Need some advice on my very elderly and dominant female...

[Cassia]

Maisey is nearly four years old and is quite dominant. When her cage mate Lillian passed away last year we decided to get two female babies to keep her company. Maisey always tried to carry them about against their will and force groom them and is STILL doing that to this day... however, now Maisey is coming out worse off due to her constant badgering of the younger girls.
They are quite big girls now and can stand their ground and aren't having any of it and I've noticed a few cuts on Maisey's face.
Maisey is a very sociable rat and it'd be a shame to have to keep her alone because of her constant pestering of other rats BUT the younguns really aren't liking her behavior at all and I don't want things to escalate and for them to seriously harm her which I think I could see happening.
What would be your advice on a situation like this?

 

[jorats]

Can you post a pic of Maisey's face? My first thought is mites/lice. The new girls might have brought along some tagalongs. This might explain the extra bullying and grumpiness on every body's part. The young girls may not show signs because their immune system is stronger, but I would definitely treat the whole gang.

 

[Cassia]

Hey there,
I've already treated them all for lice/mites last week because I thought the same as you and the girls have been here for quite a long time now and this behavior has been quite constant.
Also, they were all treated as soon as I brought the two younger girls home before an introduction took place just in case.
Maisey used to boss her old cage mate around too, just not as much as she does with these two youngens.

This isn't a very good image I know lol but at the moment, it's the best I could manage as she's a squigle bum!

Also, I'm not too sure what that yellow is... it doesn't show up in real life :/

 

[Cassia]

I've also checked Yumi and Geisha... not a scratch or a mark :S hmmmm

 

[jorats]

Do you see the young ones bite at her face?
The yellow could very well be one of the girls is peeing on her which is a dominant move.

 

[Cassia]

I've seen them nip at her face when she's force grooming them and trying to drag them around but it's never out of the blue.
It could well be pee from another girl but I've also witnessed Maisey pee on the on many occasions lol So confusing!

 

[jorats]

lol You've got some strong characters in your girls. I'd wait it out and hopefully everyone will settle.

 

[Cassia]

They are halerious at times! I wish they could talk and tell me what's the beef between them hahah!
We're getting them a Liberta Explorer at the end of the week, I'm so excited! They aren't going to know what's hit them hehe!
At 1st though, we'll have Michi in the bottom and the girls in the top untill he's all de-manified lol and then they'll all have the whole cage to share together.

 

[jorats]

Oh that's good a new cage, that might settle things! And a de-manified boy too!