# ???? smell?



## Sky14 (Aug 18, 2006)

Ok my rats seem to hate little kids 7 and under. But are fine with older people. Is there something they smell that they dont like?


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## Sky14 (Aug 18, 2006)

They seem to know the differance when the person is a foot or so away from the cage and they get kinda aggressive towards that person. What's with my rats aggreshen towards little kids???


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

where did you get your rats from? how long have you had them and how old are they? if you got them second hadn or even from a pet store at a bit of an older age then a mere baby it could be that they have been too roughly handled by children and are afraid of small people so act all tough to try and scare the kid away. you can try breaking them of this if you know of a kid willing to help and have their parent's permission. make sure the kid has a good protective layering in case the rats bite hard and run through the forced socailization with the kid being the instigator. though, it may just be easier to keep the kids and the rats separate from each other


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## Sky14 (Aug 18, 2006)

I've had alot of rats that I've breed myself and they acted aggresive towords kids when all they new was me and their mom. I can assure you they didn't get the hate from me.


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

i'm not saying the rats learned it from you at all. i'm saying that if these rats came to you from an unknown 1st origin such as from a pet store or as a rescue, you can't be sure of their past experience and perhaps have learned to fear small children through previous rough handling. as far as rats being aggressive to people they don't know seems odd. normally rats are very friendly, socail little critters that like just about anyone who's nice to them. and if you believe you know the reason for their aggression why are you asking us?


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## Sky14 (Aug 18, 2006)

I don't know or understand where they'er aggreshen is from. As for they'er aggreshen to strangers they aren't aggressive when they'er out with me. I can be anywhere and if someone comes near they'er fine. Even with little kids. It seems they only act aggressive when they'er in their cage.


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## Sky14 (Aug 18, 2006)

Ive had a few exceptions though.... It was bad.


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## fallinstar (Nov 26, 2006)

my rats act diffrently around children they are more quiet and settled and dont run around they arnt scared they just behave!


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## Sky14 (Aug 18, 2006)

Mine are calm halve the time...


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## nerdchick (Feb 26, 2007)

Hmmm, children tend to always have some body part covered in food. Maybe the rats are smelling the food?

-Caty


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

Plus, children are very unpredictable and most of the time extremely excited around animals, which could scare rats. Personally, I'm not a fan of kids around my animals for that very reason.


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## Sky14 (Aug 18, 2006)

I know it's not food. maybe......the diaper....or something simalar?


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

Just keep them away from children. Most animals dislike kids anyway.


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## Nazarath (Feb 20, 2007)

Maybe they hold them too tight?? I know my lil cusin ( lil :twisted: ) and she would hold my gunie pigs real tight . Of course i was like 12 then so i "had" to let her hold them and mom never believed me when i told her. She saw herself one day and i didn't have to anymore


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

Even kids that are a little older (around 10 or 11) sometimes get stupid around animals. I've had random cousins over for holidays with their family, and they'd of course want to see my pets. I can't tell you how many times I've escorted children out of my room for chasing BunBun.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

They could have cage aggression? Do they get out often and are handled regularly?

What type of behaviours are they exhibiting? What are you seeing as the aggression towards small children?


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## Sky14 (Aug 18, 2006)

I can't let them out cuase my rooms not rat proofed but I hold them as often as posible.

As for the agreshen it's been awhile so I don't remember what they did. I keep kids out of my room if any are over.


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