Possible biters - update!

[BlueSkyy]

A while ago my friend adopted some rats after seeing how awesome my boys were.

She recently had to be in the hospital for two weeks due to heart surgery and, as expected, has not been able to interact with them much.

She says recently they've started biting when she tries to take them out of the cage and she's gotten scared of picking them up.

Have they "gone wild" so-to-speak? I'm visiting her on Wednesday to see what's up. She says their fur is puffed sometimes but otherwise they act normal and healthy. They still run to the cage for attention when greeted, the biting only occurs when she goes to get them out.

Advice? I plan on letting them come out when they're ready and doing some hoodie bonding with them. I think they just need some TLC.

 

[dspch911]

How old are they? I have a boy like that now who seems to have hit his hormone stage a little late and is definitely going to be needing a neuter since its been going on for a month or so now, but with our sick boys the neuter has had to take a back seat. Cage aggression? When she was gone did they have interaction with anyone? Perhaps they see the cages as their territory now? Hope they learn fast that mommy is back and to settle down. Good luck! :heart:

 

[jorats]

Depending on the age... it could be territorial or scared. Rats don't "go wild" if they are not constantly interacted with but rats who are mostly left alone get used to that and a change in their routine will need some adjusting too.

 

[BlueSkyy]

Thanks for the help - any last minute tips/thing to watch for? Heading over there in a few hours, but will check here first for posts!

EDIT -

Well I don't even know what I was worried about! They were super sweet little guys. When I first got there I could tell they were nervous and shy. The ruby-eyed one moreso than the black hoodie. He hid in his tube immediately but poked his nose out. The black hoodie froze but I offered him a bit of egg and forgot to be scared. XD He warmed up to me in a matter of minutes. I got the black hoodie out and let him hang out with me on the bed. Totally normal social friendly rat. Meanwhile the ruby-eyed one creeps out of the tube and snatches some egg. I talk to him but he runs back into his tube. I grab the whole tube and relocate him to the bed with me and the black hoodie. Eventually he realizes his brother is having fun without him and crawls out. I let him sniff around and test his reaction to my hand. Seems fine. I pick him up; no resistance or struggling. I snuggle him on my lap 'til he's boggling and then let his mom come pick him up. She's almost crying when she sees they're back to normal. XD

I told her from now on to get them out together and play with them, rather than separate, since the ruby-eyed one is inspired by his brother's confidence. And to keep a radio or audio book on in their room when she's gone for long periods. I think they got used to the aloneness and the silence of an empty house and when the people came back it was a huge shock. She wants me to come back on Sunday to make sure they're still okay and to show the kids the rats "aren't mean anymore."

 

[jorats]

That's great!

 

[BlueSkyy]

Is that OK advice, jorats? I just kind of used common sense when making those suggestions because the room was SO quite you could hear yourself breathing, and even I would get nervous in that kind of dead silence.

 

[jorats]

Is that OK advice, jorats? I just kind of used common sense when making those suggestions because the room was SO quite you could hear yourself breathing, and even I would get nervous in that kind of dead silence.

Absolutely!