# One of My rats keeps biting the other!! Help!!



## pinkchic0422

I have had my two female rats for a little less than a year. They are littermates and have been together since birth. Recently I found that both of them have bite marks on their ears. Then yesterday, after waking up in the morning, I found Butter holding onto oreo's ear and pulling on it. Oreo was squeaking in pain. I was furious so I pulled Butter out and held her by her neck, and let her go back in the cage. Minutes later, i found her with Oreo's neck in her mouth and she once again was holding onto her and pulling. I imediately told her no. After the incident Oreo went running to another part of the cage and Butter ran after and started biting her again in the same spot, with each pull Oreo squeaked. I took Butter out of the cage and put her into our aquarium from when they were babies. I don't know what could have caused the sudden agression from her, and I have read about play fighting and I don't think that is what they are doing. All I could think of is a change in the scenery since less than a week ago we cleaned their cage and put in a few new hammocks, a rug flooring and a couple new toys. Oreo is now stuck with a section of her fur gone on her shoulder from where Butter pulled her hair out. I'm so worried. Do you know of what might be causing Butter to act this way?


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## LiL_RATTiES_07

My oldest female Bella does that to her own daughter. I have had no problems until about a month or so ago. I have takin Bella out of the cage b/c everyone else gets along its just her. I have sat there and watched her walk up to Tink and just bite her.. There has even been blood once or 3 times. I did set p a extra cage an thats now where Bella lives. she goes with the group for playtime( NO FIGHTS), but has to sleep and be in her cage. She is a naughty naughty lil girl. I would try puttin butter in a different cage and let them only play together. I know Bella misses her cage mates but if u cant play nice then u dont get to live with them I tell her all the time. HE HE HE.. GOOD LUCK.. Keep me updated..


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## 2boysloose

YOU HELD THE RAT BY IT'S NECK!!!! THATS HORRIBLE!
It's probably a dominance thing!
Did you do proper intro's???


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## Kathleen

She probably means she scruffed it... not that that's necessarily a good thing. And she said they've been together since birth.

With that said, it may in fact be a territorial/dominance thing, especially since you changed things out. I'm no expert though. I would allow them to sort it out as long as there's no blood and separate them if it's ongoing and makes you uncomfortable.

If that's the case, perhaps try re-introducing them per the guidelines in the sticky. 

(Maybe rats have bad days like people do and she's just feeling a little ornery? )

Also, back on the subject of grabbing a rat by the neck and/or yelling - I don't think rats respond well to that kind of reinforcement. Striking, grabbing, yelling, flicking, etc. Avoid that sort of thing.


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## pinkchic0422

That's how I was taught to discipline them...and when butter was biting oreo, I wouldn't say that it was blood drawn but there was a red spot and oreo's hair was pulled out.


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## lilspaz68

I have seen this behaviour many a time and usually only ever with girls. I think its a hormonal/maternal thing. The puller grabs onto neck fur/skin or ears or whatever body part is closest. The pullee closes their eyes and squeaks plaintively and allows itself to be slowly dragged. LOL. The pullee is fine, they are just saying "Eeegh, I don't really want to do this...but fine I'll put up with it, complaining all the time". I have no idea why it happens, but it will pass in time.

Your discipline will do absolutely nothing. The rat doesn't connect the scruffing to the action, so whats the point? Timeouts are only if a rat is getting to be too hard on their cagemates and needs to cool down, but they won't recognize it as a punishment for bad behaviour. Rats are like 4 year olds and cannot put the 2 concepts together. They also live in the now and are probably very confused as to why you are grabbing and hurting them. I would definitely stop


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## pinkchic0422

In your experiances, has the biter pulled out the others hair?


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## lilspaz68

Some rats are gentle but persistent, some rats are rude and have pulled out hair. they heal super fast.


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