# Is my rat in heat?



## PauO (Oct 11, 2012)

So I noticed today that whenever I started to play wrestle or chase my rat with my hand there would be moments when she would completely stop every now and then. During this periods her tail twitches slightly at the tip she will flatten herself to the ground and stiffen her body while raising her head. Also when this happens I will withdraw my hand and she will look for it and if she finds it she will obsessively lick and groom it for a good minute or two. is my rat in heat? what should I do? can I keep on playing with her or should I wait until she calms down?


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## Raturday (May 26, 2012)

Does she do an arch as well as raising her head? Sounds like she may be in heat, especially if she's super active. If so, there's nothing you should do, you can keep playing with her just fine. Get used to this behavior, it happens every 5 days or so


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## PauO (Oct 11, 2012)

EVERY 5 DAYS?!!!! I like my rat I really do but there is a point at when she turns around and looks expectantly at my hand to do something that you just have to face palm and tell yourself that it's just instincts. She hasn't been doing this all the time so I hope you mean like it happens like 2 a year or so....right?


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## PauO (Oct 11, 2012)

I was hoping she was just pretending to be a rattlesnake by shaking the tip of her tail but I guess that is just wishful thinking.


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## riotfox (Apr 16, 2010)

sounds like she is in heat! a lot of times they will vibrate their ears as well. personally i dont like to handle them too much when my girls are in heat . but you dont have to do anything differently. just do whatever you feel comfortable with. it definitely, in my experience anyway, happens more than twice a year! but i wouldnt say every five days either. at the very least, it doesnt last long . ive eard that seeing a buck can send them into heat too.


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## Phoebe_22 (Aug 8, 2012)

My girls were stressed out a few weeks ago because I was giving them mite drops, so to calm them down I thought i'd find a video on youtube of rats making happy noises. About ten minutes later, Willow was doing all the things your girl was doing while vibrating her ears etc and after checking on the video, I was playing boy noises to them. So I actually PUT my rat in heat haha! I felt a little bit like god and also a little bit perverted. So I certainly won't be doing it again


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Yep it's every 3 to 5 days. (Some do it every 6 or 7 days) though typically it only happens in the evening for a few hours, so you probably won't notice it every time she is going into heat.


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