Male Rats Fighting Drawing Blood? Top 73 Best Answers

Glossary of Rat Behavior Terms Informal, illustrated definitions of rat behavior terms

INDEX

Allogroom

allon nurse

back arch

barber

Bared teeth

behavioral estrus

belly groom

Roll belly up

Bite

personal hygiene

boggle

Bound

Crate

Brux

cache

Cephalocaudal groom

chase

chatter

Chew

chirp

Climb

Communal Nesting

Community Nursing

crab migration

Crawl

crawl over

crowd dig

Dorsal immobility

Drag (another rat)

drink

ear wiggle

meal

eyewash

feed

Battle

cross mark

Flight

Pivot in the forequarter

gallop

Gnaw

head and body care

head Bob

heat (women)

Hide

hiss

hold food

infanticide

kick

kill puppies

Side display

lordosis

manipulate food

Chewing mother’s aggression

mount

nap

nest building

Nest Share

Nibble

nip

nose off

care attitude

Tooth display with open mouth

overwrite

Look at

pica

piloerection

Pen

phew

power groom

predatory attack

kill puppies

puppy retrieval

To press

Pursue

Bouncing jump

Run away

fragrance mark

side

sleep sniffing

request

squeak, long

squeak, short

squeak

Vary

hideout

carry tail

tail groomer

cock whoosh

tail wagging

tail curvature

teeth chattering

teeth grinding

Tonic immobility

Top fragrance

transport immobility reaction

trot

ultrasonic vocalizations

urine sign

vocalizations

stroll

wrestling

yawning

Scratch

Scream

Allogroom, Head and Body:

aggressive neck care.

Barber:

Self-hairing is also found in non-lactating rats, in which case the rat may nibble fur from its forearms and chest. Barbering is sometimes caused by Demodex mites or as a result of mutual grooming when the rats’ diet contains more than 20% fat. Other possible causes include skin ulcers (pyoderma), other external parasites, genetic disorders, calorie or protein deficiencies, abrasion from rough surfaces, hormonal imbalances, chronic kidney disease, ringworm (dermatophytosis), and intensive breeding (Harkness and Wagner 1995).

Behavioral estrus (female behavior during estrus):

During the behavioral heat, the female will ask the male to get him to mount her. She shoots at him and runs or hops away. She can repeat this approach and retreat sequence multiple times, sometimes wiggling her ears as she does so. She can also stop near him or run past him and intercept him as he pursues another woman. The male finds this prompting behavior very attractive and follows the female. As he mounts her, the pressure he exerts on her flanks, lower back, and anogenital area induces lordosis, the female mating posture (Nelson 1995).

Belly care or “power grooming”:

Belly care widget Cricket lying on its back with its head to the left

Belly roll (pen):

So, the belly-up roll is unlikely to be a signal of submission or defeat that will prevent another attack, since the attacker may be able to force his attack further. The belly-up roll is instead a defensive strategy: the subordinate rat can evade the bite provided it can sandwich its belly between the attacker and its own vulnerable target areas of the trunk and neck.

Bite:

Social Biting: In a social context, rats can bite each other, especially during fights. Offensive bites tend to be aimed at the lower back and flanks. Defensive bites tend to be directed toward the face. Defensive bites are sometimes delivered in a lunge-and-bite sequence. The bite to the head is characteristic of injured, frightened, or defensive rats.

Note that longing bites aimed at the face can also be used offensively, particularly by females against intruders (DeBold and Miczek 1981). For more information on rat bites, visit RatRaisins, Inc.

Snip defensive bite on widget

Offensive bite by Widget on Cricket. Same bite, healed.

Widget attacked Snip with an offensive bite.

Predatory Biting: During a predation sequence, rats can also bite and kill their prey with their incisors. For example, rats can bite the head, neck, or upper back of mice (Hsuchou et al. 2002). Rats can bite off crickets’ heads before eating them.

Food Biting: When rats eat, they bite off small chunks of food with their incisors. Food is returned to the mouth where it can be chewed between the molars.

Crate:

Bound (Rebound Jump)

Henry (black and white rat in the foreground) hops after Willy (brown rat in the background). Photo courtesy of Jon Lyman

Brux:

To read more about bruxing and hear rat sound samples, visit the Norwegian Rat Vocalizations page.

Caching or Stashing:

Cephalocaudal Groom (“CCG”):

Chase or pursuit:

Chatter (teeth chattering):

To read more about chattering and hear rat sound samples, visit the Norwegian Rat Vocalizations page.

Chew (Chew):

Climb:

Crawl

crawl over

:

Community nesting (nest sharing):

For more information, see the article titled Communal nesting and grooming in Norwegian rats.

Community nursing (allon nursing):

For more information, see the article titled Communal nesting and grooming in Norwegian rats.

dig

Dorsal immobility or transport immobility response:

Drag (another rat):

Dragging can be observed in mother rats. Price and Belanger (1977) studied the behavior of rat mothers towards intruders and found that 33% of females dragged or dragged intruders, usually toward the nest. The mother rats were aimed at the neck 61.4% of the time, the side 28.3% of the time, the tail 8.7% of the time, and the ear 1.6% of the time. Dragging adult rats may be a component of maternal aggression.

Wiesner and Sheard (1933) observed that lactating female rats can pull their mates and adult offspring to the nest. Lactating rats can even drag young rabbits or kittens. This dragging tends to decrease as lactation subsides, suggesting that dragging is related to normal pup carrying. Adult rats can simply be a “supernatural” stimulus to the retrieval response, and the mother may drag them because they are too large to be lifted and carried.

Drink:

ear wiggle:

Eye candy (eye candy, melancholy):

feed (eat):

Fight or wrestle:

flank marking:

Flight:

Cricket flees from Widget (left), who sneaks up on him and pushes him

Pivot point in the forequarter:

gallop

In an extreme form, the canter can become a ricocheting or ricocheting hop, in which the front feet touch the ground, then the hind feet touch the ground, and three beats later the front feet touch the ground again (Gambaryan 1974, mentioned in Golubitsky et al. 1999). )

Gnaw:

Chewed pen (extreme close-up, 1.1 MB). Pay attention to the markings on the incisors. The upper incisors cut a small, semi-circular disc into the object, the lower incisors cut a deep groove.

Head Bob (pan)

:

Hide:

Hiss:

Hiss during tooth display with mouth open from Snip (inside cage) towards Widget (outside) 3/4 view Full front view Side view

Infanticide (Puppy Killing):

The targets of infanticide are usually newborn puppies. Rarely, older puppies can be killed. Newborn puppies are usually eaten plain (picked up and consumed as a food). Older puppies are usually killed by predatory attacks (pursuit, lunge, bite, kill sequence).

To learn more about infanticide, visit the Infanticide in Norwegian Rats page.

Kick:

Offensive Kick: The rat’s offensive kick looks more like a rear-foot grab, pulling the two rats into a close encounter and perhaps allowing the kicker to position themselves just before a fight.

