Males Rat Boxing

[EDK]

Well Gizmo and Gyro I believe are of adult age and in that stage of settling pecking orders. Gizmo is nearly 6months and Gyro is about the same, and I realized they had just had their first though brief boxing match, it happened very fast but was a bit tense. They both stood up on their hind legs, and pressed their front teeth to each other, no paw slapping. As soon as they did this though, Gyro immediatly broke off the stand off, to which he also started when Gizmo proceeded to get on top of him. Gyro broke off the standoff and ran with Gizmo close behind. No blood or scratching I could see, it was rather quick with a little bit of squeaking.

I guess at this point the question is, should I just let them settle their alpha stages while watching carfully? Or consider seperating them. I'd not like to seperate them as they are quite relaxed in their cage together but once they have free range of my room Gizmo gets a bit pushy.

 

[trihkal]

I hope others with more experience answer too. From what I've heard it's if there's no blood no foul. So unless things got dangerous I wouldn't separate them. They are at that age. Hopefully as they continue to get older it will go away.

 

[Aida]

Nah, it's a normal rat thing. Even if there is a tiny bit of blood, rats look like a massacre easily- and heal up in two days. Unless there's serious injury, there is absolutely no reason to seperate anyone. :]

Even my females spiff a bit, and they do it more than five times a day. It usually consists of one dominance-grooming the other, while the other squeaks. It's normal, and they should settle it in a few days. They just need to establish a pecking order.

 

[hopefloats]

It is normal, at this point you will quickly find out who may need a neuter. My music men group, 10 boys about the same age, they box and scream constantly. Sometimes it sounds like a herd of elephants in their cage. They will do it for a while. I think I see them do it till they are about 1 year old. Then it seems to simmer down. you know the saying, boys will be boys.

 

[EDK]

hehe ya they defiently will be, they aren't even that loud when they were pushing each other around. Nes now is another story, Nes is a 3 month old, will be 4 months on April 24th. He's got to be the most loudest little rat i've ever met! Dax likes to try to get on top of him and mount even though he's only 2months himself, and the bigger boys rough groom him all the time, to which he makes loud squeaks and occassional screams. I worry that when he's big enough he'll either get louder or boulder, but who knows. Same with Dax, he only seems to target Nes cause Nes is about as big as he is, and they are young really young boys so i dont think they are big enough to understand pecking orders, but i worry how they'll be when they are bigger :S

 

[jorats]

Very normal and healthy for a colony. Rats will always get into disagreements, some will get hurt but if it's nothing major like a gash to the stomach or testes, then we leave it be.

 

[EDK]

ok thanks guys