Biting male

[rattyruth]

Hi people

Recently I adopted two naked males (approx 1 year old) who had previously been mistreated. Both boys are utterly beautiful, but one is causing me quite big problems. The first night he was fine, we had loads of good snuggles, he slept and boggled on me loads. Then the second night something changed - I received the worst bite I have ever had and had to go to hospital to get it dealt with. In the days following that he hissed and huffed and puffed through the cage bars at me. After a few days he did let me handle him again and we managed cuddles. Then, again, he began to bite but thankfully not as badly as the first time. But not I cannot handle him at all without bites (and bad bites with intent). His cagemate is the exact opposite - timid but handleable, and cheeky. Such a cheeky and lovable little lad.

I am at a loss as to what to do. I can't even pick him up to clean his cage out (to put him in a carrier briefly) without him going psycho on me and sinking his teeth into the nearest finger. He's scared and so I am - I'll admit it.

I'm by no means a newbie with rats but this biting is the worst I have ever experienced. I am trying to hard to gain his trust, talking to him loads by the cage and he is always the first to come out of the cage for attention, but the moment I go near him....CHOMP.

Please advise I don't want to pass him on to yet another owner - the poor boys have had enough disruption in their lives

 

[temblabamomo]

Is he neutered? a neuter goes a long way to help settle aggressive hormones.

Does he only bite when you reach in the cage, or when he's out of the cage with you as well?

 

[hopefloats]

I will second the neuter. do they do them there? I know some places wont do them on males.

 

[rattyruth]

Hi guys, no he is not neutered. I am *very* reluctant to have him neutered (vets in my area are incredibly expensive for rat neutering but other more general visits are well priced, and the risk involved in surgery, and the risk he wouldnt take his cage mate back following surgery), me and his breeder don't think his biting is hormonal as he used to be just fine, we think its his experience in the home inbetween that has sparked it

 

[rattyruth]

Is he neutered? a neuter goes a long way to help settle aggressive hormones.

Does he only bite when you reach in the cage, or when he's out of the cage with you as well?

oops forgot to answer this one - he bites both in and out of the cage

 

[jorats]

Regardless as to why he's biting, a neuter will help him calm down and trust training will go a lot faster with a neuter. But I know that in the UK, castrating is a taboo subject with rats which is highly unfortunate.
But at this point, he sounds like he really needs it. His aggressive attacks are unprovoked and out of his control clearly because one day he attacks and the next he doesn't. Hormonal aggression becomes intense between 5 and 8 months of age. You could try intense trust training. Lots of one on one socializing, with gentle talk and treats. No going into his cage while he's there because that's a huge threat to him. Also, do you have other males in the house? He would be best placed in a room with no other rats smells except his cage buddy during trust training.

 

[rattyruth]

Unfortunately he has to be in the same room as my other rats (I do have other boys which I am aware he can probably smell!) - I only have a small flat.

I do intend to do trust training though when I have his cage sorted out so that its a lot easier for him to come out to me voluntarily. He does come out to me with enthusiasm when I open the cage door, its just from then on he has it but I realise trust is a long process to develop

 

[rattyruth]

Oooo but during the training he can be on my bed...sorry misread that! (very tired woman today!)

 

[Ace8670]

In my experience rats are not prone to bite even some of the abused ones I've gotten were never biters but I have had my experience with a few I will use my Dixie for an example I got her from a snake owner on craigslist who's snake wouldn't eat her. She was a bad biter hated to be held and was fed through cage bars. To help with the hand biting I would scoop her housing both hands from side to side with a baby blanket be sure to scoop from his sides and not from up top to make them more secure. To help with just plain biting I would make very loud EEP! Noise and even tho it hurts like crazy don't jerk your hand away otherwise they learn biting will make it go away. Give them lots of treats baby food on a spoon works great until they learn to lick it then then I replaced the spoon with my finger then I would make them walk towards my hand by letting them get a lick then I would pull it away a few inches and each time with success pulling away even further. Spend lots of time talking and touching and petting and hoodie hangouts if you have the time to hand feed them for their food every few hours as much as they want as long as they take it from you if you don't have time for that of course don't starve the little guys rats have a high metabolism so its never good for them not to be able to eat constantly. Dixie is now one of my best rats and I call her my heart child lol I hope my experience helps and to add what Jorats said a Nueter ALWAYS helps