Offensive kick. During a tight fling with Cricket, Widget hits with a hind leg. Also note how Widget grabbed Cricket’s belly fur with his front paw

Deflecting Kick: The rat raises a hind foot and uses it to deflect or push another rat away

defensive shot. During a close approach from Henry (black and white rat, standing), Harvey (black rat facing camera) nudges Henry with his hind foot and tail. Photo courtesy of Jon Lyman.

Lordosis (female arched back):

Lordosis is a knee-jerk behavior triggered by touching the lower back, flanks, or genital region. The female can also cause the male to mount, which in turn induces lordosis.

Manipulate food (process food):

Once the food is processed, the rat will typically hold its food by perching on its hind legs and holding it between its two front paws, or less commonly, just one front paw. Rats can also take direct bites of food without holding it up, although the rat can hold a large edible object with one front paw. This usually happens when a food is too large to pick up (e.g. chicken bones or corn on the cob), or when the food is pureed (e.g. soup, syrup) or too fine to pick up (e.g. granulated sugar).

Maternal Aggression:

Assemble:

nest building

Rats build different types of nests:

pad : simplest type of nest. Consists of just a few flat objects (leaves, scraps of paper) that lift a rat just off the ground. Snipe stands in a cushioned nest in an opened nest box. Nest box entrance to a cushion nest

: simplest type of nest. Consists of just a few flat objects (leaves, scraps of paper) that lift a rat just off the ground. “cup-shaped” nest: larger nest may be cup-shaped. Made from finer grass or shredded paper woven a little to form the walls of the mug. The cup is lined with flat objects. Three to five rats can sit comfortably in one of them. Nest raises them 2–6 inches off the ground. cup-shaped nest in a nest box built by a single male (widget).

: larger nest may be cup-shaped. Made from finer grass or shredded paper woven a little to form the walls of the mug. The cup is lined with flat objects. Three to five rats can sit comfortably in one of them. Nest raises them 2–6 inches off the ground. Hood nest: Organized nest in which the walls grow so high that they form a ceiling and the nest becomes a hollow sphere with only one opening. These nests are sometimes built by mothers for litters.

Nibble

nip:

nose off:

Nose-offs can escalate to boxing.

Widget and Snip (right) sniff

Again and again. In these images, notice how Widget leans further into the encounter than Snip

care attitude:

Tooth display with open mouth:

Open mouth teeth display and hiss from snip (inside cage) to widget (outside) 3/4 view full front view side view

overwrite

Look at:

pica

piloerection

After a conflict with Widget, Snip sits upright in the hammock

Predatory Attack:

puppy retrieval

To press:

Scratch:

Widget scratches his flank with a hind foot

Snip scratches his forehead with a hind foot

Scream:

Sidle (side display, crab walk, crowd):

Sleep:

Sniff:

request

The male rat finds these behaviors very attractive and may be motivated to follow and mount the female. Touching her back triggers lordosis, the female arched mating posture that enables copulation. See Nelson 1995.

Squeak, long:

squeak, short:

bear tail:

Tail curl (tail wagging, tail swishing):

The function of the tail curl is unknown. Curling of the tail may indicate a high level of tension or arousal, possibly negative arousal. For example, lactating females may wag their tails during aggressive encounters (Adams and Boice 1983).

Tonic immobility (also: cataleptic immobility, paroxysmal inhibition):

Tonic immobility can be observed when a rat performs a belly-up roll during an agonistic encounter. In this position, when the rat is fully prone, its upper back can touch the floor and the pressure can elicit a tonic immobility response that keeps the rat immobile for some time. Tonic immobility tended to last longer in subordinate rats (Tikal 1991). Tonic immobility can also serve to reduce the likelihood of an attack during conflict, as animals prefer to attack moving targets (Thor et al. 1981). However, immobility does not prevent all attacks, as Blanchard et al. (1977) showed that a motivated resident rat will attack a stunned intruder.

Tonic immobility can be artificially induced by people applying pressure to the upper back. Tonic immobility may be related to dorsal immobility, in which a rat freezes when picked up by the scruff.

Tonic immobility may be related to “faking dead” or “animal hypnosis” in other species (e.g., guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, quail, etc.). For example, chickens that are manually held by a human may go limp and remain so for some time.

trot:

Urine brand or scent brand

Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs):

* Infant distress calls: Infant rats, unable to regulate their own body temperature, emit high-pitched 40 kHz distress calls when they are cold (Allin and Banks 1971; Carden and Hofer 1992). * Long distress UPS: Rats emit long 20kHz vocalizations when unhappy or stressed. These calls are made, for example, when an adult or adolescent is socially defeated (Thomas 1983), sees a predator (Blanchard 1991), feels pain (Cuomo 1988, Tonue 1986), or expects pain (Antoniadis 1999). * Short, chirping USVs: These calls are shorter and higher pitched (50 kHz) than the negative SVUs (Knutson 1999) and are considered positive. Adults and juveniles shed them during play (Knutson 1998), courtship (Barfield 1979), and in anticipation of food (Burgdorf 2000). Here is an article on “Laughter in Rats” as well as a summary article written by the researchers.

For more information, see What do rats hear?

stroll

Yawning:

Pet rats often thrive when they have cage mates, so many owners choose to keep them in same-sex duos. Some duos are successful and others are not because adult male rats are often aggressive towards each other. However, if they are brothers who grew up together, they might get along well.

If you want a mate for your pet rat, don’t just throw them in a cage together. Once you’ve made sure the newcomer is disease-free, place them in a separate pen next to your older pet. By doing this, you give the duo a chance to get to know each other through sight and smell. It is important that they cannot physically reach each other at this time. Try this daily for several days. Then place them in each other’s enclosures so they can adapt to each other’s scent. Finally, allow them to meet face to face in a neutral space. If they respond peacefully to each other, you can try putting them in the same cage, but only if you have enough time to observe them. Battles for dominance – and alpha status – are common among adult Rats just dating. If your rats don’t seem to get along, splitting them up is often the safest and most sensible option.

For the past few weeks, my life has been one long session of rat imaginings. 2018 brought five new rescues to my house, all lone rats who need to befriend the horde. Understanding rat behavior can be a little tricky. Let’s look at some of the behaviors rats exhibit when they meet and how you can tell if they’re fighting and aggressive.

Why did my rat fluff up its fur?

When a rat is angry or defending its territory (a cage or a playground), it will often fluff up, with the guard hairs on its fur standing on end (the scientific word is piloerect, but I prefer floofing). This makes them appear larger to the other rat and is a sure sign that a rat is feeling aggressive. It’s easy to see that the rat literally looks like a toilet brush (the behavior is known as “swamp brushing” in British rat fantasy) or a powder puff.

Whether I intervene when a rat fluffs up depends on the other behaviors it is exhibiting. I had a boy (moose, or as he was known for a few months, the Floof moose) who would stumble at the slightest thing but go nowhere with it. However, when one fluffy rat is actively confronting another, I look at what else they are doing.

