# Stress related behaviour in pet rats



## hrl20100 (May 1, 2013)

Hiya everyone 

I have been rather inactive over the last few weeks (college took over!) which really annoyed me.
However, I am back! 
And I have questions! ;D

So for college, I have another behaviour assignment to do. We have to create 2 leaflets explaining these behaviours (fear, stress, dominance, submission and aggression) in 2 animals of our choice. I have chosen rats and dogs.

I have found a lot out by my own experience and use of google. However, I cannot find _anything_ on stress related rat behaviour! 
I know that porphrin from the nose and eyes are signs of stress, but i'm not sure thats a behaviour as such. Or is it?

Can you guys please list some stress related rat behaviours for me? It would be so helpful! 
(Website links are great too, though I have used and looked through most rat behaviour sites...)


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

There should be a host of literature on rats and stress. They recently did a study of stress response in rats who were forced to swim and it was gruesome. Do you have EBSCO? 

Chattering, tail wagging, puffing up, lunging, pancaking are some behaviors that come to mind. A stressed rat looks haggardly and may refuse to eat or drink; they can become lethargic and depressed. I have one girl who becomes neurotic so when stressed due to medicine took to walking on the wheel forever...it was pathetic as we hypothesized that she must be trying to literally run away from me through the wheel!


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Have you read through ratbehavior.org? It doesn't describe stress behavior but has a list of them an what causes them.


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## Ergala (Jan 23, 2014)

There was a study done involving electric shock triggering stress and the difference between rats who had a stress outlet and rats who did not (basically they became aggressive and beat the snot out of their cage mate each time they got shocked).


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