# Bit of a rat dilemma



## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I have a situation and it's to do with the 3 ratties I had off tapir on here.
Right there are 2 females 1 neutered male together in my rat room. Then a foot or so away is my 10 boys in the explorer cage.

Now yesterday and today my boys only 4 of them have gotten very arsey with each other and I'm positive it's the smell of the girls!
I had the 3 out on the bed with me earlier I can't free range them in the rat room as it would really wind the boys up more so.

Anyway tonite I had to cut free range short, Humphrey my adorable silly tame boy got very arsey with Hector they ended up in the boxing stance which then resulted in Humphrey bog brushing and siddling up to Hector who then proceeded to tail wiggle in aggression. 
I intervened before it escalated.
Turned round to find Percy and hogan trying it on.

Now I know males go hormonal between 3 months to 10 months and my lot range from 9 weeks to 7 months.
The 4 involved are 4-5 months old.
None have ever shown anything like this before and have recently statred to take a great interest in the females.

As soon as my boys went back in the cage they calmed down.
Humphrey is always trying to find a way to get to the girls cage which is on top of some drawers high up, but you can see in his face how he wants to get to them.

Has anyone had any issues like this with male and female groups of rats?
I've only ever had boys at once.

I can't keep there cage any where else in the house and I'm scared incase they start fighting at night in the cage.as I say it only started outside the cage.

I may have to consider rehoming them!


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Oh wow yes that is a dilemma. When my lot turned about 9 months, after having the girls for a month or two, they did start bickering and even aggressive with me. But I like you had to keep them all in the same room...I just had no room elsewhere in the house really. I used a water squirting bottle (I hope this isn't bad!) to break up more aggressive fights and they calmed down over time. Saying that I am nervous about giving that info as "advice" as I may have been lucky really and diff rules apply to diff rats. 

I would say handle the boys before the girls if you can. If not I would change top and wash hands and things! Sorry this may be obvious...but I was told this so just passing on the advice I did get. Also I would keep the cages as far away as you can...maybe out of sight...though as you say it is more the smell. FOr free ranging...maybe have boy toys and girl toys....and maybe put down a mat or something on the floor when you let the boys out ...just to stop the smell getting to them as much. But you're right...hormonal animals are just as bad as hormonal teen humans


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I free range the girls on the bed the boys in the rat room.
There cages are far apart.
Can't put them anywhere else in the house.

It's such a shame as I have grown fond of them especially perign.


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

would you consider getting the nad fairy to visit humphrey? It could just be them adjusting to the girls smell and if the girls are on heat maybe thats caused the friction?

Im very lucky i got my girls first and the boys have always been around them and they take no real notice of the smell unless i touch the girls first then i cant move until they smelled every last inch of my hand. 

Im not sure if there are any rat safe smelly stuff that could mask the smell of the girls abit?


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

It's not just Humphrey but Percy and Hector that are involved as well as hogan.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

It's a lot of money for 4 rat neuterings so i think I'm going to have to rehome them as they were all lovely and calm boys before I got these girls.


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

Oh bugger  

very true x 4 nad visits and it may poss not work either


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Yeh and then the other 6 may start too!
I've put them up for rehoming on here.
I just hope someone can take them soon the longer there here the worse my boys are going to get.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Ive had squabbles between my boys but only had to have one neutered, they do have wrestling matches and front up to each other but Ive followed the no blood no foul rule and ts worked so far, they do go from cuddly baby boys to hormonal loonies quite quickly but to be honest the girls were more interested in the boys than the other way round nowadays they are all a bit too old to show any interest in the opposite sex. My cage is an extended explorer and the girls have always been in one of the three sections so you cant really get closer to the boys. Have your boys actually caused each other injury?


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

No they haven't caused injury as I've intervened before it's got outa hand.
They do playfight but this was different.

I don't know what to do, what would u do tdm?


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Well I've come home to Hugo who has been bitten on his rump!

Please is there anyone on here who can take the 3 ratties off me my boys must be so upset by the smell of the girls.
I have no way of putting them in another room.