Pushing, sneaking and bum-barging

Rats don’t want to fight and risk injury unless they have to, so they try to win arguments with dominance behaviors. One is to go sideways into the other rat, ground first. This is known as sliding or bum barging. Often the aggressive rat will back the other rat into a corner or even try to push it off a shelf. The threatened rat can run away, freeze or push back. I monitor these behaviors very closely and interrupt them when the rats become stressed or a fight begins.

Boxing my rats

In boxing, two rats compete by standing on their hind legs and pushing each other. It means both Rats are upset and neither is ready to submit at the moment.

When that happens in a happy, established group, I don’t worry – it’s usually a brief argument about who’s boss. On the other hand, if a rat is brand new to the group, or if one or both rats are fluffed up, that can be a sign that a fight is about to begin, so I watch closely, ready to intervene if necessary.

And now they’re kicking

Kickboxing, in which one rat hits the other with its hind legs, is a way of exercising dominance. It usually comes after sliding or bum-barging. Again, in a new rat situation, it can be the first sign of a struggle.

It can also serve as a way for a dominant rat to exercise authority over their group. I had a little girl named Feegle who was the boss of a group of castrated boys – although she barely weighed 200g and they were all half a kilogram lump. Periodically, she walked around the group and gave each boy a hard kick in the head. They immediately submitted, having learned the hard way that the alternative was beaten up by a tiny martial arts expert until they gave in.

My rats mount each other! And they are both boys!

In rats, as in many animals, dry mounting or humping has nothing to do with sex, it’s all about dominance. Girls do it to girls, boys do it to boys. It means “I’m in charge,” not “Let’s make babies” (unless you have unneutered boys and girls together, which is not a good idea). Leveling up is very common in the game, especially in younger rats. It’s not something I worry about unless there are other signs of aggression.

Flipping, pinning and grooming

This is a way of asserting dominance, either over a new rat or in an established group, to remind everyone that they are the bosses. The dominant rat (or the rat wanting to be dominant) approaches the other and pushes them over, then pins them and preens either their neck or belly. The submissive rat will lie down and freeze until it’s over.

Most of the time, especially in established groups, this isn’t a problem at all – it’s just a natural way for rats to show who’s boss. However, if the two disagree on who dominates, a fight may ensue.

My rats chase each other

Chasing is perfectly normal rat behavior and often just a sign of play. My rats often chase each other in their free range for fun. I’m only concerned if the rat being hunted becomes very tense and stressed, or if the chasing rat is showing other signs of aggression like fluffing up, trying to fool around, etc.

Should I break up a rat fight?

That’s hard to answer as it depends entirely on the context. On the one hand, nobody wants their rats to get hurt. On the other hand, rats live in groups with a hierarchy, and sometimes that hierarchy needs to be sorted out. Many people apply the “no blood, no foul” rule, meaning they don’t intervene unless a rat is injured. The problem, however, is that rat fights are big, spinning balls of flying fur, and it’s really only then that you can tell if someone’s been hurt.

I only ever get fights during induction with new rats, and I separate them. I look for any of the aggressive behaviors described above and separate the rats if a fight ensues or if a rat looks very stressed.

Never put your bare hand in the middle of a rat fight! It can be tempting since you don’t want your babies to get hurt, but if you just dip your hand in the middle, you’ll be the one getting hurt. When introducing new rats, or when two rats are exhibiting behaviors that might lead to a fight, I take a piece of cardboard, newspaper, or a thin book and have it ready. When a fight starts, I place the barrier in the middle and gently push the two rats apart. They generally calm down once they can no longer see or interact with each other.

Most rats make very friendly pets, with bucks often being so laid-back that they’ll sit on your lap while you watch TV. This depends on socializing them early. Place the cage in a room with a lot of traffic from people and other pets. The more they see, hear, and smell the other family members, the better. Spend at least an hour a day handling the rats. Older rats that have not been socialized will need a lot of patience and are probably not a good choice for those new to rat husbandry. Gradually introduce the rats to your other pets. Let them get used to each other through the cage first and watch them closely if you decide to let the rats out. It’s unsafe to leave rats unsupervised with dogs, as long as they get along, and allowing a cat open access to your rats, supervised or not, is never a good idea. If you want more than two rats, introduce new ones while your current ones are young. Although females can often be introduced to each other at any age, bucks sometimes turn into grumpy old men who are not at all welcoming to newcomers.

Rats have their own distinct and outstanding personalities, and having them as pets can be a truly awesome experience.

Their personalities change from one Rat to another, so some Rats are laid-back and outgoing while others put more effort into showing dominance.

When rats start to establish dominance it can be a bit confusing as it can sometimes seem like they are fighting too aggressively. So if that’s the case, how do rats really show dominance?

A rat shows dominance by shoving, biting, stepping up, and having small fights with each other until one rat proves it’s the alpha rat.

When black rats start to establish dominance, it can be for many reasons, such as: B. when their current environment changes or when more rats are added to their social group.

No matter what the reason they go through this dominant behavior, the result is always the same.

A rat will be on top once this behavior is over pretty much all the time.

This type of behavior can also last for a while, depending on your personality.

So if you’re a pet rat owner, it’s a good idea to learn how this process works, why they do it, and at what point you should intervene if this dominance behavior gets out of control.

How do black rats show dominance?

When it comes to how black rats establish dominance, it starts with understanding their positions in these social groups.

In their hierarchy there is an Alpha Rat who is in charge of the entire social group. You can help keep things running smoothly and with as few conflicts as possible.

However, determining dominance in their hierarchy is not always easy.

When rats first meet, especially when new rats join, they must establish their pecking order.

Which usually means they have to try and prove who the alpha is. When rats try to establish dominance, they will:

Got small scratches.

Mount each other.

Poke and bite each other.

Start nurturing each other.

Many small fights can take place and the rats will start fighting. If you’re a new pet rat owner, it may seem like they’re trying to breed with each other when they start leveling up.

However, it’s just another way of establishing dominance. The fighting rats will shove, bite, and groom each other, and when they do you’ll usually hear a lot of loud crying or squeaking.

You can quickly notice this type of behavior, as most rats will stretch their hair out of their fur when this happens.

Grooming is another typical way for a rat to show dominance over the others.

The rat being groomed usually makes small squeaky noises, fights, but then they finally surrender.

Rats that resist some of these advances may be bullied or fought into submission by kicking, biting, and pinning.

This type of intensity and potential struggles can lead to new bonds and social groups.

When dominance is established, it helps them live peacefully and happily together.

So you shouldn’t worry too much if you see these things happening in your pet rat family.

Why do pet rats try to show dominance?

Rats are fantastic families and form social groups that build their hierarchy and each rat eventually knows its place in that family.

When the hierarchy is stable it can be very peaceful, but this social structure can change for many reasons.

