# Can rats have OCD?



## RedWolfKnightess (Sep 22, 2010)

Can rats even have OCD?

If not, 
Is it normal for male rats to push the bedding out of the cage? 


well not really out more like up onto the bars, remi is acting abit... Excited, im not sure if its a good or bad hyper but he stands still then suddenly goes over and im assuming play fights with rufus, He is also the one pushing the bedding up, he doesnt like much bedding if any in his "bathroom" and I am starting to think he may be abit ocd, since he often tends to knock the pot I gave him over and shove the bedding in between it and the door to the hut he has almost totally covering them, he has done this at least once a week since I got him. I use Eco Bedding. 

he also calms down alot once he gets his "bathroom" corner almost completely clear of the bedding


----------



## Spoonrat (Sep 23, 2010)

I don't think it's OCD - some rats just seem to like having a toilet corner free of bedding. One of my does does exactly the same thing and builds herself a giant nest in the opposite corner to the toilet. Most rats push bedding out of their cage - I think they just enjoy moving it around. Knocking the pot over just sounds like he's just burning off some extra energy


----------



## RedWolfKnightess (Sep 22, 2010)

Glad to know my rat isnt sick ^^ I worry about him because the more abnormal he seems the cuter he is ^^

thanks ^^ spoonrat ^^ 

any chance you know a way to tell the age of a rat? Rufus is so laid back im starting to think he is n adult while remi isnt but I heard of my "step" mom (I only say step so people know its my dads wife) having a dog that never acted like puppy so rufus may be a teenager just not the hyper kind. Im just curious, so its no big worry. XD


----------



## Spoonrat (Sep 23, 2010)

Hmm - from what I can gather it's pretty hard to guess the age of rats once they get over 6 months as they're pretty much fully grown by that point (I think!). Maybe Rufus just has a more chilled out nature


----------



## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

If you could post a picture... we could take a guess at his age. 

Also yeah, its perfectly normal behavior... they are funny little things!


----------



## RedWolfKnightess (Sep 22, 2010)

Remi:









Rufus:









thats of rufus when he fell asleep while at his food dish XD 


and this is remi again


----------



## blenderpie (Sep 10, 2009)

My male rat likes his potty corner completely free of bedding as well. He'll collect all of the bedding as well as newspaper and toilet paper and paper towels and make a giant kingdom on the other side. 

I think it's cute, too.


----------



## RedWolfKnightess (Sep 22, 2010)

I cant help but giggle when he does it. He looks silly carrying all the bedding in his mouth 


On another note, My rats made me garantee to save a life, I found a drowning squirrel near my house and now I saw that and thought of my rats, I couldnt leave it to drown, I carefully helped it ready to run if it tried to attack, instead it was very unthreatening, it now has a bag to hide in until the fur dries I gave it the bag when it didnt run away right away or after a minute, I saw it shivering and couldnt let it die. its going to get cold out tonight so I left abit of dryer lint near by the bg but not too close incase it wanted some insulation. just for now. ^^ I got enough pix to prove it XD


----------

