweaver code into a page and it worked fine

<table width="100%" border="0">
  <tr>
    <td>data</td>
    <td>asfdasf</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>asdfasdfa</td>
    <td>adfasfasdf</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>asdfsadfa</td>
    <td>asdfasdfas</td>
  </tr>
</table>

Post some of your code here that you are trying to get working and we can help you with it, either with CSS, or just the HTML

jwashburn · October 27, 2013

I was able to recreate one of your pages from your current site, pretty easily. I am guessing that is what you were working on

http://images.joeywashburn.com/FormTestPage/n-c25Wn

ChancyRat · October 27, 2013

<br> would require 2 of them, and then the paras are too far apart.
<p> is perfect - or would be if the HTML block worked correctly and separated them.

You asked me to post my code but I don't know what code you mean. At the moment if I could just separate paragraphs, I would leave as much as possible as plain paragraphs, and come back to tables later.

This is the totality of my code, paragraphs and one attempt at a table that has the span code you referenced.

<p><em>TEXT</em></p>
<table width="700" border="2">
<tr>
<td><span style="font-size: 16pt;">WARNING AND CAUTION: Blah blah table table.</span></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><strong><em>More text</em></strong></p>
<p>More text</p>
<p>Another para </p>

Many thanks for looking at this.

jwashburn · October 27, 2013

ChancyRat wrote: »

<br> would require 2 of them, and then the paras are too far apart.
<p> is perfect - or would be if the HTML block worked correctly and separated them.

You asked me to post my code but I don't know what code you mean. At the moment if I could just separate paragraphs, I would leave as much as possible as plain paragraphs, and come back to tables later.

This is the totality of my code, paragraphs and one attempt at a table that has the span code you referenced.

Many thanks for looking at this.

Hmm, its not stripping that stuff out for me.

http://images.joeywashburn.com/FormTestPage1/n-2NtfP

Are you copying and pasting from the Code tab in Dreamweaver, or the Design tab? That could make a difference

ChancyRat · October 27, 2013

YOU are very kind. I copied your simple table code into a new HTML block and it did retain table. So I tried again to copy my DW code into a new HTML block and this time it took (kept the table). (Yes, I copy from the code side.)

Is there CSS or something else I should do to separate paragraphs further?

jwashburn · October 27, 2013

Not without getting complicated. Just stick with your

or < /br> and when you are ready to tackle some CSS stuff we can help with that.

ChancyRat · October 27, 2013

Actually I see the paragraphs are separated the way

would do... the problem at the moment is that I need all HTML (unless specified separately) to be 16pt, and right now it's tiny enough to require a microscope. I did set the font for the table, gotta figure out the other parts.

ChancyRat · October 27, 2013

The HTML broke again when I tried to change the font. By broke I mean the paras disappeared.
The code I added was:

around the totality of all material.
(And left the same code in place for the table.)

Could you possibly give me the code, CSS or HTML, to control the basic font size for all HTML text (unless I specify otherwise, for example in a table).

Allen · October 27, 2013

ChancyRat wrote: »

Actually I see the paragraphs are separated the way <p> would do... the problem at the moment is that I need all HTML (unless specified separately) to be 16pt, and right now it's tiny enough to require a microscope. I did set the font for the table, gotta figure out the other parts.

Did you have a legacy page with this in it? If you do we could copy that html and reformat for you
including creating the CSS for the html block.

ChancyRat · October 27, 2013

Allen, I'm - so grateful. Well, the page is this one:
http://www.joinrats.com/EarningTrust/RatsUsingTeeth/15630450_hH8bsw
However as you can see the HTML is quite broken in legacy.

And - as I have many pages to fix, if it's possible to list the steps to take, perhaps I should learn them.

Allen · October 27, 2013

ChancyRat wrote: »

Allen, I'm - so grateful. Well, the page is this one:
http://www.joinrats.com/EarningTrust/RatsUsingTeeth/15630450_hH8bsw
However as you can see the HTML is quite broken in legacy.

And - as I have many pages to fix, if it's possible to list the steps to take, perhaps I should learn them.

Doing a quick look, did you edit this description in NewSmug? Looks like it stripped out a bunch of the html in legacy
and I have no idea how you had it formated. You didn't by perhaps have a text file saved with the full code, html/text did you?
Did you have those thumb images embedded in with the text above?

BTW, for every html page/gallery description I have, I save the html in a text file and edit there. Then
copy and paste the new version back in. I've been doing the same with NewSmug for html boxes.

Also noticed:
Looks like you have used a lot of iframes on pages and iframes are currently not allowed in NewSmug.

ChancyRat · October 27, 2013

Allen wrote: »

Doing a quick look, did you edit this description in NewSmug? Looks like it stripped out a bunch of the html in legacy
and I have no idea how you had it formated. You didn't by perhaps have a text file saved with the full code, html/text did you?
Did you have those thumb images embedded in with the text above?

BTW, for every html page/gallery description I have, I save the html in a text file and edit there. Then
copy and paste the new version back in. I've been doing the same with NewSmug for html boxes.

Also noticed:
Looks like you have used a lot of iframes on pages and iframes are currently not allowed in NewSmug.

Yes, I have an older version of this page as txt. I did what you do, edit in notepad, save as txt.
How do you want me to give it to you, copy as code here?

Yes, I'm aware of the iframes issue. Currently working on an alternative.

For this page, there is a youtube video embedded. I take it SM html does not permit this? So in new SM on the page I'm editing, I've put the header as an html page, then added a youtube block, then another html page to pick up after the youtube video.

Allen · October 27, 2013

ChancyRat wrote: »

Yes, I have an older version of this page as txt. I did what you do, edit in notepad, save as txt.
How do you want me to give it to you, copy as code here?

Yes, I'm aware of the iframes issue. Currently working on an alternative.

For this page, there is a youtube video embedded. I take it SM html does not permit this? So in new SM on the page I'm editing, I've put the header as an html page, then added a youtube block, then another html page to pick up after the youtube video.

Great, copy the text file contents and insert here between code tags, [CODE][/code].
If you click the # icon in the bar above in the reply box it will add those into the box. Then paste in
between them.