And your rats may try for the first time or try again to establish dominance.

Some factors that can cause rats to attempt to demonstrate dominance are:

The addition of new rats.

diseases within the group.

New changes in their environment.

A hormonal boost.

They thrive well and in harmony when they have mates and have an Alpha Rat leading the social group or at the top of the hierarchy.

Dominant Alpha Rats have power and will show what they can do. For example, they will keep some other rats away from things they like or value most.

In some cases, they forbid other rats from access to mating partners and sometimes even food.

These rats also behave aggressively towards juvenile rats, which they believe may overthrow them sooner or later in their lives.

When that happens, the juvenile rats are usually waiting for their own dominating moments or old age to come.

A good Alpha Rat can also show dominance by not fighting over food or mates, but rather arbitrating disputes in the social groups.

The more submissive will know they can’t win, so eventually they have to give up.

Is Dominance Normal Behavior for House Rats?

Establishing dominance is a normal behavior seen in many different animals that we keep as pets, and rats are the same way.

This hierarchy leads to the formation of different relationships between social groups and those responsible must be respected.

This dominance helps pet rats live peacefully with one another in their environment.

Sometimes there can be a lot of fighting and threats over the things that are available.

Things like food, shelter, and even their mates need to be shared within the social group.

So when it comes to these things, the dominant rat can help ensure their group moves together in the right way.

Establishing dominance is very important and helps in maintenance and stability within their social groups.

How long does the battle for dominance between rats last?

It can sometimes be difficult to predict how long their struggle for supremacy will last.

Every rat and the current situation they find themselves in is different, but usually the battle for dominance can last a few days and in some cases a few weeks.

Combat begins simply as play-fighting when the rats grow old enough to interact with their companions or siblings.

These fights can help later when trying to establish dominance.

Some adult rats may continue to play fight, and this is more common in sibling groups than in mixed social groups.

However, when it starts to become aggressive, it can sometimes get really bad because it can escalate into serious fights and injuries.

Dominant Rats can remain calm and tolerate these types of situations to show they are still in charge.

But when things get too out of hand, these rats may need to be separated until they can solve their problems.

Because if these small situations are left unresolved, bullying can easily happen.

While it’s sometimes hard to tell if your pet rats are playing or fighting, this shouldn’t be confused with actual battles for dominance.

Should you stop your rats from fighting for dominance?

If your pet rats continue to aggressively fight, chase, shove, or mount each other without stopping, even when they get tired, then something needs to be done.

So if you notice your pet rats starting to get aggressive for a long period of time, it’s a good idea to stop or distract them until they calm down.

If the more submissive Rat doesn’t capitulate when they start confronting each other, a full blown fight could erupt.

However, if the submissive rat allows the dominant rat to make their point, their pursuit and conflict will be over without your intervention.

But when the attacker isn’t satisfied and starts bullying the other rat, it’s time to intervene.

At this point, you can decide whether to separate them for a while or try the split-cage method.

Most of these types of situations are just normal behavior and usually resolve on their own over time.

So if they aren’t too aggressive and a rat claims dominance without much trouble, you really don’t need to intervene.

Once everything is established, pet rats will become more affectionate towards each other and even their owners over time.

So it’s actually very important to leave them alone and stay away from them when they’re trying to establish dominance.

This way their social structure or hierarchy can be established without too many problems.

Introduce your rats to each other

Unlike other small pet species, rat introductions are best done in a smaller neutral space. This reduces the likelihood of potentially dangerous fights starting and encourages mutual feeding, nurturing, and building strong relationships faster. Always start mixing early in the morning so you have enough time to monitor the early interactions. The size of the square depends heavily on the number of rats to be mixed. If you are mixing 1-4 rats, a top opening cat carrier is ideal. Put some bedding on the floor, e.g. B. short scraps of paper and sprinkle a small amount of food on the ground while attaching a water bottle to the side. Avoid placing decorations or skins/hammocks at this stage.

Put the rats in at the same time, expect quite a bit of activity at first as they judge who’s who and decide who will be dominant.

Typical acceptable behaviors likely to be seen include:

sniffing from below

sniffing &

Shuffling around the sheets

The more dominant ones may ruffle their fur and periodically put their paws on each other’s backs to try to be assertive.

self care,

Minor squeak.

Submissive rats move less

All rats choose to sit separately after a few moments of initial full activity.

Sometime in the first few hours fell asleep curled up alone

Sleep bundles when they are happier

In most cases, the rats must stay in this small room for 24 hours, and in some cases 48 hours is required when doing a tricky mix with rats that are known to be strong characters. If the mix is ​​exhibiting positive behaviors and they choose to sleep close together, the movements are slower and there is significantly less attention, you may consider moving them to a slightly larger room. A large hamster cage with no enrichment is ideal, add some of their bedding from the small space to the next tier cage and sprinkle food again and add a water bottle.

When they are relaxed after a few hours and there are no signs of a bond breaking, a hammock can be placed to add a bit or interest.

The rats should not need to remain in this room much longer than 24 hours, when all the rats seem content and a clear hierarchy has been established, they can then be placed in their permanent cage.

Keep the build-up simple for the first week or so with a few hammocks, ropes, and even an appropriately sized exercise bike. Slowly add a few new enrichment items, including more trapped skins, every few days until you reach your normal enrichment level.

Keep a close eye on your rats for the first two weeks

Regularly check each rat’s health status during the first two weeks of introduction to monitor for injury. Battle wounds can become infected, you may need to take your rats to your vet for a check-up.

If you are unsure how your mix works or need assistance mixing your pet rats, please contact us.

