Rat Bites Me When Being Hand Fed

[Morrigan]

So I've never had this issue before. In general, I've never had a rat continuously bite me when feeding them. Certainly, I've never had it happen twice AND draw blood like it has here with this rat.

He's normally a very sweet guy! Very gentle! But when I feed Nerves (my rat) around other rats he'll lunge for food, grab my finger and won't let go.

Now, should I just avoid feeding him around other rats? Or is there a way to address this behaviour so he can chill out when I'm handing them each a treat? I always make sure to give each rat a treat if I'm giving it to one, so it's not like he should have to compete.

He's a year and a half, and this behaviour has just gotten worse recently. I'm wondering if it has to do with vision loss in one eye.

 

[instantjazzy]

Maybe he doesn't like being fed with the others. or it could also be the latter. You can wear something to protect your fingers.

 

[Morrigan]

He's been more gentle thereafter... Maybe I just need to really make sure he's alone

 

[jorats]

Offer his food and treats from a spoon and if you can do just soft foods that he needs to lick, even better. Eventually he will stop biting especially since he won't like biting the spoon.

 

[Coffee Babies]

What I do (you might need gloves, if he bites like that) I start by showing my rat a big, hard piece of food like a rat block (so that its harder to pull out some) and then everytime he tries to pull it from my hand I close my hand around it and move my hand away, and I keep doing this until he turns away, and then I quickly give him the food. After awhile I go down to smaller foods, and treats. This has really helped with my rats who used to lunge for the food.

 

[Morrigan]

He hasn't bitten me at all since. I've been closing my hand around the food before giving it to him, just so he's more aware of my hand. He's always sweet when he licks soft foods. Spoon method works as well, he's been a lot better recently.

 

[SQ]

What Jorats said