[CODE]
paste between these
[/CODE]

ChancyRat · October 27, 2013

<html>

<br /><br />
<center>
<span class='lindsay-intro-list'>

<table border="2" cellpadding="8" style="background-color:#FEFDD3" width=760 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=30 /> 
<tr>
 <td>

<h2>Subtitle: "Yes, Let Them, Especially So They Can Practice Chomp-Stop-Checks!"</h2>

<p>
<b><i>Does your pet rat use her teeth on you in seemingly odd ways, and you want to know what
she's doing and if it's okay to let her continue? </i></b></p>


<center>
<table border="2" cellpadding="8" style="background-color:#2EFE2E" align="left" />
<tr>
<td>

<b><i>The General Reputation of Domesticated Norway Rats:
<br />They Don't Bite!
<br /> That is - if they haven't been abused by humans in the past, 
<br />and have had any basic handling as babies,
<br /> and the human approaches them respectfully, gently,
<br /> then, in general, pet rats don't bite.
</i></b>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
<br /><br />

<p>The short answer is, if she's not drawing blood, yes, let her use her teeth any way she wants, as much as she wants.<p>
<p> <i>In fact, encourage it. </i></p>
<br />

<center>
<table border="2" cellpadding="8" style="background-color:#FF0000" align="right" />
<tr>
<td>

<b><i>WARNING AND CAUTION: This is NOT a practice to encourage 
<br />if your rat is aggressive, fearful, has a history of having
<br />been abused or mishandled by humans, or if you do not have
<br />a good assessment of your  rat's potential for aggression.
<br />Please obtain an assessment first, seek help,
<br />and work on the potential for biting to draw blood
 <br /> before beginning a process of helping your
<br />rat use her teeth for good tooth activity and 
<br /> Chomp-Stop-Checks.  </i></b> 
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>


<br />
<b><i>My thoughts on why it's so important for rats to practice "good teeth activity" on their humans:</i></b>
<br /><br />
First, what's important to know about how pet rats use their teeth?
<ul>
  <li>Rats have incredible micro-control over their teeth pressure. When they exert pressure with their
teeth, they know how much pressure they're exerting - EXACTLY how much pressure. No more, no less. </li>
  <li>
This partly means that, except for true accidents, which are rare, if a rat wants to draw blood, she will. 
If she doesn't draw blood, she didn't want to draw blood. </li>
   <li> This means the rat is doing something purposeful with her teeth, when she uses them on you without
drawing blood. Drawing blood would be purposeful aggression. Every other kind of tooth activity that doesn't
draw blood - and there is a whole lot of that, see below! - has a different meaning altogether. </li>
  <li><b> This is worth saying again: If a rat kind of, sort of chomps on some part of you in some odd fashion, but doesn't draw blood, 
she purposefully did not draw blood </b>. </li>
  <li>  My feeling is, praise and encourage your rat to use her teeth in every way that does not draw blood.  </li>
You may not understand the meaning of her teeth activity, but you can know you're praising her for her
decision to not draw blood. 
</ul>
<center>
<table border="1" cellpadding="8" align="right" />
<tr>
<td>

A Note on Watching High-Definition Video:
<br />There are links below to many videos on JoinRats. 
<br /> Many computers, even newer ones, have difficulty
<br />  playing video, especially high-definition.  
<br /> If you experience  stops and starts during play,
<br />  click at the top to activate a smaller size. 
<br /> Then pause the video and let the green bar load
<br /> (which can take several minutes for a large video). 
<br /> Then play. Turn off all other applications before playing.
<br /> Keep in mind wireless networks may
<br /> still experience problems.

</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
<br /> 
<b><i>What do rats use their teeth for?
<br />  Oh, my, the sky's the limit!</i></b>
<br />

<ul>
  <li>Teeth are for exploring:   <a href="/EarningTrust/RatsUsingTeeth/15630450_tn43k#692695746_9ktM9-A-LB">"So what are you, anyway? 
What's this part? What's that part? My, this is strange but interesting. Can I have this? I want this. Give me this. 
What's this? Is this detachable? No, okay then."</a> This can include poking, proding, shoving. </li>
  <li>Chomp-stop-checks: This is my term for when the rat accidentally begins to bite human skin for some 
reason, and then suddenly, in mid-chomp, realizes that she was mistaken and didn't mean to bite, and 
is able to stop in mid-Chomp. The "Stop" seems to be instinctual, as if she stops before she even has time to 
think about why, and then afterward Checks out the situation. This amazing skill shows just how much 
micro-level control pet rats have over their teeth pressure. Chomp-Stop-Checks can also be described as 
accidental teeth activity, "Oops, sorry, I didn't realize it was you." "Hey, I thought you were a green bean. 
Sorry! And by the way, could I have a green bean now?" See below for some examples of Chomp-Stop-Checks
with my own rats.</li>
  <li><a href="/Enrichment/coconuts/8865656_s8y6g#589000959_T3gTn-A-LB">Eating, of course</a>. :)</li>
  <li> Teeth are like fingers trying to assess something, such as when a human pokes a peach to 
check its ripeness, or pokes a package to feel what's inside, or feels the apple branch to see if 
part of it can be chipped off. Rats assess their world in a myriad of ways through touch. </li>
  <li> Removing dead skin, as in carrying out a medical procedure. I mean this very literally. 
My rats have showed extreme care as they inspect bits of
problem skin, such as scabs, torn nail skin, or dry lip bits. They inspect each bit carefully and then
gently tug on the suspected problem. I am constantly amazed at how softly they tug. They are able to
determine which bit is dead or unneeded, and which bit is alive and to be protected. Sometimes the rat
shaves off the dead bit without my even knowing it, and sometimes the rat determines 
the dead bit is attached to something vulnerable and raw, and so leaves the whole thing alone.
Rats show an excellent ability to assess the nature of skin conditions. </li>
  <li>As a utinsil, for example an eating utinsil - a spoon to scrape food off 
things, <a href="/EarningTrust/SnugHolding/10981531_GGSQP#615485778_Y3suH-A-LB">including treats 
smeared deeply into human skin</a>. </li>
  <li><a href="/RatsAreHystericallyFunny/Hysterical/11566291_dy7KS#816210567_GrUKt-A-LB">Mowing
or vaccuming flakes of skin, excess bugs, or anything else unnecessary that may be found on their human's skin</a>.  </li>
  <li>Carrying or moving things around, using teeth as if holding something in one's arms, 
or as if carrying a bucket. Examples: taking hold of a 
human finger or <a href="/Enrichment/Stashing/7947546_A5obY#541081522_ewYyH-A-LB">or paper, and 
tugging it inside the cage</a>, <a href="/Enrichment/Stashing/7947546_A5obY#515909316_q2kxv-A-LB">carrying 
shredded paper to one's nest</a>, stashing one's treats, moving one's babies to a new location.
  <li><a href="http://www.joinrats.com/gallery/9031190_F9t3r">Social grooming</a> - both other rats 
as well as their humans. </li>
  <li><a href="/EarningTrust/Rodentistry/9301857_dBZQA#621768192_LjVAE-A-LB">Rodentistry</a> - cleaning 
other rats' and humans' teeth, as needed. Partly a snacking activity. Partly to assess if a particular food is okay to eat. </li> 
  <li><a href="/RatsAreHystericallyFunny/Hysterical/11566291_dy7KS#816210567_GrUKt-A-LB">Manicuring Nails</a>. Excess
nails on human fingers are quite the annoyance. After all, what are nails? Nothing but dead tissue, which rats are
adept at removing. Must keep our human's flesh and body parts well-groomed and certainly alive. Humans even
report that pet rats will manicure dogs' nails. What would we do without our rats?</li> 
  <li>Positioning things and expressing wants and direction: Example: I slide my hand inside the rats' 
hammock and scritch them, and then at a certain point one rat may take hold of my scritching 
finger in her teeth and moves it away. "Enough, Gwen, thanks anyway." Or, my Tugger Rat takes hold of
my finger and pulls me into the cage. Pulling your Personal Human around is one of the civil rights of rats. An
example from Sara (read her comment at the bottom of this gallery):

