# Rat attack



## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

So, I had one of my boys attack my arm the other night, sending me to the hospital for stitches. Now I'm worried about that one being aggressive. Problem is, I don't know exactly which it was as my boys are all brothers and unless I look at their bellies I don't know off the top of my head who it is. And when you have a large gash on your arm, the last thing you're thinking is grab him.

I suspect who it may have been because he's shown aggression in the past. Is there anyway I can test them to see who is aggressive, so I can keep a close eye on him?


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

What were you doing when you were attacked? Can you mark them to be more easily identifiable? (sharpie on their tails, maybe?)


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## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

I was laying newspaper in the bottom of their cage. The top was off of it, they were running around my room. He wasn't cornered or anything.


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## kaylaface (Sep 6, 2007)

It might have been a territorial thing. maybe take them out when you clean the cage or something. I have a separate small cage I put my boys in while cleaning their cage.


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## simbakitten (Oct 10, 2007)

ouch stiches! i dont know it seems pretty unprevoked. strange


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## lostbutnotforgot (Apr 19, 2007)

I cannot think of any way to test them, except maybe do the same thing again but with some sort of protection (like a ski jacket) so when he does attack you you can just pick him up to see who he is?

I would also highly recommend getting him neutered if you can! I'm sure that would bring down his level of aggression. 

I hope you're arm heals without any problems!


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

I would definitely opt to have him neutered.

You got stitches for an animal bite? That's really strange. The wound's supposed to stay open, so an infection doesn't happen.


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## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

Kaylaface, they weren't in the cage, they were running around the room. The top wasn't even on.

Unfortunately I can't afford to get him neutered. It was expensive enough getting the girls fixed.

And Night, they had to stitch it because it was so deep you could see fatty tissue. It wasn't like a bite, it was more like a slash in the skin, and they cleaned it out well.


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## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

Oh, and like I said, I don't know which one it was since my boys are brothers and I have to pick him up to tell (wasn't the first thing on my mind, was more thinking PUT PRESSURE ON ARM WHICH IS GUSHING BLOOD). So I definitely can't afford to get all of them neutered.


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## cappy (Oct 9, 2007)

OUCH
like i'v been bitten by python's but nothing that bad 
but OUCH

oh i don't now if this would help but it help's alot with boa's and python's when you reach in there to pick one of em up make sure your not afraid or anything cause alot of animal's can almost sense fear and they may mistake you for prey or somthing else


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

Cappy - doing that will more than likely get someone bit again if you're dealing with an aggressive animal.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Did he jump on your arm and kind of curl over it to bite or hug the arm? That sounds like hormonal aggression, like he was trying to "hump" the arm. 

Sharpie marker on tail and inside ear so you can see which one it is coming and going and can be more wary around him. Neutering is usually a lot cheaper than a spay.


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## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

lilspaz, no he just kind of jumped and slashed across, didn't grab me at all. Then he hid under the bed when I screamed, so I think he knew he did wrong. But my friends didn't check who he was when they picked him up and put him in the container because they were more concerned with me bleeding.


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