# Rat bites anything that is near the outside of the bars of her cage, is this normal?



## Mochi42 (Nov 14, 2012)

My rat is about 5 months old, Ive had her for about a month. The last couple of weeks, she has been biting anything that comes near the bars of her cage with the intent to bite it hard and pull it into her cage. At first I thought maybe she thought my fingers were carrots, since I read that they cant see very well. But we've never even fed her anything through the bars. So I tried to pet her nose with my sleeve and she kept biting and pulling it until it quite a bit of it was inside her cage and I had to pull it back out. She pulled the trim off of my sons blanket and used it as nesting materials the night that it was close to her cage as well. Is it normal for rats to try to bite through the bars of their cages? I cant even put my hand up for her to smell without her running at it and trying to bite it. She has never bit while being held. I am going to make a cage and cover it in 1/2" hardware cloth so that no one can stick their fingers in and get bit accidentally. I am worried about this behavior, though, since it is obvious that she is intending to "attack" everything. 

???


----------



## JudeWriley (Aug 1, 2007)

Does she have a cage mate? It sounds like she could be expressing some loneliness and frustration.


----------



## Mochi42 (Nov 14, 2012)

No cage mate yet. Still looking for the right one.


----------



## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

If she is an only rat, she needs at least a few hours of human interaction every day outside the cage. More is better! I've seen single parrots go cage happy if no one plays with them, can't see why rats wouldn't do the same. When subtle hints don't work, trying to drag you in through the bars sounds like a good idea.

Get her out and play or spend time with her until she tires and wants to go back to her cage, repeat the process every day. She should calm down. Single rats are doable, but only when you are their roomie and you are around all of the time to keep them company.


----------



## echoskybound (Apr 24, 2012)

Does she have enough nesting material in her cage? It sounds like she is trying to find things to build her nest with, you might need to give her more nesting material, maybe even stick some bunches of crumbled paper in the bars for her to pull through. It also sounds like it might really help her to have a cagemate.


----------



## Mochi42 (Nov 14, 2012)

She has SO much nesting material, she cant fit anymore into her nest. She has a blanket, a half bag of that fluffy nesting stuff, the paper crinkles, cardboard, 1/4 yard of fleece..... Maybe she is a hoarder.... lol. But yeah, def. looking for a cage mate for her. Maybe this will be the week.....


----------