Aggression in Rats We are often asked for advice on how to deal with and care for aggressive rats. First, we tell people that aggression is a product of fear and that when rats are aggressive, there is a good reason. Rats deserve our love, understanding, compassion, patience, investment of time, desire to find a solution, willingness to work with them, and commitment despite the aggression. Imagine you have an aggressive child who has started hitting his brother with a stick every day, resulting in frequent cuts and bruises. You would get angry about it, but anger is not helpful and will likely make the situation worse. You would need to take steps to correct the aggressive child’s behavior in a positive, loving, patient, and understanding way. Although you may never know the source of the child’s aggression, you would have to deal with it because you love your child. You would not abandon your child for behavior problems. They would understand that parenting is a challenge and obligation. They would identify problems and then find a solution. Pet ownership is no different than parenthood. It’s an obligation. When problems arise with an animal, you should handle them with understanding and a patient heart. It would be wrong to give away an animal just because behavior problems have developed. Sometimes rats are aggressive because of: . Dealing with problems – You have been undertreated, treated too roughly, mistreated or abused. Rats need gentle hands on a daily basis so they can bond with their humans. Sometimes when they don’t understand, they can withdraw and become fearful or aggressive. Stressful environment and factors – You have experienced something traumatic, such as contact with a snake or other predator. Try to imagine living under someone many of whom are killing you at any moment. You would be scared, on guard, and wondering if you were about to die. Rats experience the same emotions and suffer from post-traumatic stress just like humans do after trauma. It takes time to unwind from a traumatic experience. Environmental stressors on an animal can include loud noises like music or television, dogs barking constantly, children screaming, etc. Animals need a quiet environment and when they don’t have one, they get stressed, which can lead to problems like aggression. Basic Health Issues – When rats are in pain or uncomfortable, they don’t want to be touched. When people are sick, they usually want to be left alone. An aggressive rat should be examined by an exotics vet who is knowledgeable about rats. Hormone Levels – You may have raging hormones. Male rats absolutely benefit from spaying and they usually start to settle down around 6 weeks after this surgery. Aggression and biting Rats are bad at biting and biting. When a rat strikes, bites your finger, and quickly retreats, puncture wounds remain. The finger will be sensitive for a few days but will heal quickly. But if a rat lashes out, bites, and won’t let go of your finger, it can tear your skin if you pull your finger away. A tear is more painful, but still heals within a few days. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after a rat bite. Depending on the severity of the bite, you can apply an antiseptic and cover the bite with a plaster. Although we’ve had many bad rat bites over the years, we’ve never contracted it. It’s natural to get angry at the rat if you get a bite, but remember that the bite is just a symptom that something is wrong with the rat. How do we deal with aggression in rats? At Tiny Toes Rat Rescue we have received many aggressive rats over the years. We received rats that lived with snakes because the snake didn’t want to eat them. When we got the rats, they were usually traumatized and malignant. We’ve received rats bought as toys for the family cat (yes, really), rats poked through their cage with pencils, rats abused, class rats relentlessly teased by unsupervised children, rats lost their Cage had stepped across the room when Dad was drunk, rats thrown from a second floor balcony, rats burned with cigarettes, etc. Despite this, we had a 100% success rate in changing aggressive behavior in rats. We’re happy to share our method with you, but if you continue, do so because it’s your choice to continue. therefore, you assume all risk and liability – not Tiny Toes Rat Rescue of New Mexico. TRAINING THE AGGRESSIVE RAT IN TRUST Remember the part above about loving the rat despite its problem? And be patient, understanding, and compassionate? And the willingness to invest time, want a solution, be willing to work with the rat and get involved? This is where you need to resort to, since all of it is needed. To begin the rat confidence training process, you need to understand that you will eventually touch the rat with your bare hands, since a rat will not bond to gloves, no matter what they are made of. Some rats are even afraid of gloves. The rat needs to feel your own touch on its fur and skin. However, to protect your hands, you will need to hold the rat in place with a small towel, such as a tea towel. Our Method First of all, we would like to say that we are neither animal behavior authorities nor veterinarians; However, we have been very experienced in working with aggressive rats for 20 years. After trust training, ANY rat became a loving pet. Let’s start – for many days before handling the rat, stand or sit near his cage many times a day so he can smell you and get used to your presence. Talk to him gently and tell him how you want to help him. Next comes the handling. It is important to note that once this process has started, you must not “take a break” and give the rat or yourself “days off” from this process. Keep doing. Day 1, Session 1: Stand by the cage and talk quietly to the rat for 5 minutes. Then open the cage door. Give the rat about a minute to get used to the door being open (make sure it doesn’t come out) and then reach into the cage with a towel. The rat may crouch in a corner opposite you, so try to get it to turn around by moving it so you can access its shoulders and back area. Once its back is to you, quickly grasp the rat’s upper back with the towel over your hand, being careful not to accidentally bang its back against a cage shelf or doorway as this can result in spinal injury . He can quickly turn and bite you, so protect your hand. Once you have the rat out of the cage, hold onto it with both hands protected by the towel. He’ll probably fight back, so hold him tight, but gently – not in a death grip or you could break his tiny bones. The ideal position to hold the rat is with only its head sticking out of the towel, one hand around its upper body and the other hand around its lower body. See the photo below. If you have him in a good position, don’t keep repositioning the towel because there’s a chance you’ll get bitten every time. Speak softly, calmly, and confidently to the rat. Tell him you love him and want to help him. Don’t let go of your guard even for a second if he stops struggling and don’t stop talking to him.

Day 2, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 1. Day 2, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 2, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 3, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Days 1 and 2. This time, hold him against your stomach to create a barrier and touch the top of his head with just a bare finger (approach from behind for your safety, never put your finger on your face). Gently and slowly stroke his head for 15 seconds. It will be a light touch. Rest for a full minute and then repeat. Keep holding him and talk to him. After 10 full minutes, return him to his cage while protecting your hands. Day 3, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 3, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. What you have been doing for 3 days is making a pattern for the rat. He has learned that you took him out of his cage nine times, spoke gently to him, did nothing to him and allowed him to return to the safety of his cage. Although he’s still anxious, he’s curious about you now and you’ve seeded trust. Day 4, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 3. This time, after stroking his head with a finger for 15 seconds, also stroke his tail with a finger for 15 seconds, and then take turns. Too many fingers means too much pressure and sensory overload. For now, keep it simple. Keep holding him and talk to him. After 10 full minutes, return him to his cage while protecting your hands. Day 4, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 4, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 5, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 4. This time, after stroking his head with one finger for 15 seconds and his tail with one finger for 15 seconds, you also stroke only his toes with one finger for 15 seconds and then take turns. The bottoms of his feet will feel more vulnerable to him, so only touch the tops. Keep holding him and talk to him. Increase the time you hold it to 15 minutes. After 15 full minutes, return him to his cage while protecting your hands. Day 5, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 5, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 6, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 5. This time, after stroking his head with one finger for 15 seconds, stroke his cock with one finger for 15 seconds and only stroke the tips of his feet for 15 seconds with one finger you also start, with 2 fingers for 15 seconds to stroke his head. The pressure of an extra finger on his body can feel like a threat and he can fight. Always make sure you hold it securely. After 15 seconds, touch one finger to the bottom of their feet, and then gently hold one of their feet between your thumb and finger for a few seconds. Now hold the other foot. Alternatively, you may touch the approved areas of the body for the usual duration. After 15 full minutes, return him to his cage while protecting your hands. Day 6, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 6, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 7, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 6. This time, after stroking his head with 2 fingers for 15 seconds, start stroking his cock with 2 fingers for 15 seconds. Stroke and hold his feet in various gentle ways for 15 seconds, alternating touching all permitted areas of the body for the usual duration. Always make sure you hold it securely. After 15 full minutes, return him to his cage while protecting your hands. Day 7, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 7, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Hopefully after a week of you working with the rat he won’t be struggling with the towel anymore. However, do not let go of your vigilance. You may find that you were able to loosen the rat but still hold it securely when you are. Day 8, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 7. This time, after stroking all the approved areas of the body as you have done for the usual duration, you will try something new that involves risks. Make a fist with one hand and let the rat smell the back of your hand. You might get bitten, but if you make a fist, there’s not much flesh to bite, and he probably won’t be able to do more than claw you with his teeth. Keep your fingers and other parts of your hand away from the rat. Let the rat smell the back of your hand as much as it wants. Step back to touch the approved areas of the body for the usual duration. After 15 full minutes, return him to his cage while protecting your hands. Day 8, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 8, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 9, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 8. This time after stroking all permitted body areas as you have for the usual duration and allowing him to sniff the back of your hand (remember to use a fist). ) start gently touching his neck. The closer you get to larger parts of his body, the more vulnerable he will feel, allowing him to fight. Continue touching the approved areas of the body for the usual amount of time, making sure to touch his neck regularly. After 15 full minutes, return him to his cage while protecting your hands. Day 9, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 9, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 10, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 9. This time after stroking all permitted body areas as you have for the usual duration and allowing him to sniff the back of your hand (remember to use a fist). ) you start gently touching his shoulders. As you do this, you’ll need to lower the towel so you’re at greater risk of him biting you. be very careful The closer you get to larger parts of his body, the more vulnerable he will feel, allowing him to fight. Continue touching the permitted areas of the body for the usual amount of time, making sure to touch his shoulders regularly. After 15 full minutes, return him to his cage while protecting your hands. Day 10, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 10, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 11, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 10. This time after stroking all permitted body areas as you have for the usual duration and allowing him to sniff the back of your hand (remember to use a fist). ) you start gently touching the top of his back. Continue touching the permitted areas of the body for the usual amount of time, making sure to periodically touch the top of his back. Increase the time you hold it to a full 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, return him to his cage while protecting your hands. Day 11, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 11, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 12, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 11. Don’t go any further down his back. Day 12, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 12, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 13, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 12. This time after stroking all permitted body areas as you have for the usual duration and allowing him to sniff the back of your hand (remember to use a fist). ) start gently touching the middle of his back. Remember to protect your hand holding it. Continue touching the approved areas of the body for the usual amount of time, making sure to periodically touch the center of his back. After 20 minutes, return him to his cage while protecting your hands. Day 13, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 13, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 14, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 13. Don’t go any further down his back. Day 14, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 14, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later.