</ul>
<center>
<object width="480" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x2DdgaQ0v04?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x2DdgaQ0v04?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="390"></embed></object>
</center>

<ul>


</li>
  <li>The unknown: A rat is licking me in a social grooming session when she "takes hold" 
of some part of my hand with her teeth, and holds onto it. Just holds it, not doing anything. After a few moments, 
she releases. </li>
  <li> <a href="/Enrichment/bandaids/7824585_wA4EY">A weapon to save humans from the evil bandaids</a>. 
Protection of one's personal human 
from the evils of bandaid plastic is an important job for pet rats. Chancy, below, illustrates while she 
hiccups with happiness.</li>
</ul>
<center>
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" 
value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lNOggFatMC8?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0">
</param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" 
value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lNOggFatMC8?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" 
type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" 
allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></center>

<ul>
  <li> Capturing prey (insects, worms, <a href="/Enrichment/Feathers/7795645_BNGPt#515141009_6Z2n7-A-LB"><i>THE 
ALL-IMPORTANT PESKY FEATHERS </i></a>, etc.).</li> 
  <li> Maybe <a href="/EarningTrust/cagework/9130839_2QRsg#608738894_VoXfW-A-LB">"Nom-Nom-Noming"</a> 
needs to be mentioned twice? :) </li> 
  <li> <a href="/Introductions/ratbehaviors/10963305_YcSxt#935930422_HCR7M-A-LB">Defending from predators</a>.</li> 
  <li> <a href="/Introductions/NormalAgonisticBehavior/13539781_P5MYa">Normal agonistic behaviors with mischief-mates</a>.  </li>
  <li> Defensive (aggressive) biting, such as <a href="/Introductions/ratbehaviors/10963305_YcSxt#935930422_HCR7M-A-LB">defending 
one's territory from a new rat</a>, or 
<a href="/BitingRats/interacting/10158796_a5NMF">biting a new human's hand after having 
been physically abused by other humans in the past</a>.  </li>
  <li> <a href="/Friends/Gwen/RatRoom/10568204_KneKf#620787830_abi4P-A-LB">Escaping from everything possible no matter
how much effort the human puts into making it escape-proof</a>.  </li> 
  <li> <a href="/Enrichment/TheAimofEnrichment/13529606_nWGjS">Gnawing the universe down into its molecular parts</a>.</li> 
  </ul>
  
<br />
<b><i>Assuming the rat is not aggressive and drawing blood, it is best to allow rats to use their teeth 
on their humans in as many ways and as much as possible. The importance of doing so includes:</i> </b>

<ul>
  <li> When you allow the rat to treat you like a rat (using her teeth), you are <i>using the language of the rat with her</i>. </li> 
  <li> The rat who knows her human very well, including all aspects of her skin, is less likely to accidentally bite hard. </li> 
  <li> The rat who is allowed to use her teeth on her human gets better and better at Chomp-Stop-Checks, and will
actually do them less, as her skill gets better at differentiated between her human and everything else.</li> 
  <li> The more you allow the rat to use her teeth on you, the more she will allow you to use your "teeth" - read: Fingernails - on her.
Being able to give your rat full body scritches, or specialized body part scritches, is a huge part of the bond between a rat and her human. </li> 
</ul>
<br />
<b><i>Why are "Chomp-Stop-Checks" so important in all of these teeth activities?</i></b> They are an important way rats
learn about how their human is not to be bitten, even accidentally.</b>
<br /><br />
<i>Chomp-Stop-Checks describe this process:</i> The rat is startled by the presence of her human's hand in her 
hammock, and reacts somewhat without thinking, "Uh-oh! A bad guy", and so begins to Chomp, but instantly on 
contact, she realizes, "Oops, NOPE, this is MY human", and so she promptly stops before drawing blood or 
otherwise puncturing her human. Chomp-Stop-Checks are also the arena where the rat completely accidentally 
misunderstands what is human skin and what is food, and begins to bite, but is nevertheless able to stop herself 
from injuring her human in time. 
 <br /><br />
<b><i>Chomp-Stop-Checks are awesome to witness, and I have three examples:</i></b>

