# my girl rat still biting after 2 months at home,help!!!



## cladcat6 (Feb 3, 2008)

I have got female rat, she is now 4 months old and she still bites.when I sit at the computer and move the mouse she always goes for my fingers and draw blood. also she likes to attack my toes!!!!!why she does it?????
what can I do?please help
I tried forced socialisation, make the eek noise, nothing helps,has anyone have the same problems with taming their girl?is taking so long now and I get bitten every day.you also cannot always scoop her and she is very territorial about her cage.
please help!!!!


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## Urithrand (Feb 12, 2008)

I wish I could help but as I mentioned in another thread, I am having the same problem. I am hoping that it's not just part of her nature and there's some underlying problem I can solve but the more I learn the more it seems possible she just has a very nervous, protective nature. All we can do is continue to be patient and gentle, and maybe don't let her free-range on the desk if she doesn't like the mouse. The clicking might make her jump.

One thing I have noticed is (in my case at least) there is a definate pattern to her biting. She will only bite while in her cage, and only when she's tired or just been woken up. Try to see if there are certain behaviours she bites you for and learn from it. That's what I'm trying at least, but feel free to experiment, I'm not hugely experienced myself, I've only had rats a year. Hope this helps!


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## k_petersen5 (Jan 26, 2008)

One of my girls is similar. My other rat is fine and super friendly but blueberry just hasnt come around and I have had her for 2 months. I just keep working with her and have seen some improvements though. I make her take treats out of my hand, and she has no problem with this as she is a little pig, but she hates being handled, and often bites me when I reach in the cage. Shes drawn blood twice on me and once on my boyfriend. All I can say is keep working with her and keep offering her treats. I have read that some rats personalities are just that way. Also, do you have another rat with her? Blueberry did get better once we got her a buddy, it brought her out of her shell a little. Good luck!!!
Kelsey


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## jesirose (Feb 22, 2008)

Move the cage a bit farther from your computer, and wear shoes


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## cladcat6 (Feb 3, 2008)

Thanks everyone, please keep posting me your advises, I already wear full slippers and gloves when I 'm on my computer, she doesn't bite when on my hands or when climbing on me,once she even slept in my hair,how funny.
she biten me and my boyfriend many times and I'm still healing my wounds. It's like one bite a day If I'm not careful.
someone has mentioned sth interesting because computer is very close to her cage so my be she thinks it's her territory, I wouldn't even dare to put my hand in a cage but saying that when I open the door I can feed her from my hand when she sit on them and I don't get injured.Although I have to pick her up in gloves just in case because she is not keen on it.
she only let me pick her up with bare hands few times.
The other thing is I used to have a male rat many years ago and it was the most cudly and friendly rat ever, he never bit me once, I could pick him up anytime anywhere anyway.He was also a single rat.
I was thinking about getting one more girl but I was scared that she would kill her. Introducing new rat is the whole new story.
I will post her picture she is really cute!!


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## Adie09 (Jan 24, 2008)

I'm not sure what to tell you.
Domesticated rats shouldn't bite.
My friend is having the same problem. But of course she got a pet store rat(which is all you can get out here) and turned out to be pregnant. The little punk refuses to be handled and will bite any chance she gets. 
She is keeping two girls(which she hand tamed) and is giving the mom away to the pet store with the rest. The mom probably wont get sold, and will become snake food(same fate as the big rat that bit me at the pet store) and I know that sounds terrible but we've had no luck with her rat Mandi. Sometimes there is just nothing you can do. 

but it could also just be her personality...maybe thats just how she rolls

I dunno if anyone will find the snake food comment offensive but if you do I apologize. It's just what happens. 

Nikki >.<


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## Rattiegma (Jan 23, 2008)

Yes, Adie, sometimes there is nothing you can do, but you can keep trying. You can keep trying forced socialization, of course wearing something to protect you from bites. Some rats take a lot longer to become social, and of course there are a few who might never be. But does that mean they should end up in a snake's belly?...


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## Rattiegma (Jan 23, 2008)

cladcat6 said:


> I was thinking about getting one more girl but I was scared that she would kill her. Introducing new rat is the whole new story.


I've never had any personal experience with this, but I have read a few times on here that rats that were bitey or aggressive, when introduced to a cage mate, became friendlier and more sociable. I'm not saying this is your only option, but it definitely might be something to think about. Of course you'd have to keep working with your original girl, and you'd have to Quarantine the new one, and go through slow intro's, but it just may work.


