Aggressive Male, Advice needed?!?!

PetsRLife23 · Aug 15, 2012

I have 7 rats. 3 Females in a double unit ferret nation and four males is a single unit critter nation. My girls have been with me for over a year and they get along great except for a few spats here and there. I have only had my males for several months. I started with two then took in another two babies (Around 4-6 weeks) when the owner could no longer care for them (around May 18) Everything was really good for a while, but now one of those babies is very aggressive (used to be the tamer of the 2 babies). He is always biting me and the other one doesn't. He has made me bleed several times. If I manage to hold him he will bite me.

He fights with my first two boys often especially one of them. He does have spats with his brother sometimes. Last night they had a bad fight. There was really loud squeaking it woke me up it was so loud. I am not sure where I go from here. I don't want to separate him, but I don't want my other rats getting hurt either. I don't want to give him away because he is just too mean and I do not want to make it someone else's problem and because I do love him. I just do not know what to do I was hoping he would grow out of it, but I am just not sure. I don't want to separate him and his brother so he has a companion because his brother is really close with one of my other males. The other 3 are actually very close and have no problems. I was thinking of having him neutered, but surgery with small animals is dangerous and I don't know if I could put him through that although I do have a great vet. So please help me out here I need some advice. Thanks.

victoria · Aug 15, 2012

Your aggressive boy is at the age when some males get hormonal. Neutering by an experienced vet carries less risk than keeping the four boys together and it almost always resolves issues like this. Before you book your surgery, I recommend you ask your vet about some of his/her surgery protocols - suture material, pain meds, etc. A lot of people think they have a great vet and then they're sent home with no pain meds, by far the cause of most surgery complications.

PetsRLife23 · Aug 15, 2012

victoria said:
Your aggressive boy is at the age when some males get hormonal. Neutering by an experienced vet carries less risk than keeping the four boys together and it almost always resolves issues like this. Before you book your surgery, I recommend you ask your vet about some of his/her surgery protocols - suture material, pain meds, etc. A lot of people think they have a great vet and then they're sent home with no pain meds, by far the cause of most surgery complications.

First off thanks sooo much for answering, this is the second rat forum I have turned to for this issue and no one has helped in the first one. I have experience with this vet she has already removed a growth from one of my females and has not lost a rat in surgery yet. She personally calls you after a few days to check in and is very reasonable. I trust her, but at the same time it's scary for me to have to put my baby through that and that is why I am hesitant. I will probably get him neutered though since I don't want him to be alone. I figured it was hormones or maybe my cage being too small for 4 rats or both. I was going to let them have the double unit, but I felt it wasn't fair for my girls and it was why I ended up giving it to them. I don't really regret it because my 3 boys are happy it's just my one boy that is making me and the other boys mad. Thanks again!

victoria · Aug 15, 2012

I've neutered and spayed many rats and all have done really well. There's always a risk, but if he's otherwise healthy, he will very likely be fine and be much happier in the end.

The presence of intact girls may very well be contributing to his aggression, it can be very stressful for some rats.

jorats · Aug 15, 2012

Neutering is the best thing for him. Little guy can't handle all the hormonal stress. It's common enough in males. Another reasons why it's really hard for him is the proximity of the females. They can sense and smell the females go into heat so this can create this frustration in him. But neutering will take care of that. I've had really aggressive males neutered and it's turned them into sweet cuddly rats.

PetsRLife23 · Aug 15, 2012

The males and females are in different rooms. So I definitely think he is just having a hard time with all of his hormones. I am off to the vet today to have my hamster checked up so I will ask her then about a neuter for my rat. Thanks again. I will have to post some pics of him, he is very beautiful. All black with a white tummy that goes up his sides a little and he has dumbo ears! Actually three of my four boys are dumbo eared. Again thanks you guys.