<ul>
  <li>Once I had a hefty bite of avocado, which is my rats' all-time favorite, and then without thinking I picked up 
<a href="/Enrichment/Feathers/7795645_BNGPt#740073463_hUbCT-A-LB">Bonny - the World Champion Professional Feather Hunter
Extraordinaire</a>.  In a flash, with a look of shock on her face, she yanked my mouth open, shoved her head 
inside, 
took hold of my tongue  in a pincer grip between her 
top and bottom teeth, and went CHOMP-STOP-CHECK. She had thought my tongue was an avocado, started her CHOMP, and in that split 
millisecond, recognized <i>Tongue = Gwen, does NOT = avocado</i>, and stopped herself from biting. I felt only a pinch
 that truly did not hurt.  Bonny emerged from my mouth sopping wet with avocado and gave me a, "That wasn't fair 
Gwen!" look.  (I gave her some avocado!!!)
<a href="/Friends/Gwen/petrats/8897722_8GT2g#627993626_2YhFJ-A-LB">Bonny was the gentlest of rats 
despite being a fierce predator with Feathers</a>.
</li>
  <li>Example: I visited <a href="/Friends/KARENBORGA/PetRats/7966024_zSMyS">Karen Borga's 7 
adopted lab rats in 2008</a>, 
and they had not had a lot of certain kinds of socialization. 
Within 2 minutes of getting to them, I read their body language to be saying, "We're good rats," and without a lot of 
thinking, I stuck my fingers through the bars and then my hands inside the cage. Immediately I was subjected to 
a full-out inspection, and about 100 chomp-stop-checks. I let the rats freely explore me. They clearly did not intend 
to hurt but needed to check me out. I petted them and touched them gently, with my arm up to my elbow laid 
inside their cage, crooning good rats good rats good boys good boys endlessly. I let them have at me to their 
hearts' content, and eventually they got their fill of inspecting me, and let up. Over my two-day visit, I repeated 
this routine many times, and while I was often greeted with more Chomp-Stop-Checks, I was never bitten. Karen's 
rats just needed a chance to get through some of their suspicion about humans.   </li>
  <li>If the process of a Chomp-Stop-Check seems odd, well, humans do it as well.  Once when I was 
holding Bonny, as I moved her through the air, I threw her 
off balance. Her tail whipped around, helicopter style, and then suddenly flashed right inside 
my mouth - exactly at a moment I was saying something to someone on the telephone. My sentence in 
full swing, I began an involuntary CHOMP, but STOP - instinctively I managed to not bite down 
on Bonny's tail. I stopped and CHECKED myself. Chomp-Stop-Check is an almost instinctual ability
to control your teeth pressure depending on the context.</li>
</ul> 
<br />
<b><i>Chomp-Stop-Check is actually a pretty sophisticated tool rats use to discriminate. </i></b> 
Some examples using humans to draw this out:

  <ul>
  <li>Someone hands you a closed box with a small opening, and says it contains rocks. You're asked to 
reach in and grab one rock and bring it out as fast as possible. You reach in quickly and GRAB - and - STOP - your hands 
sense you are touching eggs, not rocks. Your quick reflexes will likely help you ease up immediately and 
handle the egg more gently than you would have handled a rock, because your brain automatically recognizes 
how to handle eggs.  </li>
  <li>A human bites down hard on a peach and her teeth meet the peach pit sooner than she expected. Her teeth 
STOP abruptly, just in time to not crunch down on the pit, risking a tooth chip.  </li>
  <li> As a human eats a cherry with the pit, she automatically chews around the pit. Here she doesn't think
about it, exactly, her brain just tells the teeth to work around the pit and move it off to the side. Our teeth/mouth muscles 
just do it right.  Of course, we might be somewhat clumsy and bite the pit, but the more we practice eating cherries, 
the easier it gets to avoid the pits.  </li>
  </ul>
<br />
<b><i>What should you do with a rat who Chomp-Stop-Checks you?</i> </b> If you have a shy rat who needs 
to get to know you, and you want to let her check you out, and she subjects you to some Chomp-Stop-Checks, 
here are some ideas about how you can relate back to her:
  <ul>
  <li>Praise the rat for her good decision to <i>not</i> draw blood: Coo at her, baby-talk her, "Good girl!", and as
you do, move TOWARD her, continuing to pet and stroke. (This means scritch her.) As you go towards her and her
activity, not away from it, you will help her answer her question of 
"Who are you?" <i><b>This sounds counter-intuitive but it works. </b> </i></li>
  <li> By upping the amount of scritching, your rat will get more of you, your skin, body, movements, 
motion, smell, and your (good and honorable) intentions. You will help her become more expert at
figuring out that you are indeed something she doesn't want to accidentally bite. Then, when accidents and 
confusion happen, the chances of your rat accidentally biting will be almost <b>ZERO</b>. Truly, I mean, <b>ZERO</b>. 
</li>
  <li> <a href="/EarningTrust/BondingPouches/12101008_otVzv">Work with your rats in the cage</a>, 
<a href="/EarningTrust/cagework/9130839_2QRsg">Bond with your rats in "pouches"</a>,
<a href="/EarningTrust/Grooming/8301850_7TZE2">Groom your rat to bond</a>, and
<a href="http://www.joinrats.com/EarningTrust/MustMustReads">Read some Must Must Reads</a> about bonding
with your rat. The idea here is to expand the experiences and places you touch your rats. 

</li>

  </ul>
<br />
<b><i>If your rat does draw blood, that's in another category for a different discussion!</i></b>
 <ul>
  <li>I am not advocating that a human should just stick her hand in a cage of strange rats, because some 
defensive rats will bite, and cage aggression can be an issue.   </li>
  <li> Seek help if you have an aggressive, biting rat, because bites hurt!  Helping a rat learn not to be 
aggressive calls for special handling and skill. </li>
  <li> Being able to read a rat's body language is an extremely important skill to assess whether to 
proceed with touching a rat or reaching into a cage. Karen's rats, in the example above, were a special 
example because she had done <a href="/Introductions/techniques/10077930_wBBNQ">so much work 
with them leading up to that point</a>. And I want to emphasize that 
I did read their body language to say, "We can be trusted! We like you!" As you gain familiarity with your rats'
body language, you will feel more confident about situations of touching them as well.
 <br /><br />
<center>
<big>
TOUCH YOUR RATS! LET THEM TOUCH YOU WITH THEIR TEEFS!
 <br />
I hope you have found some inspiration to snuggle and scritch your rats, and to let them
explore you with their teeth.
 <br />
This is one of the best bonding activities you and your rat can have.
 <br />
<b><i>~~ HUGS ~~ </i></b></big>
 <br />
<img src="http://www.joinrats.com/photos/1081888717_LqzRz-L.png" />

</center>

<br /><br /><br />
<center>
<img src="http://www.joinrats.com/photos/782521172_c7svf-X3.png" /></center>
<br /> 

 </td>
 </tr>
</table>
</span>
</center>
</html>

ChancyRat · October 27, 2013

I am so stuck. I have done lots of fixing of my HTML to try to make it work.
Please can someone tell me:
- how do I make the main body font 16pt for all HTML (except where I specify otherwise). You can see the bottom para on this combo image, I need to fix that font size. Since I have several html blocks (as I intersperse them between embedded videos, etc.), I'm hoping one code on the CSS will work?
tell me what's wrong with this list code, it is in its own HTML block on my new page with no other code to somehow disrupt it. I've tested it on the CSS site and it works perfectly, but in new SM, it's failing. I drew a red arrow on the image showing how this code shows on the screen.