Our handsome man “The Mighty Quinn” who got pizza because he was our model.

Our boy Montgomery who came to us viciously. After confidence training, he became a very affectionate and happy lap rat!

If the rat dislikes this process very much, just slow it down, limit what you touch and for how long, but DO NOT stop the process or you may never make any progress and have to start over. While most of our aggressive rats accepted the procedure described, our rat Montgomery (who was forced to live with a ball python) required 2 months of daily labor because she came to us so traumatized. Every rat is different and EVERY rat is worth the time.

Day 15, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 14. This time after stroking all permitted body areas as you have for the usual duration and allowing him to sniff the back of your hand (remember to use a fist). ) start gently touching his lower back. Your hand holding him down, or your lap, or against your stomach should now be doing this in his shoulder area. Be careful. Continue touching the permitted areas of the body for the usual amount of time, making sure to touch his lower back regularly. After 20 minutes, return him to his cage while protecting your hands. Day 15, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 15, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 16, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 15. Day 16, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 16, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 17, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 16. This time after petting all approved areas of the body as you have for the usual duration and allowing him to sniff the back of your hand (remember to use a fist). ) start gently stroking his body with 2 fingers from his neck to his back. Continue touching all approved areas of the body for the usual duration. After 20 minutes, return him to his cage while protecting your hands. Day 17, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 17, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 18, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 17. Day 18, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 18, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 19, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 18. Day 19, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 19, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 20, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 19. Day 20, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 20, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 21 Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 20. While protecting your hand holding the rat, gently touch one of its sides with 2 fingers. This is a very vulnerable area for the rat as its sides and abdomen are where its internal organs are and it may feel threatened by your touch. Day 21, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 21, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. Day 22, Session 1: Repeat what you did on Day 21. Day 22, Session 2: Repeat a few hours later. Day 22, Session 3: Repeat a few hours later. How is the rat behaving towards you at this point? Is he friendly or still very scared? You must decide what is the best way to proceed. If the rat is still frightened and aggressive on day 22 – Take many steps back to a point where it appeared to be responsive to you and was calmer. Then, over the coming days, work your way forward by touching different areas of the body, but at a slower pace. Every rat is different and may need to adjust the above process to suit their pace. If the rat is calm and friendly on day 22 – You can try holding it with your bare hands, but keep the towel close to you just in case you need to grab it with it. Avoid contact with his face or you could get bitten. Keep petting him gently and talk to him calmly. If you have a good result, it is very important that you continue this exercise 3 times a day anyway. He will need regular contact with you to seal the bond you have worked hard to create. Even if the rat has improved dramatically, continue removing it from its cage with a towel, as rats with a history of aggression can remain cage-aggressive for a while.

This is our rat Ratzilla (named for his evilness). It’s another success story. I was convinced he had hidden wings because before confidence training he would attack me so quickly that he seemed to fly up in the air just before smashing his teeth into me a few times. He stood angrily in front of me in his cage, stamped his feet and sniffed at me loudly. A very angry rat will exhibit the stomping and sniffing behavior. Ratzilla also hit the side of his body against the side of his cage because he was so mad at me. This was a daily routine. He was just so scared and showed it by biting me hard many times – once he needed stitches. After Ratzilla’s confidence training he became so affectionate and loved hanging out with me. If he would play on the bed while I was working at a desk five feet away, he would jump off the bed, land on my shoulder or back, lick my face, and dig into my hair. I think once he found “his person” he developed some sort of separation anxiety. I loved him so much and he really loved me.

One of our girls is getting confidence training. She turned into a rat that loved to be held and cuddled.

Midnight and Lefteye, adult rats, do a lot of boxing, sliding, and poofy shows. Her owner is very calm about judging her behavior as friendly. We can observe the same behavior in overly aggressive rats. How do you tell the difference? What is the history of the rats’ relationship? Are they friendly to each other in other contexts – do they sleep together, hang out together, etc.? Does one of the rats flinch or freeze when the other rat approaches, indicating an inequality between them? Does the same play behavior occur in small, cramped environments, or over food or another resource where the concept of dominance would be relevant?

Please don’t just assume that if your rats exhibit the same behavior as Midnight and Lefteye, then “everything is fine”. It may not be.

Who, what, why?

Can male and female rats live together? Is neutering rats the solution or is there another way? Let’s find out!

If you are looking for an affectionate, intelligent, and playful pet, then rats are a great choice.

They can get a bad rap as dirty and malicious pests. But in reality, rats are incredibly clean, can be trained to litter, and can even do tricks!

Rats bond with their owners and have an advanced episodic memory ability.

In other words, your rat will remember you, recognize you, and remember memories.

Because rats are very social animals, they need to be kept in pairs. Rats live in family groups in the wild and crave interaction and socialization.

If you are getting two rats you may be wondering if it is acceptable and wise for a male and female to live together.

