# Forced Grooming Becoming Violent????



## Kipcrash (Dec 30, 2014)

Hi there, a while back I made post describing a very frightening situation where my two rats (The first ones I've owned, actually) would fight, and there would be some pretty loud squeaking, and one of them actually has dried blood(?) on her fur. So to add more information to the situation, and hopefully get some help, I'm making this post. I have two rats, named Maggie & October, sisters, and a year + a month old. Oftentimes they will do what I've read referred to as, "forced grooming". In this event, one pins the other down, and will aggressively groom, the pinned one letting out various squeaks. I've heard that this is normal, and I've also heard that blood isn't good in any situation, so when I see red coloring on my rat Maggie (The one who is usually the "loser" of these fights), I get concerned, especially knowing that it's where the other one grooms her. It appears to be blood, but there are never any wounds, even right after one of these grooming spats. I need to understand whether or not this is normal, especially considering both them have instigated these little spats before. I don't have the money to separate them, so I need some of these questions answered, please!

Is forced grooming a normal behavior? If so, does it usually escalate like this, and will it eventually subside? Knowing that I don't have the funds to separate one into another cage, should I get rid of one of them? I'm really concerned...


----------



## Suspicious_Toast (Aug 30, 2015)

The blood i don't know about. But the forced grooming is normal. It's October (I love the name btw) showing Maggie that she is dominant. I'm sorry i couldn't be more informative but i'm on my first rats too. I tried the carrier method. And my Lasagna and tazo, the 2 rats that were scared of each other are doing great! here is what i found. Good luck 
http://www.ratforum.com/showthread....rier-Method&highlight=introduction+successful


----------



## Mojojuju (Nov 15, 2014)

If they're sisters, they have already been introduced since birth. My sisters squabble a lot too.

If you don't see any wounds, are you sure it is blood? Sometimes rat saliva can be tinged pink. If you just don't see the wound itself, you can give Maggie a bath (she wont' like it) but it will plaster her fur down and show you any possible wound sites.

There is also a possibility that she has mites. I thought Tali was getting bitten by Edi a lot, since Edi is the dominant sister, but when I treated for mites the small wounds went away. She had wounds all over her--and all the rats in the mischief were grooming her, much to her annoyance. Grooming her till she had bloody scratches. Which they then thoughtfully groomed off her, so they bled again.

An olive oil bath, combined with lice meds (that also kill mites) has almost miraculously stopped the over-grooming of Tali by her sister and the others.

Depending on the situation, it might actually just be little buggies.


----------



## Kipcrash (Dec 30, 2014)

Mojojuju said:


> If they're sisters, they have already been introduced since birth. My sisters squabble a lot too.
> 
> If you don't see any wounds, are you sure it is blood? Sometimes rat saliva can be tinged pink. If you just don't see the wound itself, you can give Maggie a bath (she wont' like it) but it will plaster her fur down and show you any possible wound sites.
> 
> ...


You know, I've had this problem for ages now, and nobody, and I mean NOBODY (even like professional people nearby who work with rodents for a living) helped me as much as you just did.
I didn't even CONSIDER the rat saliva being pink, and it really explains the lack of wounds, especially after the little grooming tussles! I cannot thank you, and I'm incredibly relieved, but I'm also curious: assuming Maggie had mites, would October also have mites? They spend much of their time practically sleeping on top of each other so, would it be out of the realm of possibility?


----------



## JAnimal (Jul 23, 2014)

If maggie has it then yes October would have it too because unfortunatly mites love all rats.


----------