Thanks.

<ul>
  <li>Rats have incredible micro-control over their teeth pressure. When they exert pressure with their
teeth, they know how much pressure they're exerting - EXACTLY how much pressure. No more, no less. </li>
  <li>This partly means that, except for true accidents, which are rare, if a rat wants to draw blood, she will. 
If she doesn't draw blood, she didn't want to draw blood. </li>
   <li> This means the rat is doing something purposeful with her teeth, when she uses them on you without
drawing blood. Drawing blood would be purposeful aggression. Every other kind of tooth activity that doesn't
draw blood - and there is a whole lot of that, see below! - has a different meaning altogether. </li>
  <li>This is worth saying again: If a rat kind of, sort of chomps on some part of you in some odd fashion, but doesn't draw blood, 
she purposefully did not draw blood. </li>
  <li>  My feeling is, praise and encourage your rat to use her teeth in every way that does not draw blood.  </li>
<li>You may not understand the meaning of her teeth activity, but you can know you're praising her for her
decision to not draw blood. </li>
</ul>

Allen · October 27, 2013

ChancyRat wrote: »

I am so stuck. I have done lots of fixing of my HTML to try to make it work.

Here's what I've been able to create. It takes three html boxes and two youtube video boxes. Will need the
youtube link.
Just noticed you might have added another video in your last post. Not in this yet.

ChancyRat · October 27, 2013

Allen, I'm aghast that you did this. Aghast and grateful. I can't believe it, really. What do I need to do to get the code from you? I spent all day limping through DW and fixing the zillions of errors in the original code and then coming to a dead stop with the list code failing. Please tell me you had an easier time, and more, tell me what you did, as I really need to learn to fish, as much as I also love being handed a fish. This is more than a fish, it's a whale.

Allen · October 28, 2013

ChancyRat wrote: »

Allen, I'm aghast that you did this. Aghast and grateful. I can't believe it, really. What do I need to do to get the code from you? I spent all day limping through DW and fixing the zillions of errors in the original code and then coming to a dead stop with the list code failing. Please tell me you had an easier time, and more, tell me what you did, as I really need to learn to fish, as much as I also love being handed a fish. This is more than a fish, it's a whale.

The text/code is too large to post here, I'll email it to you. When you get it holler back here.
Edit: can't attach text file to email here. Click my site in my sig and use the contact link in my
footer to send me your email. Edit: posted code below in parts.

Then we can go over what needs to be done. Basically it's put on a page not a gallery. [strike]I also need to
figure out that last video in your screen shot a couple posts ago. Need html and video boxes next to
each other. So have to split off the top text part for the new html box left of the video and
reorganize some of it.[/strike]
Edit: not applicable for this page.

The rest of the page are html boxes with two video boxes separating them.
These are the order of the boxes on the page.

[strike]html
html video[/strike]
html
video
html
video
html

BTW, about all I did to your html was remove the tables and added some div's.

Allen · October 28, 2013

ChancyRat wrote: »

... I drew a red arrow on the image showing how this code shows on the screen.

Thanks.

Put this in the CSS tab of the html box.

li {
  list-style: inside;
}

I just realized that that other video was on another page.

Allen · October 28, 2013

ChancyRat wrote: »

...

Post 24 code for top/first html box. Click triangle and set bottom margin to zero and width to 960.

<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight:bold;">
  Subtitle: "[COLOR=Red]Yes, Let Them, Especially So They Can Practice Chomp-Stop-Checks![/COLOR]"</span>
<br /><br />
<p>
Does your pet rat use her teeth on you in seemingly odd ways, and you  want to know what she's doing and if it's okay to let her continue? 
</p>
<br />

<div style="float:left; width: 417px; background-color:#2EFE2E;  border: 4px ridge #ccc; padding: 5px; color: #444; margin-right: 40px;  font-style:italic;">
The General Reputation of Domesticated Norway Rats:
<br />They Don't Bite!
<br /> That is - if they haven't been abused by humans in the past, 
<br />and have had any basic handling as babies,
<br /> and the human approaches them respectfully, gently,
<br /> then, in general, pet rats don't bite.
</div>

<div style="width: 417px; display:inline; margin-left: 40px;">
<p>The short answer is, if she's not drawing blood, yes, 
  let her use her teeth any way she wants, as much as she 
  wants.</p><p>
</p><p> <i>In fact, encourage it. </i></p>
</div>
<br /><br />
<div style="clear: both;"></div>
<br />
  <div style="width: 380px; float:right; xmargin-left: 40px;  background:red; border: 4px ridge #ccc; padding: 5px;">
<p>WARNING AND CAUTION: This is NOT a practice to encourage if  your rat is aggressive, fearful, has a history of having been abused or  mishandled by humans, or if you do not have a good assessment of your   rat's potential for aggression. Please obtain an assessment first, seek  help, and work on the potential for biting to draw blood before  beginning a process of helping your rat use her teeth for good tooth  activity and Chomp-Stop-Checks. </p> 
</div>

