Behavior Concerns

[RattieLover<3]

I have some concerns with my 2 girls behaviors I rescued back. They bite through the bars and also they've been eating A LOT!! I think the biting is due to constantly being caged before maybe theyre territorial? Or maybe she was an idiot and fed them through the bars? Maybe a combo of both? But is there a way to train them out of that dirty little habit? If not its not a problem at all. I'm just wondering for safety reasons? And by eating A LOT I mean I fed my girls yesterday a full bowl of HT and this morning every last block was gone. Before these 2 came back 1 bowl would last 5-7 days. I realize that this is due to them basiclly being starved but it this something they will grow out of or am I going to need to control the girls' food intake now? I don't want to do that but I also don't want Lilly and Amora to eat themselves to death either...

 

[NinjaRatMama]

I've had bowls be emptied real fast too... there could be another issue here, but how long have you had them? Have you checked their hammocks, under fleece & basically the whole cage for the food? You may have some stashers! I hope that's just what is going on, in that case just grab it all & fill up their bowls again - if not I find mine will think they're starving & wait for more to go in the bowl before touching all their stashed goods. :giggle:

As for biting through the bars, I have a new foster here who I've only had 2 weeks & she's a new mama as well but she was being fed through the bars & I'm assuming, also a bit defensive of her babies! Well, I am happy to say she's stopped doing it 98% of the time already! After no longer receiving treats through the bars she now sniffs first, bites later.. most of the time. lol

I also have a boy who still bites through the bars & I've had him for almost 5 months now... He's a bit of a trouble, that one, so maybe he's one of the exceptions.

Keep up the good work with these girls & I'm sure they'll come around! If you don't already, mimic their squeak as best you can when they do bite or try to even - I find it really helps them to learn to stop doing it! :thumbup:

Hope I helped some!!

 

[jorats]

I bet they are stashing their food. Go look for it and refill the bowls.
As for the biting, lots and lots of socializing should help with that.

 

[RattieLover<3]

There's really no place to hide food in their cage. They seriously are eating that much! :shock:
I've had them back since Friday as mine. So they haven't been back on good food for that long. Although their teeth are already orange from light, light yellow/white?
I like to pet my babies through the bars sometimes or I like to poke them in the bellies when they climb and try to get attention from me. But the moment a finger pokes in through the bars the "lunge" for it. They are as friendly, loving, and trusting (maybe even more so) than my two girls Xena and Naomi I've had since December. But then again they are Devon and Lola's babies and they know I'm their mommy :heart: I guess I should stop trying to give them attention through the bars maybe. I don't feed through the bars so maybe after a while they'll get the point or will just forget about ever being fed through the bars. :roll:
I really think them eating as much is they are is concerning... They are filling out nicely tho. When holding them before they had big bellies and were heavy (they are BIG girls) but they felt "empty" inside. You could feel all their bones and when you felt their bodies where there wasn't bone it just caved in and felt hollow. They have definitely gained weight and are way more solid. :thumbup: