Due to financial difficulties at the time, I did not get my two rats neutered. For the last several weeks, I've had them separated, as the smaller rat was getting beat up, usually ok, but there were a couple bad bites. The big one didn't bite, nip, or act aggressive towards me at all. They were usually ok when I let them both out at the same time, but a couple days ago, they got in a fight, the smaller one started screaming, so I immediately broke it up. I picked up the small one to put him in his part of the cage( he's in the top part) and held the other with my other hand. As soon as I let the big one go, he chomped down, really hard, on my index finger, and since it was grating on my bone, I yelled like crazy. This probably traumatized the rat even further, and he wouldn't let go for a good 40 seconds. Deep puncture wound, massive swelling, incredibly painful. Also, I have not become a were-rat, much to my disappointment.
Anyway, he's completely freaked out, and at this point, I can't trust him. He's bitten me twice more since the first big one, drawing blood on my thumb when I changed his water.
I can't trust this rat to be with the other rat either - the small one would be dead or crippled inside an hour alone with the big one. The small one is awesome - affectionate, playful, boggles when I pet him, grooms my hand if I scratch his shoulder. The big one seems to be getting progressively worse, and it kills me to have this fear of getting bitten. It's made me jumpy around the other one, even though he doesn't even nibble, only licks.
If I get them both neutered, and wait 4 weeks or so, is that close to a guarantee that the behavior problems will go away? I want them to live together in the same cage without having to worry about fights, and I want rats that won't chew on my extremities.
It's becoming hard for me to justify keeping the little twerp, given the blood and stress he's cost me, but I want to give him as best a shot as I can. What steps do I take to fix his behavior, so that I have a sane, happy rat I can trust with no fear of biting?
Anyway, he's completely freaked out, and at this point, I can't trust him. He's bitten me twice more since the first big one, drawing blood on my thumb when I changed his water.
I can't trust this rat to be with the other rat either - the small one would be dead or crippled inside an hour alone with the big one. The small one is awesome - affectionate, playful, boggles when I pet him, grooms my hand if I scratch his shoulder. The big one seems to be getting progressively worse, and it kills me to have this fear of getting bitten. It's made me jumpy around the other one, even though he doesn't even nibble, only licks.
If I get them both neutered, and wait 4 weeks or so, is that close to a guarantee that the behavior problems will go away? I want them to live together in the same cage without having to worry about fights, and I want rats that won't chew on my extremities.
It's becoming hard for me to justify keeping the little twerp, given the blood and stress he's cost me, but I want to give him as best a shot as I can. What steps do I take to fix his behavior, so that I have a sane, happy rat I can trust with no fear of biting?
Poor guy is wracked with hormones and anger, I have one that was snipped almost a week ago. I hope to re-intro him to his brothers in 2-3 weeks...we'll see how he does :thumbup:
