# Stressed male rat going crazy... jealousy/passion/anger??



## xoxmansonxox (Apr 23, 2009)

Okay, we have a family rat called Costa, male, about a year and a half old, and since we bough him we, every night without fail, have him play around on the sofa with us and he's so comfortable with us he just sleeps there sometimes even on us on our laps.
Recently, about 2 weeks ago, we adopted a female rat because her owner was getting kicked out of his house. Both rats have a lovely temprament, have never bitten or been aggressive. The two haven't properly met eachother, but they have been close-up at the bars and there were no negative signals, if anything they just ignored eachother and went and ate in their own cages.
We take her out first, let her roam on the sofa, put her back and then take him out to do the same and he's never acted weird before until 3 days ago and everyday since. At about 8pm when we would take him out, he goes mental and starts jumping up the side of the cage, which he never normally does, and after his fit of despair he just collapses in the corner of the cage and stays still as though he's tired or has just given up. He even just collapses when you take him out the cage in a panic to see if he's okay, and he just ends up falling asleep in your arms. It's really weird. Tonight, before collapsing in a corner on the sofa, he ran around the back of the sofa where she had previously been.

Why is he doing this? I'm getting worried because he keeps forcing his head through a tiny hole in the bars when he goes crazy and I'm worried about him. When we take him out when he's doing it he latches onto your arm because he just doesn't wanna stay in the cage, he's never aggressive about it though. :/

It is because he realises the other rat is a girl, and he wants to meet her? Jealousy that we take her out onto the sofa, too? Angry that his territory is being trampled by another rat?

Any help would be very much appreciated!!


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

You don't mention if Costa is neutered or if the female is spayed?? I'm hoping one of them are?


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## begoodtoanimals (Dec 6, 2007)

I guess he senses the female's heat and goes crazy of not being able to breed her. No wonder he gets tired of his stress after his quiet uneventful life...
This is hard for both animals. Both are lonely and craving company....with benefits


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## xoxmansonxox (Apr 23, 2009)

He's not been neutered and she's not been spayed.

Do you think he just wants to breed with her and it's driving him 'round the bend?
Whetever it is, I've moved her to a completely different room.  although now a bigger problem is that she's very old and I think she's on her last legs, she's just lying around and shuffling and not doing anything, but min you she is a canny age.


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

xoxmansonxox said:


> He's not been neutered and she's not been spayed.


So why have you had them together??... you'll have to hope she isn't pregnant. Why don't you get another male and female, so you can have 2 groups of each sex - leaving no rats living on their own. Or neuter the male so he can be housed with the female. I'm assuming spaying the female isn't an option as you say she's getting on. How old is she? Also how old is your boy?


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## mongoosedog1 (Mar 8, 2008)

They never said the rats were in the same cage, though I agree each rat should have a same sex buddy to live with them.


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

mongoosedog1 said:


> They never said the rats were in the same cage, though I agree each rat should have a same sex buddy to live with them.


So it doesn't - I must have read through the post quickly and misread! They should definitely have at least a buddy each though.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

he sounds lonely. :-\

I would assume that he has been a lone rat all his life? then suddenly there's another rat he can smell and he recognizes as a rat like himself?? He wants to meet another rat, and now is desperately lonely.

Whats wrong with your girl? any clue how old?

I think your boy needs a same-sex friend too...maybe a baby boy or 2 since they are the best to intro to adult males


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## Ky_Zack (Feb 14, 2009)

I'm not rat analyst but if I had to guess I say he just wants him some...


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## marshmallowfriend (Apr 16, 2009)

Ky_Zack said:


> I'm not rat analyst but if I had to guess I say he just wants him some...


LOL
I tend to agree. That or he's like Marshmallow and wants to end her :-[


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