New girl biting the others?

[lilangel]

We have a new girl in the cage along with the double rex(hairless) and she will bite and pull the hairless skin, why?

She also bites human fingers if given the chance in the cage(If i pick her up she will not) She will even kind of try biting the arm but found it too big >.< I know the squeaking but is that the only thing to try to do for bitters? I just do not want her biting my 3 year old as for him he does not pick the rats up at all only pets them from inside the cage and now since shes there he is no longer allowed in case.(he is sad now he can not)

 

[jorats]

How old is she and how long has she been with you. How long were your intros and did those go well?

 

[lilangel]

She seems to be about 6 months or so. We got her from the Ottawa Humane they said she was a stray.

Intros were only about a week. She did wonderful as did the others but it's only the "Twins" she pulls on i started to wonder if it's because they have no hair? As she wants to bite us too since we have no hair on fingers lol

 

[jorats]

Good observation, seems to make sense too. Does she bite them or try to yank on them to bring them to her? How old are the twins? They would need to turn around and tell her that's not ok. But you could try a time out cage for her. Each time she goes to bite a rat, pull her out, say no and place her in a very small empty cage for 10 minutes. Do this each time you catch her in the act.

 

[lilangel]

Oh neat idea.

The twins are about 20 weeks old. They kind of tell her but not a whole lot i think being they are still teens lol. I have a leveled hamster cage we do nothing with ill set it up for that thanks i did not know rts may understand that (time out) and for her it may work as when she first came she only came out of her shell once she was with the others, when she was alone she was super scared,shy and hardly moved other then to eat and drink.

 

[jorats]

So she's pretty much still learning on how to be a rat. Poor little girl, she's lucky she went to you.

 

[lilangel]

Oh most likely thanks I never thought of that she does seem like she's never seen other rats before and for the OHS they said she was a stray so no info from the drop off people too.