This is quite a conundrum for some pet owners, and we examine exactly this situation in this article.

Can male and female rats live together? Let’s find out!

Can male and female rats live together?

Your query regarding mating male and female rats may revolve around safety and whether or not males and females harm each other.

Certain male and female rodents, like squirrels, do not live peacefully together.

In fact, squirrels of both sexes can become quite aggressive towards each other when interacting.

Even rabbits show great dominance when it comes to mixed-sex mating.

And you may be familiar with aggression, dominance, and social hierarchy in animals that live in groups.

The good news is that male and female rats are rarely aggressive towards each other, so there are few safety issues.

However, there are some issues with male-female cohabitation.

The big one is the most obvious.

Can male and female rats live together…. Without…. You know!

Male and female rats will mate, and they will mate often.

However, there is no reason to blush (maybe just a little), since rodents have a large number of offspring due to high mortality rates in the wild.

Female rats become receptive to mating every four to five days. The gestation period is only 23 days, and the baby rats or kittens are weaned in about four weeks.

A typical birth produces between 8 and 12 kittens, and as many as 20 are possible.

Can male and female rats live together? Well, technically yes, but let’s do the math.

A male and female rat living together can produce dozens of offspring in a short period of time.

This means that a seemingly cute situation can turn into a disaster pretty quickly.

How do you tell if a rat is male or female?

Mistakes happen, but you can pretty easily avoid an overwhelming “Oops” if you gender-specific your rats before you buy them.

Even an experienced pet store owner, breeder, or shelter can make mistakes when determining sex, so take a quick look for yourself.

There are a few ways to tell the difference between male and female rats. If the rats are hatchlings, look for nipples.

Nipples appear in female rats within 10 days. Male rats do not have nipples.

Depending on the age, you may need to remove the fur from the rat’s underside for accurate identification. Don’t worry, most rats like tummy scratches and some will even turn around for a few tummy scratches, just like dogs.

If you are unsure if there are nipples or if you are uncomfortable looking under the fur, you can look at the distance between the anus and the urinary opening. The distance is longer in males and shorter in females.

While a simple eye measurement can help you determine sex, you may need to look at a few different rats to get an idea of ​​what the approximate distances of both sexes are.

Finally, you can usually tell a male from a female by feeling for testicles right at the base of the tail. They can be felt as small lumps along the rat’s underside.

Male versus female rats

If you have a choice between two female rats or two male rats, there are a few things to consider.

If you are looking for an affectionate pet that will want all the attention you need to give, then male dogs are your best bet.

However, male rats have a slightly rougher coat, and you can expect the rodents to leave small urine stains on items they consider their property. Don’t be surprised to find a few wet stains on your clothes because they might just be your rat’s property (oh boy).

If you feel disgusted after urine marking, then a pair of females is a good choice. If you want energetic, active, and curious pets, then female Rats are for you.

Females are also slightly smaller and softer, and they’ll definitely use you as a jungle gym if you let them.

The choice is yours, but you should always remember that each rat has its own personality, regardless of gender.

separate rats

If you forgot to verify your rats’ gender before adopting them, don’t panic. However, you should check as soon as possible and separate the rodents immediately if you have a male and a female.

You need to make sure each of your rats has an appropriately sized cage. According to the ASPCA’s Rat Care Guide, a single pair of rats requires two square feet of space.

When you separate your rats, each one needs a new friend.

According to research, rats have empathy and will bond with and care for their cagemates. Breaking up with Rats can make them upset, depressed, and even vicious.

Of course, you should house your separated rats with a same-sex friend.

Can male and female rats live together if neutered?

Rats can be spayed and neutered if you choose to keep a female and male rat together.

In fact, surgery can be beneficial for your Rat, especially if you have a female. The procedure, which removes the ovaries and uterus, can reduce the prevalence of breast tumors.

According to one study, surgery can reduce tumors by over 40%.

When it comes to male rats, the castrated rats become less aggressive and cancer rates are reduced as well. The method can also reduce marking problems.

Castrate a rat

If you have a male and female rat and decide to have one fixed while leaving the other intact, you may want to have the male fixed. The procedure is far less invasive.

While this is true, your rat should be perfectly healthy and must pass an examination before the surgery is performed.

An exotic animal doctor experienced in rat surgery should perform both the evaluation and the surgery.

Respiratory infections and heart disease are common ailments that can affect your rat. And both of these conditions can lead to complications during a surgical procedure.

If the vet gives your rat the green light for surgery, very little preparation is required before the surgery begins. Fasting is not necessary as rats cannot vomit.

This means there is no risk of aspiration, so you can give your pet food and water beforehand.

Risks of rat castration

As with any surgery, there are some risks involved in neutering your rat. This can be a concern for pet owners since your pet is part of your family. Knowing about these risks can help you make an informed decision about whether neutering is right for your pet.

One of the biggest concerns relates to the anesthesia provided during surgery. Namely, there is a chance that your rat will not wake up after receiving the anesthetics.

It can be extremely difficult to provide small animals like rats with the right amount of anesthetic. However, small and exotic animal veterinarians now use a comprehensive formula to determine anesthetic dosage.

While weight is taken into account, like previous anesthetic techniques, age, health, and preoperative blood tests are also taken into account.

Both internal and external infections are also a problem, but problems can be prevented with post-procedure antibiotics. Internal bleeding can also be problematic, as can trauma due to tearing of sutures along the surgical site.

If you want to understand the specific risks of neutering, talk to your veterinarian.

Veterinarians are just as concerned with your pet’s health and welfare as you are, so prepare your questions and schedule a consultation.

Rat castration costs

If you’ve decided to go all out, so to speak, when it comes to spaying, neutering, or both, then you may want to find out about the cost of the procedure.

The cost varies depending on the vet and your location. However, the prices are usually quite low. Since neutering is a much simpler procedure, you can expect to pay less than $100.

Neutering costs a little more and can actually be two to three times the price. So expect to pay $300 or $350 at the higher end of the scale.

There are some vets who will charge less than $100 for a sterilization procedure, but this may not be a common price point in some areas of the country.

Rehomeing a rat

If you simply don’t have the funds to pay for a neuter or neuter, and you don’t have enough space to house four rats instead of two, then you may want to give one of your rodents a new home.

A new home is one way to ensure your loving rodent friend leads a happy and healthy life with a caring person.

There are several ways to give rats a new home. You can find a new home by finding a suitable forever home through a classifieds service.

However, this can lead to mixed results, including finding people who may not be willing to put in the time and energy to properly care for a rat.

You can also work with a rat rescue organization. There are many national rat rescues across the country.

The best rescues are those that are designated as non-profit organizations or charities. Be sure to ask if an organization is a 501(c)3 entity before working with them.

Most rescuers will ask for a small fee or donation, but fees are usually only a few dollars, so be prepared. Remember that you must hand your pet over to the rescue in its entirety.

At the time of delivery, it is often necessary to sign documents stating this.

