Biting and old age?

[ashleyb81992]

I have a male rat probably over a year and a half old maybe even two. I got him from a pet store someone left him at so his age is somewhat unknown except for the fact we're pretty sure he is old. Anyways we took him out to play today (we haven't taken him out in a couple days) and he was nipping at us quite a lot. We put him away because of it. Anyways is him being old a possible cause of the biting/nipping?

thanks everyone

 

[dspch911]

How long have you had him? Is it possible he's just not used to people yet? From what I've read on this forum from much more experienced rat owners - if they want to bite you you will know cause its going to bleed a lot and be extremely painful. Hope that helped a bit.

 

[Carol Weekes]

Does he seem to be in any kind of discomfort, or disoriented at all? Could be a number of things, from nervousness to perhaps some kind of discomfort or pain. Are his other habits changed at all? Is he eating well, grooming? Does he seem ill at all?

 

[ashleyb81992]

We got him in the beggining of November someone ditched him next door to the pet store and i happened to be there later that day and fell in love lol... Doofney seems to be abuot the same except his eyes seem more closed than usual... We temporarily had a female rat in there the past couple of days.. could it be becasue of this random new quest in his cage? He's really hyper and likes to run around the bed whenever we take him out and get into things he shouldn't and he still did all of that when we recently took him out... he has nipped before when he gets overly excited so could it also be just because he was excited about coming out cuz he hasn't in a few days?

 

[jorats]

You recently bred him? That could very well explain the changes.

 

[Aida]

It could be hormones, just a new way of play, anything. However, the recent girl he was with, and possibly the remaining scent of her, is most likely what is setting him off.