# are my rats playing or fighting?



## descartes (Apr 25, 2008)

I used to have a single fancy rat, but it passed away. I got two blue rats after that. I felt guilty that one would be lonely so I read that a cage mate is a good idea. They are both female and the lady from the store claimed they are both from the same litter. They are fine around people, never bitten me. But they are very aggressive towards each other. There seems to be a dominant one that pushed the other one out of the way when i try to give them treats. But they seem to fight alot at night. It hard to see whats going on because when i turn on a light they stop. One seems to follow the other around biting at her back end and face. I just figured they were playing but it seems to be getting worse. They will make a lot of noise and will shake the whole cage!They start screaming very loudly and bedding gets thrown out of the cage. Also it has gotten to the point where if i try to give them a treat one will rip the food out of my hand instantly and run away to hide it, while the other will only smell the food and not take it. But when i lay the food on the ground she will timidly pick it up and take it somewhere to eat. Also the agressive one will put it's food somewhere and come back to try and take the food from the nicer one. I even gave her like half a bagel one time just to see and see dragged the whole thing, bigger than her to a corner, and still took the small piece i gave the other one. I check them every once in a while but I have never found any wounds or blood. My question:
1. Are they hurting each other?
My biggest concern is for their saftey, should i separate them? Or is that normal?
2. How do I stop it?
If it isn't dangerous than that is what is important, but they are in my room and it wakes me up when they fight. Is there any way to get them to stop doing this? or at least not as loud? I feel like they are hurting each other and it makes it hard to go back to sleep. Plus I'm afraid the submissive one is not getting enough to eat, although she looks healthy enough.


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

They're probably playing. The general rule people tend to go by is "no blood, no foul". You say one is being bitten on the neck and back? If there are no marks, they aren't being bitten. Rats will steal each others food, mine try to do it all the time. Mine also squeak in protest while being groomed by another, ratties can sound over-dramatic . If you're worried about her weight, you could weigh her regularly to monitor it, but more than likely she'll be getting all the food she needs.


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## descartes (Apr 25, 2008)

OK thanks. That's what I figured, just wanted to ask someone just to make sure. They both seem to be completely healthy, i just hate to hear her scream, I guess I know what a mother feels like!


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## adoraluna (May 9, 2009)

descartes said:


> I guess I know what a mother feels like!


I can't speak as a mother of human children, but the first time I heard one of the girls squeak in protest to some power grooming, I jumped over to the cage and was about to pull them apart, when I realized there was no blood. 

Like Stace said... No blood, no foul.


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## marshmallowfriend (Apr 16, 2009)

Like the others said, if no one is injured they're just playing. Rats love to wrestle and certainly do make a lot of noise at night! Your alpha may just be a little rude but if she's not drawing blood, she's playing fair.


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## descartes (Apr 25, 2008)

OK now things have changed a little. The noise they make and gotten much louder and they are throwing bedding out fo the cage when they "fight". And today when I took them out to play I notice a bump under thier fur. I could only look at the one on Chip becuase Dale wouldn't stay still long enough but it looks like a little scab where she was bit and was bleeding. So if they are starting to draw blood what do i do? How do punish a rat if at all?


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## HappyMooCow (Jan 10, 2009)

mine did the same thing and I have separeated them..

the timid one is much happier now and more outgoing again...

so I can't really give advice but a second cage..


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## descartes (Apr 25, 2008)

ok i got to see how there fights start for the first time today. I gave chip a piece of toasted bagel and while she was trying to eat it dale slowly sneaks up behind her. Then she slowly mounts chip. Dale kinda tries to push her off with back legs and keep eating but dale is persistent. Once she is there she just kinda latches on to chip's back between the shoulder blades and won't let go. Chip doesn't yell for awhile so I don't thin she is biting hard but then she start to get worse. Chip starts screaming and running away and dale chases her around and won't let her eat. Even when I give them both a piece dale hides hers and goes and takes chips. And the fight over their regular feed the same way. When they aren't eating the get along fine but if chip tries to eat then dale gets aggressive. That doesn't sound like just a cranky rat to me but maybe I'm wrong. Is there anyway i can solve this beside separating them? I really don't want to becuase they are usually so happy and really don't have the money to buy a second full size cage. Could I separate them and feed them just not leave any food in there cage maybe? Any advice would help.


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## pentacle565 (May 7, 2009)

I would think separating them to feed sounds like the only way, but they need to eat quite frequently, don't they? Could you perhaps divide your cage?


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## lessthansign3 (Dec 15, 2007)

What I've done is I'll take the submissive rat and play with her while the dominant rat eats, or the other way around.


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## homebody (Jan 26, 2009)

Well, whatever you end up doing, give little Chip an extra kiss or two because I'm starting to feel kind of bad for her! :-[

I have a weird situation with mine... my tiny Bette is horribly timid but is absolutely the instigator between the two. She is ALWAYS on top of Tina, flipping her over and making her squeak no matter what Tina was doing to mind her own business. If Tina tries even a little to get back at Bette or messes with her, Bette cries like such a drama queen! They are awfully loud at night, always messing with each other... I've seen bite marks once or twice. Thet;re not particularly aggressive about food besides maybe cutting in line when it's treat time. Good lucking working it out with your girls, hope they learn to love each other.


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