Originally Posted by
cinderellawkids 
Loves, the pet store people agreed with you, something has spooked Templeton or hed come out. Yesterday the kids voices were spooking him when I was bribing him.
I bought him a nice new cozy cage for when he returns
I thought that might have had something to do with his behavior. Rat's are very intelligent creatures and make excellent pets. You can tame them like dogs. So for such a friendly little fella to be in hiding and too scared to come out, something must have spooked him. I don't know how you would make him feel secure enough to come out though. Maybe have the kids be really quiet for a little while and just sit in there and talk to him. Give him the chance to know it's just you and him in there. Maybe he'll feel secure enough and come to you.