Two of my girls keep marking my hands.

[KTyne]

So when I got my first rat, Bijoux, a month ago she peed on my bedroom floor a few times but I would just firmly tell her "no", put her back in her cage for a time out for about 10 minutes then take her out again and after a few times of me doing that she stopped peeing out of the cage.

Well now that I got my two new girls, Penelope and Pashmina, when I bring them all out for play time once they get going Bijoux as well as Pashmina (the two that think they're the bosses, lol) have started coming over to me once in a while, stopping on my hand for half a second, and when they move away I'll have a dribble of pee on me!!

Is there any way that I can stop this behavior now that it's started? :'( Penelope, the submissive one of the group, does not do this at all. It isn't too enjoyable when after an hour out of their cage I have pee all over me!

Help!

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

Take it as a complement that they are marking you as their territory because I don't know of a way to stop it....sorry lol.

 

[KTyne]

Lol, jeez. I figured once they started doing it they wouldn't stop, but I'm hoping!
It's not a huge deal since it isn't a ton of pee or anything, but it isn't pleasant at the same time! :emb:
It's like Bijoux is trying to show the new girls that I'm hers or something but Pashmina is having none of that! Lol.

 

[handmeafish]

Ron stoped marking as much when I started putting him back into his cage when he would mark on me.
He still marks some, but not on me as much.

I would say "No" in a firm voice, pick him up, and put him right back in... for a few minutes, then I'd let him out to try again. It took a few weeks, but he's got it now.

 

[KTyne]

Awsome! That's what I've been doing so far (same way I got Bijoux to not just outright pee on the floor) so hopefully it'll help in the long run!

 

[lizmo1221]

When I have my girls out, I take off my watch, wear a sweater I don't mind getting soiled, and know pee on hands/arms is nothing soap can't fix. I take it as a fact of owning rats. They are worth it

I don't think putting them in time out is fair when its just a natural thing to do It would be like punishing a cat for purring or a dog for licking you. They can't help it.

 

[KTyne]

Makes sense, I've started wearing clothing I don't mind getting dirty when I have them out, so that isn't a problem. I just don't like pee getting all over my carpet in my room! (especially when sometimes the droplets are so small in the light I can't see them)...
I wish I had my own place so I could bring them into the kitchen or something and then I wouldn't have to worry about carpet.

Ps- right now the kitchen idea isn't feasable since two of my parent's dogs and my cat would try to eat the rats. :S

 

[lj]

They loves you. :giggle:

 

[KTyne]

:lol: Well I hope so! Penelope and Pashmina are still a bit skittish around me when I first let them out of the cage, but they calm down after being out for a bit (and that's when the marking starts!).
Can't wait until they have warmed up to me as much as Bijoux ^_^

 

[zenia wulfe]

lol My girl, Pepper, will mark aaaaaaaall over me after I have been playing with my two new boys. It is annoying. Especially after I've had a shower. But I try to look at the bright side, that she is trying to be possessive over me.

 

[KTyne]

Lol oh man, that is why I shower at night so that nothing can happen after I shower to make me dirty again right away!
I think I'm just going to deal with it, as long as they don't start peeing just on the floor then it's all good (I can just wipe it off and then wash my hands later anyways).

 

[mamarat]

I have a litter pan on the floor during their out times. If they don't have access to the cage they use it. But of course they still mark me, I'm their slave after all. lol

 

[KTyne]

Awww ha. Yeah, I would do that except my ratties aren't litter trained yet soooo, they'd probably just end up playing in it, lol.
Once I start litter training them, then I will definitely do that!

 

[Joanne]

You could buy a roll of vinyl flooring and put it over your carpet so it would be easier to clean.
And I have rattie clothes. Because they've chewed holes in my shirts and sweater...

 

[Rachael]

If they are walking over my arms as some of my boys do to mark me then I do usually sit them aside, or lift them uip for a cuddle and kiss then play with them. Otherwise I just baby wipe it off and shower later.

 

[kelsey514]

My girls have been peeing all over me too! ah! I wasn't expecting that...these girls only go on the bottom level of their cage so I didn't think they'd pee when they were out of the cage! My boys never did it.

I didn't think I would have to have "rat clothes" or plan my showers around holding them...Does anyone have any success stories???

 

[SQ]

We all have rat clothes LOL
My rats have access to their cages when they are out. They also have litter boxes in their play area.
I cover the floor with linoleum and throw a fleece blanket over any couch, bed etc they may be on.

Marking their territory is normal rat behavior ... just accept it and feel privileged that they consider you theirs.

On a side note, sometimes rats will dribble because of a physical problem.
This is different then marking. Sometimes older rats are incontinent, I had several girls who were incontinent for the remainder of their lives after being spayed incorrectly by a vet in Halifax.
Eve was a breeder rat, and she dribbles wherever she goes. I suspect this is due to physical damage from having had a litter of babies a month for at least one year.

 

[Argent]

My girls are seriously gross, even worse than my boys really, though I end up soaked by all anyways. I just see it as a part of rat owning tbh. It does no harm

 

[KTyne]

I have started to just accept it, and wear clothes that cover most of my skin that I don't mind getting dirty!

 

[jorats]

That's what I do too.