How do you dominate your rat?

[Area9Mongrel]

My nearly year old Walter was mistreated in the pet shop and wasn't properly socialised. He got on very well with his cage mates but they were old and died, and I bought two young boys to go with him. They get on very well - fighting, playing, no blood so far - but Walter is not liking me anymore. When he was getting lonely with his last cage mate too old to play, he rolled over on his back for me, but when I tried playing with him today (he side faces me, runs around, nips here and there, like his friend did with him), he bit me too hard for my liking and drew blood. He won't let me pick him up, he will squeal and he is now going to the toilet in both corners of my room, even though he is fully toilet trained and only scenting the corner.

Other than that, he is brilliant and I love him to bits. I believe that he is trying to dominate me, so I would like to show him that I am the boss. With my Oreo, who was very similar but half a year older, I played with him and rolled him onto his back on my bed and tickled his tummy a little bit every so often. It was more playing than dominating but it seemed to work and he was brilliant after that. But I am beginning to flinch when Walter turns too suddenly.

I think I'm going to back to the training I did when he was a baby and train him to come to me on command. What I would like to know is how to tell him off if he bites. I moved him away when he was weeing on my carpet and he nipped at me. He is also Albino so I think that might make my job a little harder.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance. I have to say I really appreciate everyone's advice. I've tried googling but I just find that you guys are so much more helpful.

 

[Sheldon]

I'm not sure how everyone else here feels about this but when I have to correct a particularly bad behavior I will push slight pressure to the back of the neck to press the head to the floor gently for 5-10seconds. It seems to work well for me.

 

[BlueSkyy]

I gently shove my big mean alpha rat around with my hand if he's getting pushy. I don't hurt him but I push him enough to make him lose his balance and see that I'm bigger than him.

 

[SQ]

You said that he is playing like his friend used to do with him and that he accidently nipped you too hard.
I would suggest that you stop playing with him in that manner.

If you are nipped, eeep and pull away.
That will let him know that you are not happy with his behaviour.

If he starts to play with you in a way that you do not like, you can put him back in the cage for a 2 to 5 minutes only .... that will teach him that you do not like the behaviour. For now, you will want to always be aware of where he is and what he is doing.
I had to do this with my Cindy about 9.5 years ago .... it took awhile but it worked as she was nipping me because she wanted attention.

I would caution against pressing against the back of the neck as it would be easy to cause serious injury by doing that to a rat

I find out what is causing behaviour and work with my pet, respecting them and accepting them ... they have always come around with time and patience - but I do neuter and spay all of my rats so I do not need to worry about hormones causing problems

The changes in his behaviour may be due to the addition of two new rats.
Did you do gradual introductions?
How old are the new rats? Can you post a video of their playing? (I'm kind of concerned from your description.)

I would suggest that you place a litter box in each of the corners he has decided to use as toilets ... he is marking his territory ... rats like to use corners as bathrooms and it is perfectly normal behaviour.
Is it possible that he doesn't want you to pick him up because he is having fun or is busy and doesn't want to stop what he is doing?

I have some rats who do not like to be picked up but they enjoy being petted and cuddled, and will hop onto my lap or climb on me when out playing.
As for turning him over and rubbing his belly, that puts the rat into a submissive position, many rats do not like it, and it can make them more aggressive

If you think he needs forced socialization, try putting on a loose shirt over tighter shirt and put him on you between the two shirts.
If by training him you mean rewarding him by getting him to take a treat from you, that sounds like a good idea imo

He still likes you but he may be now expressing his feelings and letting you know that he doesn't like certain things.
He is also now the new dominant rat in his cage so as you said, he may be trying to be dominant with you as he is now learning a new role.

As for your question, how do you dominate your rats? - I don't !!!

I am sure that Jorats and Lilspaz68 can give you some good suggestions

good luck

 

[Aida]

I agree with SQ completely.
Rats are so tiny, they don't need to be dominated. Our sheer size is easy proof that we are "stronger" and can outmatch them. Dominance training leads to aggressive, and sometimes injured, pets. I would train him with treats and rewards, time-outs when he is "bad".

 

[lilspaz68]

Unless you dominate just like another rat would, then he's not going to understand in the least. The "dominating" could lead to him turning aggressive to you, or making him worried and fearful.

My worry, due to his age, is that he is coming into his hormonal stage of puberty. Intact males often take what used to be play as domination(which you don't want to do with a hormonal male as they can inflict a lot of damage). For eg...scritching a baby boys rump, would make him run and bounce and come back for more...in a hormonal male it is where another male would attack, so he reacts defensively, often whirling and jumping and looking tense in his body language. So the things that set him off you might not want to do right now. Its like being a teenager, fully at the control of your raging hormones, not even sure why you are acting the way you are but not really being able to do anything about it. IF he continues getting worse and worse (and dominating him could escalate this), and starts rubbing with his forepaws, rubbing his sides against well...everything, puffing up his fur, arching his back, sidling towards you...then you might have a truly hormonal male on your hands and they have to be handled very carefully or best thing would be to have them neutered and remove the hormones from the equation. They often hit this stage anytime between 6 months to a year old.

As for dominating my rats? I don't either. I figure out their triggers (fear biting, etc) respect their space, respect them, and I often bring around the most incorrigible characters that I take in.

 

[2Rats]

The thought has never crossed my mind.
Dominance would be a rat to rat thing - not a rat to person thing.

I think all ratties are perfect, each in their own way:rathugz:. Unlike any other pets I have had.

Lilspaz68 sums it up :: "I figure out their triggers (fear biting, etc) respect their space, respect them, and I often bring around the most incorrigible characters that I take in"

No dominating required LoL!

 

[Area9Mongrel]

Thanks so much for all your replies. I've spent a while reading through them a few times and I think I have a plan of action. I haven't had rats this young for ten years so I didn't realise I've been treating them differently than I should have been. I have just had my Walter out and even though I have to pick him up, I gave him more respect and gave him a treat and there was no hostility or nipping. Walter is about 10 months old and the babies are five months I think. Walter plays with him how Oreo played with him and they didn't have any problems. My last group of rats were really cuddly and I'm seriously missing them and finding young boys who don't want to cuddle a shock, so I will try out new techniques with Walter tonight and update this thread if Walter is still being hostile.

 

[jorats]

I used to be of the mindset that we needed to dominate our rats. I no longer think this way. I believe animals and human relationships are much different and shouldn't be compared to or tried to replicate their own natural behaviours. But I do however believe we need to help de-stress our babies. One way to do it, which seems to work with mine is when I put my entire hand over their body and give a gentle squeeze and hold, just like what a thunder shirt would do for a dog. It seems to calm them down and take some stress away. Now this won't work if you have a male coming of age into full blown hormones. Some can't deal with it and might need a neuter.
I also encourage you to look for triggers and try to avoid them or work with them. Treats, soft talk, singing, socializing should all be tried. Keep it positive!

 

[Area9Mongrel]

I've spent a few sessions with Walter and the respect thing is really helping. It wasn't that I was disrespecting him, but my old boys let me do whatever and because I've been missing a cuddle I've been trying to interact with Walter more which he obviously doesn't like. He understands that I have authority so I don't need to dominate him but I am still training him so he won't be naughty. His cage mate was similar and grew more relaxed as he got older so I'm still hoping he will chill out in a few month time.
But honestly thank you for making it so simple for me, this is why I like this forum