<span style="font-style:italic; font-weight:bold;">
My thoughts on why it's so important for rats to practice "good teeth activity" on their humans:
</span>
<br /><br />
First, what's important to know about how pet rats use their teeth?
<ul>
  <li>Rats have incredible micro-control over their teeth pressure. When they exert pressure with their
teeth, they know how much pressure they're exerting - EXACTLY how much pressure. No more, no less. </li>
  <li>This partly means that, except for true accidents, which are  rare, if a rat wants to draw blood, she will. If she doesn't draw  blood, she didn't want to draw blood. </li>
   <li> This means the rat is doing something purposeful with her teeth, when she uses them on you without
drawing blood. Drawing blood would be purposeful aggression. Every other kind of tooth activity that doesn't
draw blood - and there is a whole lot of that, see below! - has a different meaning altogether. </li>
  <li><b> This is worth saying again: If a rat kind of, sort  of chomps on some part of you in some odd fashion, but doesn't draw  blood, 
she purposefully did not draw blood </b>. </li>
  <li>  My feeling is, praise and encourage your rat to use her teeth in every way that does not 
draw blood.  </li>
</ul>

     
<br /><br />
<div style="clear: both;"></div>
<br />

<div style="border: 4px ridge #ccc; padding: 5px;  float:right; width: 400px; text-align:justify; margin-left: 20px;">
  <b>A Note on Watching High-Definition Video:</b>
<br />
  There are links below to many videos on JoinRats.  Many computers,  even newer ones, have difficulty  playing video, especially  high-definition.   If you experience  stops and starts during play,   click at the top to activate a smaller size.  Then pause the video and  let the green bar load(which can take several minutes for a large  video).  Then play. Turn off all other applications before playing. Keep  in mind wireless networks may still experience problems.
</div>



<b><i>What do rats use their teeth for?
<br />  Oh, my, the sky's the limit!</i></b>
<br />

<ul>
  <li>Teeth are for exploring: 
<a href="/EarningTrust/RatsUsingTeeth/15630450_tn43k#692695746_9ktM9-A-LB">
    "So what are you, anyway? What's this part? What's that part? My,  this is strange but interesting. Can I     have this? I want this. Give  me this. What's this? Is this detachable? No, okay then."
</a> 
This can include poking, proding, shoving. </li>
  <li>Chomp-stop-checks: This is my term for when the rat 
    accidentally begins to bite human skin for some 
reason, and then suddenly, in mid-chomp, realizes that she was 
    mistaken and didn't mean to bite, and 
is able to stop in mid-Chomp. The "Stop" seems to be instinctual, 
    as if she stops before she even has time to 
think about why, and then afterward Checks out the situation. 
    This amazing skill shows just how much 
micro-level control pet rats have over their teeth pressure. 
    Chomp-Stop-Checks can also be described as 
accidental teeth activity, "Oops, sorry, I didn't realize it 
    was you." "Hey, I thought you were a green bean. 
Sorry! And by the way, could I have a green bean now?" See 
    below for some examples of Chomp-Stop-Checks
with my own rats.</li>
  <li><a href="/Enrichment/coconuts/8865656_s8y6g#589000959_T3gTn-A-LB">Eating, of course</a>. :)</li>
  <li> Teeth are like fingers trying to assess something, such as when a human pokes a peach to 
check its ripeness, or pokes a package to feel what's inside, or feels the apple branch to see if 
part of it can be chipped off. Rats assess their world in a myriad of ways through touch. </li>
  <li> Removing dead skin, as in carrying out a medical procedure. I mean this very literally. 
My rats have showed extreme care as they inspect bits of
problem skin, such as scabs, torn nail skin, or dry lip bits. They inspect each bit carefully and then
gently tug on the suspected problem. I am constantly amazed at how softly they tug. They are able to
determine which bit is dead or unneeded, and which bit is alive and to be protected. Sometimes the rat
shaves off the dead bit without my even knowing it, and sometimes the rat determines 
the dead bit is attached to something vulnerable and raw, and so leaves the whole thing alone.
Rats show an excellent ability to assess the nature of skin conditions. </li>
  <li>As a utinsil, for example an eating utinsil - a spoon to scrape food off 
things, <a href="/EarningTrust/SnugHolding/10981531_GGSQP#615485778_Y3suH-A-LB">including treats 
smeared deeply into human skin</a>. </li>
  <li><a href="/RatsAreHystericallyFunny/Hysterical/11566291_dy7KS#816210567_GrUKt-A-LB">Mowing
or vaccuming flakes of skin, excess bugs, or anything else unnecessary  that may be found on their human's skin</a>.  </li>
  <li>Carrying or moving things around, using teeth as if holding something in one's arms, 
or as if carrying a bucket. Examples: taking hold of a 
human finger or <a href="/Enrichment/Stashing/7947546_A5obY#541081522_ewYyH-A-LB">or paper, and 
tugging it inside the cage</a>, <a href="/Enrichment/Stashing/7947546_A5obY#515909316_q2kxv-A-LB">carrying 
shredded paper to one's nest</a>, stashing one's treats, moving one's babies to a new location.
  </li><li><a  href="http://www.joinrats.com/gallery/9031190_F9t3r">Social  grooming</a> - both other rats 
as well as their humans. </li>
  <li><a href="/EarningTrust/Rodentistry/9301857_dBZQA#621768192_LjVAE-A-LB">Rodentistry</a> - cleaning 
other rats' and humans' teeth, as needed. Partly a snacking activity.  Partly to assess if a particular food is okay to eat. </li> 
  <li><a  href="/RatsAreHystericallyFunny/Hysterical/11566291_dy7KS#816210567_GrUKt-A-LB">Manicuring  Nails</a>. Excess
nails on human fingers are quite the annoyance. After all, what are nails? Nothing but dead tissue, which rats are
adept at removing. Must keep our human's flesh and body parts well-groomed and certainly alive. Humans even
report that pet rats will manicure dogs' nails. What would we do without our rats?</li> 
  <li>Positioning things and expressing wants and direction: Example: I slide my hand inside the rats' 
hammock and scritch them, and then at a certain point one rat may take hold of my scritching 
finger in her teeth and moves it away. "Enough, Gwen, thanks anyway." Or, my Tugger Rat takes hold of
my finger and pulls me into the cage. Pulling your Personal Human around is one of the civil rights of rats. An
example from Sara (read her comment at the bottom of this gallery):

</li></ul>

CSS tab of html box

ul {
  margin-left: 20px;
}

li {
  list-style: inside;
}

a {
  color: #666;
  text-decoration: underline;
}

a:hover {
  color: #222 !important;
}

Allen · October 28, 2013

2nd html box between two video boxes.
Click triangle and set top and bottom margins to zero and width to 960.

<ul>
  <li>The unknown: A rat is licking me in a social grooming session when she "takes hold" 
of some part of my hand with her teeth, and holds onto it. Just holds it, not doing anything. After a few moments, 
she releases. </li>
  <li> <a href="/Enrichment/bandaids/7824585_wA4EY">A weapon to save humans from the evil bandaids</a>. 
Protection of one's personal human 
from the evils of bandaid plastic is an important job for pet rats. Chancy, below, illustrates while she 
hiccups with happiness.</li>
</ul>

CSS tab

ul {
  margin-left: 20px;
}

li {
  list-style: inside;
}

a {
  color: #666;
  text-decoration: underline;
}

a:hover {
  color: #222 !important;
}

Allen · October 28, 2013

The two video boxes. For both click triangle and set top and bottom margin to zero and width to 960.
Insert the youTube link for each and set to Small and "center video".

In Layout tab of content
Layout - Fixed
Width - 960
Centered - ON

Put this in the "Just this page" CSS. The red numbers for the boxes were generated for
my site. We will have to change those to different numbers when the boxes are generated
on your site. They will be in you page source. Or you can inspect element for them if you
use any web tools like WebDev.

/* all boxes */
.sm-page-widget-[COLOR="Red"]3247978[/COLOR],
.sm-page-widget-[COLOR="Red"]3256523[/COLOR],
.sm-page-widget-[COLOR="Red"]3256235[/COLOR],
.sm-page-widget-[COLOR="Red"]3256317[/COLOR],
.sm-page-widget-[COLOR="Red"]3256557 [/COLOR]{
  width: 900px !important;
  margin: 0 auto;
  background:#FEFDD3;
  color: #000;
  border: 4px double #000 !important;
 }

   /* top html box */
.sm-page-widget-[COLOR="Red"]3247978 [/COLOR]{
  border-width: 4px 4px 0 !important;
 }

   /* middle html box */
.sm-page-widget-[COLOR="Red"]3256523 [/COLOR]{
  border-width: 0 4px !important;
 }

   /* bottom html box */
.sm-page-widget-[COLOR="Red"]3256235 [/COLOR]{
  border-width: 0 4px 4px !important;
 }

   /* 1st and 2nd video box */
.sm-page-widget-[COLOR="Red"]3256317 [/COLOR],
.sm-page-widget-[COLOR="Red"]3256557 [/COLOR]{
  border-width: 0 4px !important;
}

Allen · October 28, 2013

Third/last html box, below last video.
Click triangle and set top margin to zero and width to 960.

<ul>
  <li> Capturing prey (insects, worms, <a href="/Enrichment/Feathers/7795645_BNGPt#515141009_6Z2n7-A-LB"><i>THE 
ALL-IMPORTANT PESKY FEATHERS </i></a>, etc.).</li> 
  <li> Maybe <a href="/EarningTrust/cagework/9130839_2QRsg#608738894_VoXfW-A-LB">"Nom-Nom-Noming"</a> 
needs to be mentioned twice? :) </li> 
  <li> <a href="/Introductions/ratbehaviors/10963305_YcSxt#935930422_HCR7M-A-LB">Defending from predators</a>.</li> 
  <li> <a href="/Introductions/NormalAgonisticBehavior/13539781_P5MYa">Normal agonistic behaviors with mischief-mates</a>.  </li>
  <li> Defensive (aggressive) biting, such as <a href="/Introductions/ratbehaviors/10963305_YcSxt#935930422_HCR7M-A-LB">defending 
one's territory from a new rat</a>, or 
<a href="/BitingRats/interacting/10158796_a5NMF">biting a new human's hand after having 
been physically abused by other humans in the past</a>.  </li>
  <li> <a href="/Friends/Gwen/RatRoom/10568204_KneKf#620787830_abi4P-A-LB">Escaping from everything possible no matter
how much effort the human puts into making it escape-proof</a>.  </li> 
  <li> <a href="/Enrichment/TheAimofEnrichment/13529606_nWGjS">Gnawing the universe down into its molecular parts</a>.</li> 
  </ul>
  
<br />
<b><i>Assuming the rat is not aggressive and drawing blood, it is best to allow rats to use their teeth 
on their humans in as many ways and as much as possible. The importance of doing so includes:</i> </b>

<ul>
  <li> When you allow the rat to treat you like a rat (using her teeth), you are <i>using the language of the rat with her</i>. </li> 
  <li> The rat who knows her human very well, including all aspects of her skin, is less likely to accidentally bite hard. </li> 
  <li> The rat who is allowed to use her teeth on her human gets better and better at Chomp-Stop-Checks, and will
actually do them less, as her skill gets better at differentiated between her human and everything else.</li> 
  <li> The more you allow the rat to use her teeth on you, the more she will allow you to use your "teeth" - read: Fingernails - on her.
Being able to give your rat full body scritches, or specialized body part scritches, is a huge part of the bond between a rat and her human. </li> 
</ul>
<br />
<b><i>Why are "Chomp-Stop-Checks" so important in all of these teeth activities?</i></b> They are an important way rats
learn about how their human is not to be bitten, even accidentally.
<br /><br />
<i>Chomp-Stop-Checks describe this process:</i> The rat is startled by the presence of her human's hand in her 
hammock, and reacts somewhat without thinking, "Uh-oh! A bad guy", and so begins to Chomp, but instantly on 
contact, she realizes, "Oops, NOPE, this is MY human", and so she promptly stops before drawing blood or 
otherwise puncturing her human. Chomp-Stop-Checks are also the arena where the rat completely accidentally 
misunderstands what is human skin and what is food, and begins to bite, but is nevertheless able to stop herself 
from injuring her human in time. 
 <br /><br />
<b><i>Chomp-Stop-Checks are awesome to witness, and I have three examples:</i></b>