Can male and female rats live together – conclusion

Male and female rats can live together, but only if they are spayed and neutered. Spaying and neutering surgeries have some pros and cons that need to be considered, and you always have the option of separating your rats and making new friends for each one.

You have a few options if you randomly put together a male and a female rat. If you are unsure of the best course of action speak to your veterinarian who can guide you through all of your decisions and of course the ins and outs of spaying and neutering.

Do you have a beloved pair of rats that are spayed and neutered, or have you had to separate your own rodents due to a gender mix-up? Let us know in the comments below.

References and further reading

Midnight and Lefteye, adult rats, do a lot of boxing, sliding, and poofy shows. Her owner is very calm about judging her behavior as friendly. We can observe the same behavior in overly aggressive rats. How do you tell the difference? What is the history of the rats’ relationship? Are they friendly to each other in other contexts – do they sleep together, hang out together, etc.? Does one of the rats flinch or freeze when the other rat approaches, indicating an inequality between them? Does the same play behavior occur in small, cramped environments, or over food or another resource where the concept of dominance would be relevant?

Please don’t just assume that if your rats exhibit the same behavior as Midnight and Lefteye, then “everything is fine”. It may not be.

Rats have their own distinct and outstanding personalities, and having them as pets can be a truly awesome experience.

Their personalities change from one Rat to another, so some Rats are laid-back and outgoing while others put more effort into showing dominance.

When rats start to establish dominance it can be a bit confusing as it can sometimes seem like they are fighting too aggressively. So if that’s the case, how do rats really show dominance?

A rat shows dominance by shoving, biting, stepping up, and having small fights with each other until one rat proves it’s the alpha rat.

When black rats start to establish dominance, it can be for many reasons, such as: B. when their current environment changes or when more rats are added to their social group.

No matter what the reason they go through this dominant behavior, the result is always the same.

A rat will be on top once this behavior is over pretty much all the time.

This type of behavior can also last for a while, depending on your personality.

So if you’re a pet rat owner, it’s a good idea to learn how this process works, why they do it, and at what point you should intervene if this dominance behavior gets out of control.

How do black rats show dominance?

When it comes to how black rats establish dominance, it starts with understanding their positions in these social groups.

In their hierarchy there is an Alpha Rat who is in charge of the entire social group. You can help keep things running smoothly and with as few conflicts as possible.

However, determining dominance in their hierarchy is not always easy.

When rats first meet, especially when new rats join, they must establish their pecking order.

Which usually means they have to try and prove who the alpha is. When rats try to establish dominance, they will:

Got small scratches.

Mount each other.

Poke and bite each other.

Start nurturing each other.

Many small fights can take place and the rats will start fighting. If you’re a new pet rat owner, it may seem like they’re trying to breed with each other when they start leveling up.

However, it’s just another way of establishing dominance. The fighting rats will shove, bite, and groom each other, and when they do you’ll usually hear a lot of loud crying or squeaking.

You can quickly notice this type of behavior, as most rats will stretch their hair out of their fur when this happens.

Grooming is another typical way for a rat to show dominance over the others.

The rat being groomed usually makes small squeaky noises, fights, but then they finally surrender.

Rats that resist some of these advances may be bullied or fought into submission by kicking, biting, and pinning.

This type of intensity and potential struggles can lead to new bonds and social groups.

When dominance is established, it helps them live peacefully and happily together.

So you shouldn’t worry too much if you see these things happening in your pet rat family.

Why do pet rats try to show dominance?

Rats are fantastic families and form social groups that build their hierarchy and each rat eventually knows its place in that family.

When the hierarchy is stable it can be very peaceful, but this social structure can change for many reasons.

And your rats may try for the first time or try again to establish dominance.

Some factors that can cause rats to attempt to demonstrate dominance are:

The addition of new rats.

diseases within the group.

New changes in their environment.

A hormonal boost.

They thrive well and in harmony when they have mates and have an Alpha Rat leading the social group or at the top of the hierarchy.

Dominant Alpha Rats have power and will show what they can do. For example, they will keep some other rats away from things they like or value most.

In some cases, they forbid other rats from access to mating partners and sometimes even food.

These rats also behave aggressively towards juvenile rats, which they believe may overthrow them sooner or later in their lives.

When that happens, the juvenile rats are usually waiting for their own dominating moments or old age to come.

A good Alpha Rat can also show dominance by not fighting over food or mates, but rather arbitrating disputes in the social groups.

The more submissive will know they can’t win, so eventually they have to give up.

Is Dominance Normal Behavior for House Rats?

Establishing dominance is a normal behavior seen in many different animals that we keep as pets, and rats are the same way.

This hierarchy leads to the formation of different relationships between social groups and those responsible must be respected.

This dominance helps pet rats live peacefully with one another in their environment.

Sometimes there can be a lot of fighting and threats over the things that are available.

Things like food, shelter, and even their mates need to be shared within the social group.

So when it comes to these things, the dominant rat can help ensure their group moves together in the right way.

Establishing dominance is very important and helps in maintenance and stability within their social groups.

How long does the battle for dominance between rats last?

It can sometimes be difficult to predict how long their struggle for supremacy will last.

Every rat and the current situation they find themselves in is different, but usually the battle for dominance can last a few days and in some cases a few weeks.

Combat begins simply as play-fighting when the rats grow old enough to interact with their companions or siblings.

These fights can help later when trying to establish dominance.

Some adult rats may continue to play fight, and this is more common in sibling groups than in mixed social groups.

However, when it starts to become aggressive, it can sometimes get really bad because it can escalate into serious fights and injuries.

Dominant Rats can remain calm and tolerate these types of situations to show they are still in charge.

But when things get too out of hand, these rats may need to be separated until they can solve their problems.

Because if these small situations are left unresolved, bullying can easily happen.

While it’s sometimes hard to tell if your pet rats are playing or fighting, this shouldn’t be confused with actual battles for dominance.

Should you stop your rats from fighting for dominance?

If your pet rats continue to aggressively fight, chase, shove, or mount each other without stopping, even when they get tired, then something needs to be done.

So if you notice your pet rats starting to get aggressive for a long period of time, it’s a good idea to stop or distract them until they calm down.

If the more submissive Rat doesn’t capitulate when they start confronting each other, a full blown fight could erupt.

However, if the submissive rat allows the dominant rat to make their point, their pursuit and conflict will be over without your intervention.

But when the attacker isn’t satisfied and starts bullying the other rat, it’s time to intervene.

At this point, you can decide whether to separate them for a while or try the split-cage method.

Most of these types of situations are just normal behavior and usually resolve on their own over time.

So if they aren’t too aggressive and a rat claims dominance without much trouble, you really don’t need to intervene.

Once everything is established, pet rats will become more affectionate towards each other and even their owners over time.

So it’s actually very important to leave them alone and stay away from them when they’re trying to establish dominance.

This way their social structure or hierarchy can be established without too many problems.