Why would she run away? She was tame, bonded to me and I am part of her mischief (a group of rats is called a mischief, an appropriate name if one has ever had a couple of female rats as pets) -- I represent lots of food and attention, not a role as a jailer -- At home, I could let her roam a bit during the day and she would return to the cage (built runway up to door) to use the potty or store found food or take a nap.

Here's a film clip of a lady rat named Apie jumping the wall of her play pen (some people rat-proof an area for pets like rats to have open play and some set up portable play areas with the plastic they use for political signs called Coroplast):

http://s545.photobucket.com/albums/...on=view&current=EscapeartistApie.flv

I've watched RatBertha easily jump from the floor to a chair and then up and across to the kitchen counter -- Had to keep the chairs at a distance to keep her off the counter.

I mentally debated using my clicker (already have some), but decided that my condition with regard to making noise is temporary -- I don't want to be dependent on having the device to communicate -- There is an animal training school here in the Pac NW (Sequim WA), nicknamed Chicken School, where they use clicker training and chickens -- Reportedly,the advanced class uses the chickens trained by the basic class to teach more stuf.

http://www.clickertraining.com/

A good book is "Don't Shoot the Dog" by Karen Pryor.