Teddy is nipping (previously a feeder breeder rat)

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amanda1472

Senior Member
Joined
May 25, 2012
Messages
1,213
Location
London, Ontario, Canada
So Teddy (6 months old) is usually a calm man rat, with the occasional play time and he is also being very good for intros. But if he gets your finger he holds it tight (not a bite) but it hurts and sometimes you have to pry his mouth open to get your finger back. I have not had to deal this with Bambi or Thumper, so how do i go about? Thanks
 
He usually just hold it where is is, and when he does let go, its for about a second, then he tries and get your finger again. Im not too worried but since it does hurt id rather him not do it. =) Thanks
 
amanda1472 said:
He usually just hold it where is is, and when he does let go, its for about a second, then he tries and get your finger again. Im not too worried but since it does hurt id rather him not do it. =) Thanks

So he's not just holding, he's pinching. Time to learn the boy some manners...time to start 'eeping" when he does it. Let us know how he reacts
 
amanda1472 said:
He is 6 months. and i just finished today first intro,and he got my toe, that hurt (pinching). I will try eeping like you say and see how it goes, thank you.

Were you wearing socks? If so any rat would find the Sock Monster irresistible to bite. If not, he just has no clue how to behave around humans having not been socialized the same as our pets. He is just starting his education later that's all :D
 
That cute Hopefloats =) if he tries to nip again i will teach him he cant, and really any time you get your finger close to him he nips -.- at first you think he is just sniffing, but nope. Im sure he will learn quickly and that everything will go great. Thanks to the both of you.
 
My three blond boys do this but I've been working on hand socializing with them. What I do is offer them my fingers a lot. And I have a treat ready. When they don't press down with their teeth, they get a treat. When they do, I wait and try again. I really think they are just being silly boys, nothing serious, not with my three anyways.
 
I did the eeping when I first got Gizmo and Techno cause they were nipping but I think they were just stretching their limits, seeing how I would react, but I wanted to make it clear that i was the MAMA and that behavior I didn't like, so I'd eep really loud whenever they bit too hard, did the same thing with Nes and Gyro too. Now all they do is lick my hands or groom my finger nails :cheeky: it's quite adorable really. In the middle of me trying to do some work on the computer or draw, Gizmo or Gyro will make me stop everything cause they scoop up my hands so they can groom under my fingernails. I suspect this is their way of bonding with me or they smell food under my nails and trying to get at it lol, never bit me though. Surpisingly they don't bite me through the bars either, i stick my finger in and they put their mouths on my finger to see if its food, then pull back and lick my fingers instead :giggle: Oh they have their moments with each other, but they are gentle to their mama :heart:
 
ill be cleaning the cage soon, so i will see how it goes. and none of my boys bite threw the cage, they just lick, well Teddy nips -.-, ill see how ti goes, thanks everyone for your experience and stories
 
Hi, i just wanted to say thank you very much, so far eeping has helped a lot, and he is becoming more and more gentle with his "nipping" and sometimes doesnt even try to grab my finger when i put it close to his face. Thanks again!
 
amanda1472 said:
Hi, i just wanted to say thank you very much, so far eeping has helped a lot, and he is becoming more and more gentle with his "nipping" and sometimes doesnt even try to grab my finger when i put it close to his face. Thanks again!

You wouldn't think it would work, but it really does...glad to hear this :thumbup:
 

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