# Biting on neck and earlobes. :C



## quiver (Dec 17, 2011)

So I have a new pet rat named Rory, he's still young (how much exactly I'm unsure, but young enough to poop on me, and still smaller than the size of my fist) and he's been with me for about three weeks. (I haven't got a second companion rat just yet, because I will be leaving for holidays soon, and it's hard enough to get someone to take care of one rat, let alone two. So for now, it's just him.)

Up until this point, he was fine. Hardly any biting or nipping, other than the occasional nip at fingers which smell, or running off with the eraser on my desk. I've placed him on my shoulder many times before, where he usually (poops) walks around on, and is generally calm. But recently he's taken to biting me on the neck and earlobes.

The first time, he went to bite my earlobe (it wasn't a fierce bite that drew blood, so I don't think it's aggression?) and it wasn't like an immediate lunge. He walked around as usual, and suddenly thought to bite my earlobe. I shrugged it off as a mistake, and left him alone... until he went for my neck. That one left a small mark, although nothing that hurt past a few seconds. It was worrying though, so I put him back in the cage. I thought I may have smelled funny perhaps from some external source, so I just complained to my sister and brushed it off.

The second time (which was yesterday night), I took a bath just before (using no shampoo, in case those smell appetizing) and then placed him back on my shoulders. (It might be worth noting that right now I usually reach for him from the cage; he's usually unwilling, but not to the point of biting or being afraid.) Again, after a few moments, out of the blue, he bit me again. So now I have this rat-induced vampire mark on the left of my neck. Great. (I picked him back up, scolded him and put him back. No treats. >:I)

The third time (just now), I figured another reason might be hunger. So far he didn't seem to have problems with food, but just in case he's growing even more and needs a greater intake of food, I fed him just beforehand. Couple of sunflower seeds, and then took him out and gave him baby food (strawberry and banana) until he didn't want to eat anymore. Then placed him on my shoulders again, after many minutes of crawling around all over my desk. Knowing what had been done though, everytime he touched my neck I was all D: so I covered that particular part of my neck with my hand, so just in case he really was going to bite, he'd go for my fingers instead. It seemed to go okay until he reached for my earlobe and bit there. Which made me >:I and put him back in the cage.

So what do I do now? Can't seem to pinpoint a reason, as if it's fear he'd probably be attacking during my actual handling of him right? Not when he's free to roam the width of my shoulders? Can't be aggression too, as he is usually calm and quiet in the cage. Really wanted him to be a shoulder pet, so this is sad news. :c Any advice?

(Note: He doesn't bite me on the hands, or any other time I handle him. Just for some reason, on the earlobe and neck on the left side of my head (although to be fair, he usually hangs around the left side anyway.))


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## 1a1a (May 6, 2011)

No clues for how to fix it but I can relate as I had a nipper - in the end, I just didn't trust her around eyelids. Best bet is to go with the negative reinforcement of that behaviour - scold, return to cage. 

You say he might be hungry, do you not 'free feed'?

Chin up, perhaps his companion when you get him, will be more sooky


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## BigBen (Nov 22, 2011)

Do you think the biting could just be aggressive grooming, or does it seem as though he's being hostile. My rats nibble at me sometimes, but it's clearly either tasting or grooming. Sometimes they are a little too enthusiastic or they tickle unbearably, in which case I find it helpful to squeak loudly. They seem to get the idea right away and back off. A couple of times my boy rats climbed up my leg while we were playing in bed, and I found out the hard way each time that they were _inside_ my pajamas when they got to my crotch and decided to check out what they found there. Boy, did I squeak then! They were only delicate little nibbles, but those teeth are _sharp!_ Since then, however, they've each left that part of my anatomy alone. (Funnily, it's only been the boys; guess it's a cross-species trait for guys to want to check out another guy's equipment!)


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## quiver (Dec 17, 2011)

Thanks for the quick replies!

@1a1a: Meep, eyelid biting sounds much worse. Probably will try continuing some negative reinforcement and see how it goes (at the expense of more vampiric marks, but oh well haha). I initially started with leaving extra food for him, until sadly on the second day, his cage swarmed with ants (and I can't seem to find the source of the ants to get rid of them) so I stopped and gave guessed measured amounts, or I fed him until he stopped eating when I am around to supervise him. Tried feeding him again today and he seemed to be eating more than usual, so I guess he's growing and (hopefully) it may have been just a bigger appetite. I'll probably give him more than usual so he has a little stash of hoarded seeds and see if anything changes.

@BigBen: I hadn't considered aggressive grooming actually... the squeaking idea sounds awesome, will definitely try that out and see if he gets the picture. He doesn't seem hostile in personality at all, which was what worried me initially since it was really out of the blue. How exactly to rats imitate grooming behaviour with humans, might I ask? (Also, LOL that was definitely an amusing experience/insight, thanks haha.)


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## CarrieD (Nov 20, 2011)

I have a young girl who's gotten me twice on the eyelid now. Youch! She's not being aggresive, just testing a little too rough. A loud OUCH does the trick, and I'm a little more careful where she's at when I get into the cage.


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## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

My boys try to groom me the same as other rats- it's very sweet. They lick a LOT but then they very very gently nibble around with their teeth. :3

They have never hurt me, but your boy may just not get that it can hurt. You can also try blowing a stream of air on his face when he is either about to bite or right when he does.


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