Good luck with your little girl! =)


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## cladcat6 (Feb 3, 2008)

Hello
just read your comment Adie09 and found it very offensive:how dare you writing about rat as a snake food,just because it bites it doesn't mean you have to give up on it. it's awful!!!have you got any feelings at all?
how would you feel if your mum gave you up?
and by the way do you know why pregnant rat bites?because she protects her little rats.


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## Orion (Mar 8, 2008)

I guess I got lucky. My rats where lab rat rescues (not experimented on!). They are so used to being picked up whenever and by whoever that the have never bitten any one! My friend just ratsat them for couple days. He says his 2 and 4 year old daughters had a riot playing with them! Made me nervous at first but they never picked them up by their tails and the rat loved it just as much as the kids did!
The only female rats I have ever met were both very jumpy and very bitey! I think that Urithrand had it right! Find out when she bites and try to figure out why. If it is like Urithrand's problem the easy solution is not to put your hand in the cage. Just open the door and when she is ready she will come out.


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## Jenje! (Mar 5, 2008)

cladcat6 said:


> Hello
> just read your comment Adie09 and found it very offensive:how dare you writing about rat as a snake food,just because it bites it doesn't mean you have to give up on it. it's awful!!!have you got any feelings at all?
> how would you feel if your mum gave you up?
> and by the way do you know why pregnant rat bites?because she protects her little rats.


Well, personally I never bit my mother... but if I had I can't say I would've been able to blame her for feeding me to a snake. :wink: 

Don't be so quick to judge. For one thing, the rat Adie09 is talking about doesn't belong to her and thus it isn't her decision. Snakes have to eat too. An aggressive animal has no place in my home- no ifs, ands, or buts. Sorry!

My pet store rat has been with me a week and has yet to bite me. He's laid teeth on the tips of my fingers once or twice, but only when I'd just picked up or put down a yogie. Once he realized that the yogurty smell was the best part of the bargain, he backed off quickly.


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## jesirose (Feb 22, 2008)

Jenje, I had Katie a lot longer than a week before she bit me and my husband. Don't think you're in the clear dear. She was easy to handle for a month before I started having trouble with her and have since had to invest a lot of time in trust training. Today was a major breakthrough, she walked onto my hand. But she bit me lightly earlier the same day. A small little rat who is obviously scared and stressed biting a huge hand coming at it is not aggressive. Most rats that bite have a good reason and it's the human's fault. The same goes for dogs that bite, it's poor training. If you end up with an animal that bites and you don't want to take the time to properly train it, 99% of the time that's your fault, not the animal's. 

Children bite all the time, I'm sure you DID bite your mother. Don't be silly.

Also, if the rat Adie09 is talking about doesn't get sold as she said, I don't see how it would become a snake meal, as it would have to be purchased for such a purpose.


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## Jenje! (Mar 5, 2008)

jesirose said:


> Jenje, I had Katie a lot longer than a week before she bit me and my husband. Don't think you're in the clear dear. She was easy to handle for a month before I started having trouble with her and have since had to invest a lot of time in trust training. Today was a major breakthrough, she walked onto my hand. But she bit me lightly earlier the same day. A small little rat who is obviously scared and stressed biting a huge hand coming at it is not aggressive. Most rats that bite have a good reason and it's the human's fault. The same goes for dogs that bite, it's poor training. If you end up with an animal that bites and you don't want to take the time to properly train it, 99% of the time that's your fault, not the animal's.
> 
> Children bite all the time, I'm sure you DID bite your mother. Don't be silly.
> 
> Also, if the rat Adie09 is talking about doesn't get sold as she said, I don't see how it would become a snake meal, as it would have to be purchased for such a purpose.


Okay _sweetheart_... 

I said "has yet to" bite me. :?: Did you miss that bit? My goodness, don't be so silly. My point was that I have been lucky with my pet store rat thus far.

And FYI- my mother and I have discussed my failings as a child- it's an amusing topic between the two of us and I never bit her. I'll see her tomorrow, though- if it would amuse you I might try it then. It definitely amuses me when people take something so obviously tongue-in-cheek to heart, especially with the use of smilie faces... :wink: 

The idea that animal aggression is "99% human error" is bullpucky. I can't even begin to tell you how many animals- horses, dogs, a bird now- I've handled over time who have just been "built" that way. It happens, as it does in humans. And then you have the group who have assorted neurological problems... even ranging so far as to have tumors that effect hormone production and send a basically nice animal into an "attack". And before you blame me for those animals, I do have quite a bit of experience in training. Thanks in advance. 

