# Video of rats fighting. Are they play fighting or real fighting?



## Camelle (Feb 11, 2013)

So finally got the video!! The last one made me wanna cry but I couldn't stop it cause I knew you guys would need to see it to tell.


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## Willieboo (Oct 22, 2012)

I'm not 100% sure, so it'd probably be best to collect opinions...but to me it just looks like dominance play. My girls act similarly in the cage and out of it when they roughhouse together, and sometimes they do get rough and flip each other and flail and stand-off, and Lou complains a lot (and loud), but they've never hurt each other. "No-blood-no-foul", so they say.
So, as long as there hasn't previously been any blood or injuries from these tiffs, then I would tend to want to say they're dominance playing (play-fighting). Your dark-hooded definitely wants your fawn-hooded to know who's boss.
That's what it looks like in my opinion, anyway; sorry I couldn't be more helpful! Hopefully others will come along to help clarify. Wishing the best for your boys!


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## Flora (Aug 30, 2012)

There is definitely some dominance issues going on there. Like Willie says if there are no injures they should be OK. Just keep a close eye on them and check them daily for wounds. I know it looks scary but they have to work it out. How long have they been housed together?


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## alexn (Sep 30, 2012)

Looks like dominance fighting to me. If they really wanted to hurt each other, there wouldn't be that pause/look around by the one on top once the other was pinned. 

As others have said, keep an eye on it, and if there are any cuts etc, then start looking into it. Even then, they could be accidental - I know that with mine, Daisy did end up with a scratch on her neck, but Toki soon realised she was biting too hard, and it healed in a couple days.


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## lynrichards13 (Mar 21, 2012)

I agree with others. It looks just like what my two girls used to do. Merlin (the pet store said she was a boy- they were wrong! luckily she wasn't pregnant when we got her!) I got first and got V a couple weeks later. Merlin was older I think and much bigger than V and was always the dominant one. They would "fight" if V tried to drink the water before Merlin! But they slept together etc and V never got seriously hurt, though, like Willieboo's rat she can be VERY vocal. It sounded scary but I'd go over and they would stop and go about their business.

Merlin was also coincidentally MUCH smarter than V but also much less friendly. She never bit me or anything but she was very skittish and took awhile to stop running for cover at every noise or approach to the cage. I don't know if that had anything to do with it though. Merlin is now over the rainbow bridge and I am hopefully going to get V some friends soon.


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## ratclaws (Nov 11, 2012)

This isn't play fighting, it's more aggressive than that. It's definitely dominance though, I'd say that the black/dark brown hooded rat is bullying the fawn hooded one for sure. You should let them sort it out; however if you begin to notice further aggression and any biting then I'd look more into it. Judging by how the fawn hooded one isn't even doing much to instigate a fight I would keep my eye out however because that dominance seems too much for what's actually occurring. If things don't improve in future you may have to add a third rat into the mix to establish a greater hierarchy, or possibly have 2 in each group OR a softer rat for the fawn hooded and keep the dark one alone... however this is only a last resort if things escalate a lot further. Just persist and see what happens. How old are they and what sex? (can't quite tell in the video). It could be hormonal.


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## Kaliloca (Jan 24, 2013)

It would appear the black one is the Alpha of the two. He's just asserting his dominance. Of course, the fawn/cream one isn't exactly "passive". So, your Alpha male is pushing the dominant/alpha thing a bit harder than he normally would.

A bigger cage would help, but not completely solve the problem. A bigger cage will allow each of them to have "alone time" and yet they'd still be sharing space. BTW your Alpha is trying to control "all" the space. He's very dominant. If your other male was "totally passive" that would be fine, but he's not. He's still insisting on "his own space". 

Eventually, they will work it out. However, you may get some actual injuries before that happens. I'd watch them closely.


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## Camelle (Feb 11, 2013)

Alright thank you all so much! You have been such a help to me! I will keep watching them and let you know if it gets worse. Yes ratclaws that's what I thought and it has already been implemented as a last resort to get another rat. Thank you all so much!


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## Hero-wuff (Sep 27, 2012)

Mine have scrapped quite badly before but it is just a dominance thing. It sounds horrible because of all the squeaking but they don't hurt each other~
By the look of your picture, they seem quite happy together :3


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## Camelle (Feb 11, 2013)

Yeah they still sleep together so that gives me hope but then they go and do this and yes it does sound horrible. Is he really not in pain?


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## Jenzie (Dec 26, 2012)

I like to think of the squeaking sounds they make like how kids will scream when they wrestle with each other. It sounds much worse than it is. It looks like they're working on dominance and it'll probably subside soon. As someone else said if they really wanted to hurt each other they wouldn't stop like that. Just watch them for injuries, though injuries can happen by accident too.


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## Camelle (Feb 11, 2013)

Jenzie said:


> I like to think of the squeaking sounds they make like how kids will scream when they wrestle with each other. It sounds much worse than it is. It looks like they're working on dominance and it'll probably subside soon. As someone else said if they really wanted to hurt each other they wouldn't stop like that. Just watch them for injuries, though injuries can happen by accident too.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Alright! Thank you so much! That's good way to look at it!


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## Cherubim (Dec 6, 2007)

Mine were really being horrible and noisy and it was Elvis picking on Romeo. I didn't want Romeo to get hurt but I know they were close to it so I removed Romeo and put him in the smaller cage for a few hours and put him back and they were fine. That just looks like dominance fighting.


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## willard73 (Nov 1, 2012)

I dont mean to hijack this but I have 2 doing this now. My oldest is passive wont fight back but has always been Alpha. The younger one is fighting for Dominace and is leaving cuts. The first cut is pretty nasty in length. Today we noticed a new one on the face. I dont know what to do at this point. They have lived together since we bought them and I do have a seperate cage with another male that it in the room. I dont know what to do. Do you think the other male that is in the top cage is making the yougest fight for dominace in his older sibling?


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