Baby nips

[leescait]

Well, I just adopted two baby rat sisters. They are ADORABLE, and their little personalities are really starting to come through. They are 5 1/2 weeks old now.

My one little one, Tinsley, is much more docile and a cuddler. Drax is a playful explorer and gets into everything (including my pants . . . to put a nice big hole in them) :giggle:

She loves to play, but often when we are doing hand chases, she will run up and nip me. Not hard - it's certainly not a bite, and it's always part of playing - but I've never had baby rats before and I'm not sure whether this is appropriate for her age and I don't need to worry about it, if I should start eeping at her when she does it and then ignore her, or what. Sometimes when she and her sister play, she nips her too, and then I can hear the eeping.

Any expert advice would be appreciated

 

[hopefloats]

I have found my babies do that. The rats seem to like to nip on you a bit. I usually say no or something that startles them. All of my nippers grew out of it, and none bite me hard.

 

[Joanne]

I would be 'eeeep!'ing my objection, just like any other rat would.

 

[jorats]

"eek" or "eep", in a high pitch might make them think twice before doing it again. But it's been my experience that when babies do this, they simply outgrow it fast enough.

 

[Dahlas]

"eek" or "eep", in a high pitch might make them think twice before doing it again. But it's been my experience that when babies do this, they simply outgrow it fast enough.

My babies right now are chewing on me....I let them as long as it is gentle...If it gets harder I make a eep noise....and they look at me like "what is your problem...that couldn't have hurt" hahaha I find they do outgrow it.....

 

[leescait]

Thanks, guys. I'll try to eep consistently. Unfortunately, my boyfriend can't make his voice high pitched to make a convincing one . . . men :roll:

 

[jorats]

Thanks, guys. I'll try to eep consistently. Unfortunately, my boyfriend can't make his voice high pitched to make a convincing one . . . men :roll:

lol Then what he needs to do is pick up nippy rat, say NO firmly but gently, don't want to scare the rat and walk away. Do not allow the nippy rat to play with you.

 

[Tarah]

In this video I posted in Josie's topic, you can see her "nipping" me. I wouldn't even really call it a nip, she doesn't clamp down at all.
She only does it when we're playing so I don't scold her for it.

[BBvideo 425,350:3rpbqu5l]http://s1160.photobucket.com/albums/q485/tayy-182/?action=view&current=DSCN0745.mp4[/BBvideo:3rpbqu5l]

 

[jorats]

In that video, those aren't real nips. Testing and tasting yes.
I do have a couple that do the full on nip and it startles me, smarts a little but I don't react to it. It doesn't bother me much.
lol who's whining in the video?

 

[Tarah]

In that video, those aren't real nips. Testing and tasting yes.
I do have a couple that do the full on nip and it startles me, smarts a little but I don't react to it. It doesn't bother me much.
lol who's whining in the video?

Oh I know, that's why I mentioned she doesn't actually nip. She doesn't clamp down.
The whiner is Harley, my beagle. He's adopted Josie pretty muchand doesn't like when he cant see her. :giggle:

 

[jorats]

The whiner is Harley, my beagle. He's adopted Josie pretty muchand doesn't like when he cant see her. :giggle:

That is adorable. Jasper, my poochon, loves my rats and will whine too if he can't see them.

 

[leescait]

Yeah, my little Drax is definitely more "nipping" then testing and tasting (though does do that when she's relaxed, and I don't scold her for that). As soon as I eep, she does stop now, but tries again a few moments later. I think she loses herself in the play.

Hopefully it gets better as we keep going. I'll give my boyfriend the eeping advice, lol.