# my rat is chasing his tail?



## Cassies-mum (Jul 22, 2009)

Im a little worried about charlie, he has been fine alone since his buddy passed away, but he has started chasing his tail? Is that normal? Im a little worried, i havent added playmates as im afraid they will hurt him  but will if he gets lonely x


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Sounds like he has developed behavioural issues poss due to be alone?
How long since his cage mate died?
Two babie rats will not hurt an adult.
Rats are highly social animals that need rattie companionship.

http://www.fancyratsforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=43


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## Cassies-mum (Jul 22, 2009)

blade100 said:


> Sounds like he has developed behavioural issues poss due to be alone?
> How long since his cage mate died?
> Two babie rats will not hurt an adult.
> Rats are highly social animals that need rattie companionship.
> ...


Just over 2 month, if i get him some friends will he go back to normal?


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## WelshYorkieLover (Oct 16, 2011)

Cassies-mum said:


> Just over 2 month, if i get him some friends will he go back to normal?


I cant recommend getting him a couple of cage mates strongly enough! I swear it kept my Louie going! He was alone for 5 months as we had a couple of rescues fall through but finally found 3 and he was such a happy boy. No matter how much we love them and how much time we spend with them we just arent the same. It would be like us being in a foreign country on our own and nobody speaks our language. We can communicate properly and we'd be lonely. I never have my lot alone. Even if they are going to the vets or ill. It would have to be pretty dire for me to separate them. I just find that they do better together even when a vet recommends that they be kept alone until they heal. I just smile and nod and put them back in the cage lol


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Yes because at the minute he's bored to death but with 2 young 8-9 week old same sex babies he will be so happy.
I say two because babies need same age company as they are very playful and they need the mental stimulation too as well as physical. Plus if one passes away you aren't left in the situation your in now.


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## Cassies-mum (Jul 22, 2009)

Okay thanks guys, i will be going out this afternoon to get him some friends, after i have read up on introductions lol x


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

It may be worth checking out if there are any nfrs breeders near you rather than pet shop bought rats!
http://www.nfrs.org/NFRS_Breeders_List.pdf

Pet shop rats come with many health issues and won't be fully tame resulting in skittish babies and sometimes bitey ones too due to lack of handling.

Sometimes local rescues have babies in due to having pregnant females that come in.

The fancy rats forum has a rehoming section and some rescues put up ads for babies that have come in.
You'd need to register with the forum to be able to view these ads though.


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## Cassies-mum (Jul 22, 2009)

I was on a college animal care course for two weeks and have been offered two 4 month old boys, will they be young enough? X


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

It may be ok but rats start getting there hormones at 12 weeks old and these are 16 weeks. 
I like to intro babies at 8-9 weeks of age because they are still babies without the issues of hormones which gives them time to get to know the existing rat(s) without issues. That said the two 4 month old boys may be calm and chilled and except another rat and vice versa.
Do you have a spare cage like a small hamster cage that they can all go into?
Before they do meet they need to be out somewhere like a sofa or bath (dry) somewhere your other rat hasn't been so its neutral ground on the first meet.
If all goes well after half hour or so put them in a bare small cage with just substrate, scattered dry mix and water.

If all is going well keep them like this for at least 3-4 days you want them to be in a big pile sleeping on top of each other so that they form a bond.

When this happens then they can all go in the main rat cage but it needs to be thoroughly cleaned out to remove any smells of your existing rat. It needs to be bare and after a day if all is going well add one hammock/toy a day.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Expect lots of grooming and pinning down along with squeaking and standing on back feet. 
What isn't good is bog brushed fur with side bum shoving against the other rat. 
Ninja kicking, bum biting, blood and wounds. 

You need to be calm as rats pick up on owners being nervous which can cause upset to the rats.


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## Cassies-mum (Jul 22, 2009)

blade100 said:


> It may be ok but rats start getting there hormones at 12 weeks old and these are 16 weeks.
> I like to intro babies at 8-9 weeks of age because they are still babies without the issues of hormones which gives them time to get to know the existing rat(s) without issues. That said the two 4 month old boys may be calm and chilled and except another rat and vice versa.
> Do you have a spare cage like a small hamster cage that they can all go into?
> Before they do meet they need to be out somewhere like a sofa or bath (dry) somewhere your other rat hasn't been so its neutral ground on the first meet.
> ...





blade100 said:


> Expect lots of grooming and pinning down along with squeaking and standing on back feet.
> What isn't good is bog brushed fur with side bum shoving against the other rat.
> Ninja kicking, bum biting, blood and wounds.
> 
> You need to be calm as rats pick up on owners being nervous which can cause upset to the rats.


Okay looks like im going to have to find a breeder! Thanks for all your advice very much appreciated, i just want charlie to be happy x


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## janecoram (Feb 14, 2014)

Hi,

I know we're talking about rats here, but I suspect that some problems are universal between rats and mice. It really does sound as if he needs companionship and as someone else said, a couple of new babies is probably the way to go. 

We always have a few mice, but recently we got down to two sisters, both very old and close to checking out time. Meeny was gradually getting sicker and her sister Miney knew it, she began pining for her a few days before she died, because I suppose she knew that she was not long for this world. We knew that we were going to have a serious problem when Meeny finally died, so we rushed out and bought four new baby mice, hoping that Miney would accept them, if not immediately, then at least eventually.

We put the babies in a nursery cage, and the day that Meeny died, we took Miney out of her cage so that she could at least see the new babies and know that she wasn't going to be alone. She was a very miserable mouse. We held her over the top opening nursery cage to let her see the new babies, and she just looked down at them for a few moments without reacting. Then the old girl literally leapt out of our hands and down into the cage. Within thirty seconds she was running around like a baby herself, climbing on the toys, playing with the babies and so happy that my daughter and I both burst into tears. It really was a Hallmark moment. Lol.

Miney had another four months of life before she died of extreme old age and she took over as their mum, cleaning and looking after them and was happier than we'd ever seen her. The babies took to her instantly and let her mother them.

Obviously with a boy rat, it might not be such an extreme reaction, but I do think it sounds as if he'd be very happy to have a couple of new little brothers, even if you had to introduce them slowly to get them used to one another.

Jane

xxxx


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## Cassies-mum (Jul 22, 2009)

janecoram said:


> Hi,
> 
> I know we're talking about rats here, but I suspect that some problems are universal between rats and mice. It really does sound as if he needs companionship and as someone else said, a couple of new babies is probably the way to go.
> 
> ...


I cant thank everyone enough for the advice im feeling muh more confident! The nearest breeder is a few milea away so ive arranged a lift for wednesday, the lady seems lovely and said i can rinf her if i need to for advice, always nice to have a safety net! Thats what i love about pet forum, always someone that can help x


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

That's brilliant, pictures will be a must!


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## Cassies-mum (Jul 22, 2009)

blade100 said:


> That's brilliant, pictures will be a must!


Here is a photo of charlie and his buddy when they were young 









Heres charlie









Heres dodge when he was little









I miss dodge  x


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Awww Charlie is gorgeous and so was dodge, dodge looked like he was full of mischief.


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## Cassies-mum (Jul 22, 2009)

blade100 said:


> Awww Charlie is gorgeous and so was dodge, dodge looked like he was full of mischief.


He was  miss him lots! Bet charlie misses him more  x


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