I find it amusing that you say that this "obviously scared and stressed rat is (...) not aggressive", considering that you haven't met it? Or perhaps you have and think that playing the old "I know something you don't know" card with me on here and passing open judgment on the owner (also here) is more helpful than, say, offering to give the rat a home?

Now, do I think that the OP should abandon all hope for her new rat after two months? Gosh no. That would be jumping the gun.

What I said- in case you missed it- was that we shouldn't be so quick to judge. And that is true. I don't think any of us should waste our time judging another person's situation or even their willingness to try and work an animal through a large issue. Some people can't handle it, or don't want to... and that is their choice. There are others in the world who are willing to do that, and this particular rat stands a better chance of meeting someone like that if she goes back to the pet store than she would sitting in a cage at the current owner's house. And if she doesn't, she will help to continue the natural cycle of things. 

Adie09, please don't take it to heart. I think it was rather nice of you to consider everyone's feelings and apologize in advance if your comment hurt anyone's feelings. That bit seems to have been glossed over.


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## Jenje! (Mar 5, 2008)

For the OP...

I wonder if perhaps (considering the fact that you also say she is territorial about her cage, which leads me to think that she must be a lot _more_ territorial than most female rats for it to have borne mentioning) this is typical "girlishness" combined with a hormone problem? 

It might be worth it to you to ask your vet if s/he thinks that a spay might cut down on some of the tendencies you're seeing with your girl.  Anything to make her life a little easier, and yours! 

If you ask my mother, again- who was only just recently "spayed" herself- being moody and snappish, although less literally, isn't any more fun for her than it is for the people who have to live with her! :lol: Okay, well, maybe just a _little_ more fun.


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## jesirose (Feb 22, 2008)

Oh for pete's sake, you're being hypocritical, saying I'm passing judgement on others when you're doing the exact same thing. I didn't say HER rat was scared I meant MINE was. 

Whatever, you completely read into what I was saying to get what you wanted out of it. I never said the OP should do one thing or another with her rat, she should do what she thinks will be best for it.


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## Cameron (Feb 29, 2008)

It is possible that is is from her blood line and it is also possible that it is from lack of handling.

Rats pretty much get any simptoms that their parents have e.g jumpy kind of rats make jumpy babies

You just need to try your hardest to get your hands near her and for her to know your hand are there but are not hurting you. You could decide to spay her as that may help

Oh and guys. Rats are bred for snake feeders and i find that absolutely normal. Snakes must eat. Its just like us eating beef and pork etc

Cheers
Cameron


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## Jenje! (Mar 5, 2008)

Cameron said:


> It is possible that is is from her blood line and it is also possible that it is from lack of handling.
> 
> Rats pretty much get any simptoms that their parents have e.g jumpy kind of rats make jumpy babies


Right! It's the same with most breeding animals... there's just no legitimate reason to breed bad-tempered animals because they almost always pass it on. But it happens that people breed pet store animals (with no idea of their lineage/"family" histories) all the time... and varying kinds of neurosis are common.

Now, with horses, early weaning can help... I'm thinking of one mare in particular who, while easy enough to handle and not vicious, constantly goes around with a nasty look on her face. Her last foal, now five years old, was the sweetest one on the place from day one. I begged her owner to wean her early. Please, please, please don't leave her on that mare any longer than you have to. He ignored me, believing that human nurture could overcome animal, and by the time she hit six months old and went into the weanling pasture, she was wearing her mother's expression. She's still like that to this day, and it's sad, because she's an incredible animal. 

Sorry, rambling!


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## Cameron (Feb 29, 2008)

yea. It is also that people just breed and don't really care e.g some stupid people have rat breeding buisness and yea there are those shops that breed a single female 4-5 times and don't really care about the line and when that female dies they wounder why.

Cheers
cameron


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## foxthegoldfish (Mar 4, 2008)

one of my boys has started biting. he is good with treats from your hand etc but if he gets handled he bites HARD!!!!! 

please help!

his cage mate is quite happy and social  but not this shy little boy


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## GracieBaby (Sep 30, 2007)

I guess i have been really lucky with my little girl she was from a pet store. I do trust this pet store however. I have had her for 7 months and she has never bitten me or anyone who has held her. I have 2 little cousins who are 7 and 5 and they hold her and play with her and they are perfectly fine so i think it is wrong to say that all pet stores are bad and sell sick or agressive pets. I only have one rat so again maybe i got lucky and before you freak out on me for only having one rat let me explain that is my situation and unfortunately as much as i would like to change it i can not so pouncing on me will not do anything but make me annoyed sorryif anyone takes that offensively.


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