<ul>
  <li>Once I had a hefty bite of avocado, which is my rats' all-time favorite, and then without thinking I picked up 
<a href="/Enrichment/Feathers/7795645_BNGPt#740073463_hUbCT-A-LB">Bonny - the World Champion Professional Feather Hunter
Extraordinaire</a>.  In a flash, with a look of shock on her face, she yanked my mouth open, shoved her head 
inside, 
took hold of my tongue  in a pincer grip between her 
top and bottom teeth, and went CHOMP-STOP-CHECK. She had thought my tongue was an avocado, started her CHOMP, and in that split 
millisecond, recognized <i>Tongue = Gwen, does NOT = avocado</i>, and stopped herself from biting. I felt only a pinch
 that truly did not hurt.  Bonny emerged from my mouth sopping wet with avocado and gave me a, "That wasn't fair 
Gwen!" look.  (I gave her some avocado!!!)
<a href="/Friends/Gwen/petrats/8897722_8GT2g#627993626_2YhFJ-A-LB">Bonny was the gentlest of rats 
despite being a fierce predator with Feathers</a>.
</li>
  <li>Example: I visited <a href="/Friends/KARENBORGA/PetRats/7966024_zSMyS">Karen Borga's 7 
adopted lab rats in 2008</a>, 
and they had not had a lot of certain kinds of socialization. 
Within 2 minutes of getting to them, I read their body language to be saying, "We're good rats," and without a lot of 
thinking, I stuck my fingers through the bars and then my hands inside the cage. Immediately I was subjected to 
a full-out inspection, and about 100 chomp-stop-checks. I let the rats freely explore me. They clearly did not intend 
to hurt but needed to check me out. I petted them and touched them gently, with my arm up to my elbow laid 
inside their cage, crooning good rats good rats good boys good boys endlessly. I let them have at me to their 
hearts' content, and eventually they got their fill of inspecting me, and let up. Over my two-day visit, I repeated 
this routine many times, and while I was often greeted with more Chomp-Stop-Checks, I was never bitten. Karen's 
rats just needed a chance to get through some of their suspicion about humans.   </li>
  <li>If the process of a Chomp-Stop-Check seems odd, well, humans do it as well.  Once when I was 
holding Bonny, as I moved her through the air, I threw her 
off balance. Her tail whipped around, helicopter style, and then suddenly flashed right inside 
my mouth - exactly at a moment I was saying something to someone on the telephone. My sentence in 
full swing, I began an involuntary CHOMP, but STOP - instinctively I managed to not bite down 
on Bonny's tail. I stopped and CHECKED myself. Chomp-Stop-Check is an almost instinctual ability
to control your teeth pressure depending on the context.</li>
</ul> 
<br />
<b><i>Chomp-Stop-Check is actually a pretty sophisticated tool rats use to discriminate. </i></b> 
Some examples using humans to draw this out:

  <ul>
  <li>Someone hands you a closed box with a small opening, and says it contains rocks. You're asked to 
reach in and grab one rock and bring it out as fast as possible. You reach in quickly and GRAB - and - STOP - your hands 
sense you are touching eggs, not rocks. Your quick reflexes will likely help you ease up immediately and 
handle the egg more gently than you would have handled a rock, because your brain automatically recognizes 
how to handle eggs.  </li>
  <li>A human bites down hard on a peach and her teeth meet the peach pit sooner than she expected. Her teeth 
STOP abruptly, just in time to not crunch down on the pit, risking a tooth chip.  </li>
  <li> As a human eats a cherry with the pit, she automatically chews around the pit. Here she doesn't think
about it, exactly, her brain just tells the teeth to work around the pit and move it off to the side. Our teeth/mouth muscles 
just do it right.  Of course, we might be somewhat clumsy and bite the pit, but the more we practice eating cherries, 
the easier it gets to avoid the pits.  </li>
  </ul>
<br />
<b><i>What should you do with a rat who Chomp-Stop-Checks you?</i> </b> If you have a shy rat who needs 
to get to know you, and you want to let her check you out, and she subjects you to some Chomp-Stop-Checks, 
here are some ideas about how you can relate back to her:
  <ul>
  <li>Praise the rat for her good decision to <i>not</i> draw blood: Coo at her, baby-talk her, "Good girl!", and as
you do, move TOWARD her, continuing to pet and stroke. (This means scritch her.) As you go towards her and her
activity, not away from it, you will help her answer her question of 
"Who are you?" <i><b>This sounds counter-intuitive but it works. </b> </i></li>
  <li> By upping the amount of scritching, your rat will get more of you, your skin, body, movements, 
motion, smell, and your (good and honorable) intentions. You will help her become more expert at
figuring out that you are indeed something she doesn't want to accidentally bite. Then, when accidents and 
confusion happen, the chances of your rat accidentally biting will be almost <b>ZERO</b>. Truly, I mean, <b>ZERO</b>. 
</li>
  <li> <a href="/EarningTrust/BondingPouches/12101008_otVzv">Work with your rats in the cage</a>, 
<a href="/EarningTrust/cagework/9130839_2QRsg">Bond with your rats in "pouches"</a>,
<a href="/EarningTrust/Grooming/8301850_7TZE2">Groom your rat to bond</a>, and
<a href="http://www.joinrats.com/EarningTrust/MustMustReads">Read some Must Must Reads</a> about bonding
with your rat. The idea here is to expand the experiences and places you touch your rats. 

</li>

  </ul>

<br />
<b><i>If your rat does draw blood, that's in another category for a different discussion!</i></b>
 <ul>
  <li>I am not advocating that a human should just stick her hand in a cage of strange rats, because some 
defensive rats will bite, and cage aggression can be an issue.   </li>
  <li> Seek help if you have an aggressive, biting rat, because bites hurt!  Helping a rat learn not to be 
aggressive calls for special handling and skill. </li>
  <li> Being able to read a rat's body language is an extremely important skill to assess whether to 
proceed with touching a rat or reaching into a cage. Karen's rats, in the example above, were a special 
example because she had done <a href="/Introductions/techniques/10077930_wBBNQ">so much work 
with them leading up to that point</a>. And I want to emphasize that 
I did read their body language to say, "We can be trusted! We like you!" As you gain familiarity with your rats'
body language, you will feel more confident about situations of touching them as well.
 <br /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: larger;">
TOUCH YOUR RATS! LET THEM TOUCH YOU WITH THEIR TEEFS!
 <br />
I hope you have found some inspiration to snuggle and scritch your rats, and to let them
explore you with their teeth.
 <br />
This is one of the best bonding activities you and your rat can have.
 <br />
<b><i>~~ HUGS ~~ </i></b></span>
 <br />
<img src="http://www.joinrats.com/photos/1081888717_LqzRz-L.png" alt="image" />

</div>

<br /><br /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.joinrats.com/photos/782521172_c7svf-X3.png" alt="image" /></div>
<br /> 

</li></ul>

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