# Simon hit puberty... Does the marking get better?



## webspinnr (Jul 27, 2014)

So Simon hit puberty a few days ago, and I'm starting to get very frustrated. He won't leave River alone, pinning her, peeing on her, etc. I'm hoping that will level off. My main concern though is the marking. Previously it was a drop here, a drop there... Now you'd think a little mini slug had left a trail on me before abruptly vanishing only to reappear elsewhere. It's really getting to the point I can't even hold him without having to put him down to wipe myself off, even though I'm QUITE certain I smell a LOt like him by now. Can anyone give me a light in this tunnel? Will it level out or am I looking at pee trails for the next few years?


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

mine leave pee trails everywhere too except java, he wont pee in the car


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Ha ha ha ha sorry but that was the best part of my morning. My boy is long past puberty and he leaves trails wherever he goes. He's worse than any of my others have ever been. My hubbie and I are sure he drinks more so he can pee more...and when he runs out of pee the little rubbish poos on the floor or on our bed then jumps up and down as if to say " look what I did, look what I did" even though he knows this just gets him back in the cage with no treat! 

None of my other boys poo or mark like that so I guess when I named him Mischief ( before I knew that a group of rats are called a mischief) I named him well for his personality.

I do hope that your rattie stops soon, but don't get your hopes up too high just in case. We are constantly wiping down, but we love him so much and oh my word he is the funniest that we've just accepted that's the way it's going to be with him.


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## webspinnr (Jul 27, 2014)

So they aren't all this bad at least? I know it's a drastic step I'm not willing to take yet, but I've heard neutering can help? The ONLY reason I would is my SO has really started warming up to the ratties, but was NOT happy to be marked today, and I wouldn't want his willingness to allow a mischief in the future jeapordized by his first experience with a male rat being one like Simon. If it comes down to being able to own more rats in the future against neutering him, I just might have to. Obviously hoping it doesn't come to that, and wouldn't be for some time. And it would take a while before my SO got to the point he'd say no more rats, too. Basically, I want to know if neutering could help but please understand its not just not wanting to deal with it.


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Of course I understand and yes I think neutering does calm them down and lessen the marking. But you have to know that some rats do just mark, even some females will drop here and there, but no it won't be to the degree we were talking about. I didn't neuter mine because I had all boys and when I realized it wasn't going to stop I didn't want to risk it as he was older then. I think if your boy is still young it should be okay.


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## Tesumph (Aug 12, 2014)

Neutering helps immensely. My first and only marker was an unspayed female, who was my first rat. She was my baby and my heart rat, but would leaves little puddles on everything. Since my first two females, I've only owned spayed and neutured rats (they're all rescues), and none of them (out of seven) have marked me, even once. Granted, four are still under half a year. But I had three males who were neutured well past puberty (two of them were at least a year old when neutered) and neither of them marked me after I got them, ever. I don't want to guarantee anything, but in my experience, neutering completely cut out marking.


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## webspinnr (Jul 27, 2014)

Thanks for understanding. I was prepared for marking, you know, drops here or there. And my SO could handle that as well, even if he would get frowny if it happened to him. I just get the sense being unable to hold Simon without getting piddled on or be unable to hug me without me stinking or even feeling the wet, would be a bit much for him to take. How old would you say is too old for neutering? He's 3 months old now.


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## Hagguu (Aug 22, 2014)

Honestly, Iggy pees on everything and everyone, I'm hoping it will calm down too but he's still young. So I'm holding out for him getting past puberty and seeing if there's any change. And I think a lot of vets are different and will neuter from and to different ages, but they usually do so from 2 months to around 3 years old, so I don't think there will be an issue with his age. But I wouldn't suggest it unless you absolutely have to, a small animal being under anaesthetic makes me uncomfortable  just wait it out and see if he gets any better. I know it isn't much fun being covered in pee though....


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## livenatso (Sep 14, 2014)

My rats are about five months old (maybe a few months younger maybe a few months older i don't really know) and they just pee all over me. I find that it's mostly at the beginning of when I free range them though. They tend to run out of pee after a while. Sometimes I wish I had gotten them as babies but in a way I'm thankful that I've never known what it's like to have a rat that doesn't pee everywhere so I can't miss what I never had haha


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## Tesumph (Aug 12, 2014)

Only three months? You could definitely neuter. That's not too old at all. In fact, I'd be worried about it becoming a habit instead of hormonal if you wait it out (although, like I said, I've had males who were well over a year when neutered, and they never marked). Right now I have three neutered boys: 4 months, 5 months, and 1.5 years. All of them were neutered during or past puberty, and none of them mark. It's ultimately up to you if the pee bothers you. Personally I love having only altered rats. I have three boys and two girls living together, and they're all quite calm and don't mark. But to each their own, haha.


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## new_rattie_mommy (Aug 24, 2014)

If it's becoming a huge annoyance you could consider getting him neutered. Some are very against it except as a last resort but I had my boys done because of the same problem and the pinning super excessively and I am very happy that I had it done.


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## webspinnr (Jul 27, 2014)

Luckily he seems to be a bit better over the past couple days. Still keeping an eye on things but the dominance stuff and peeing seems to of gotten better. If it ends up being cyclical I may get him neutered.


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

Oh goodness, my boys mark like crazy. Loki comes by at least once every minute to pee on my feet then Odin will come by to lick it off (yes, it's gross) and pee on them himself. I kind of wonder if I'd just leave it there instead of wiping it off if they'd stop, but I don't really care to have pee soaking into my feet >.< The things we put up with for our little lovers


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

kksrats said:


> Oh goodness, my boys mark like crazy. Loki comes by at least once every minute to pee on my feet then Odin will come by to lick it off (yes, it's gross) and pee on them himself. I kind of wonder if I'd just leave it there instead of wiping it off if they'd stop, but I don't really care to have pee soaking into my feet >.< The things we put up with for our little lovers


Same all of a sudden you feel this warm trail of pee  isn't it funny when they hold down a cage mate and pee on their head? Then someone else will come lick it off! Oh my word they are so cute.


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

kksrats said:


> Oh goodness, my boys mark like crazy. Loki comes by at least once every minute to pee on my feet then Odin will come by to lick it off (yes, it's gross) and pee on them himself. I kind of wonder if I'd just leave it there instead of wiping it off if they'd stop, but I don't really care to have pee soaking into my feet >.< The things we put up with for our little lovers


Same all of a sudden you feel this warm trail of pee  isn't it funny when they hold down a cage mate and pee on their head? Then someone else will come lick it off! Oh my word they are so cute. Have you watched Family Guy? When Stewie goes through his 'mine' stage. When they pee I always imagine them saying " this is mine and this is mine and this is mine" hahaha


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

webspinnr said:


> Luckily he seems to be a bit better over the past couple days. Still keeping an eye on things but the dominance stuff and peeing seems to of gotten better. If it ends up being cyclical I may get him neutered.


Glad things have eased off a bit, still totally understanding why it's difficult for you, so don't feel bad when we joke about how cute they are etc. Long may it last, but if not you do still have the option of neutering


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## Cyrix (May 2, 2014)

Nibbles _always_ leaves a trail on my wristwatch. While it's on my wrist...


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