I can travel unto 20 miles if that helps?
Please anyone?


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## Jarhead (Jul 11, 2011)

Thats unfortunate blade. Can you get a friend to hame them then you can still dee them


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I haven't no.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

blade100 said:


> No they haven't caused injury as I've intervened before it's got outa hand.
> They do playfight but this was different.
> 
> I don't know what to do, what would u do tdm?


Its hard without seeing it, I knew when Bitsy was meaning it as he went in for the kill and if I hadnt been there it would have ended up badly, it was totally different to the posturing and boisterous wrestling, the injury was quite nasty. When mine were younger they did the fluffed up sidewards shuffling thing when they were sorting out hirachy in the group, it sounded and looked terrible but never came to anything, it was usually if someone was ill or had died and the order was disturbed, when Fidget died it was terrible, he was the 2nd in command and suddenly the youngsters decided to take over . You have to be a bit more careful with the hairless as they mark up really easily so it doesnt take much for them to look pretty terrible. Are you already in love with the girls or do you think you could bare to part with them if you have to? What is your instinct saying?


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

i have bonded with perign as she is the friendliest,so licky and loving.
but djan and grace not really.don't get me wrong there gorgeous but there is not a strong bond like perign.

my heart is telling me to rehome them becuase my boys have to come first after all they were here first.

i have contacted RACR rat rescue in nottingham she is going to see if one of her fosterers can take them on.
fingers crossed.
i will miss them but at the end of the day i can't have my rats upset.

hugo has been bitten on his bum.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

blade100 said:


> i have bonded with perign as she is the friendliest,so licky and loving.
> but djan and grace not really.don't get me wrong there gorgeous but there is not a strong bond like perign.
> 
> my heart is telling me to rehome them becuase my boys have to come first after all they were here first.
> ...


(((hugs))) not an easy decision to take at all . I hope the fosterer can take them, and I hope the boys stop being hooligans soon xx


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I hope so too, Percy was being a meanie just to little baby denzel.


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

I havent kept rats for a good decade now, but i remember one time i had a pair of brothers, and took on a small group of females on a temp basis,

My boys fought, and it was almost to the death. Even when the girls were gone, they carried on. I purchased a new cage, disinfected, tried to rebond on neutral territory, but they wouldnt have it. Woody ripped open Chucks shoulder and degloved his tail, requiring stitches and amputation.

I couldnt even keep them in the same room after awhile, as even the smell of each other drove them nuts. If i handled one after the other, without washing my hands and changing my clothes, id get bitten (still have a nice scar).

They ended up living out their days as solitary rats.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Blumin eck.
I hope I haven't caused any long term damage


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

When my latest hairless boys joined us they caused a lot of trouble, I know the lady who rescued the rest of the litter and apparently they were all having trouble fitting into groups, I dont think they know the rat body language properly. I ended up splitting the males into two groups and the hairless ones went in with the really old boys who were more laid back. It might help if you could work out which two boys are causing the most problems and put them in two different groups. My boys have never reacted with the girls presence but then the girls were here first so that might be why.


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## Tapir (Mar 20, 2010)

Only just seen this. I am so sad about this. :frown:

Would you possibly be able to put me in touch with anyone you are considering homing them to? I know they don't belong to me any more but I have had them for a long time and would appriciate knowing where they are going.

ETA: They can come back to me if I can borrow a cage from you until they are rehomed.


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## spoiled_rat (Mar 24, 2008)

I keep my bucks and does next to each other, and never had any trouble.


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## Tapir (Mar 20, 2010)

Do you not feel you could stick it out a bit. Maybe once the boys adjust to them being around they will settle. It is new to them.


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## spoiled_rat (Mar 24, 2008)

Tapir said:


> Do you not feel you could stick it out a bit. Maybe once the boys adjust to them being around they will settle. It is new to them.


I agree, and if they squabble, do not intervene, they need to sort it out, else it will constantly continue.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

The thing is Laura you always have rats of both sexes and I only have males.
I have made room in the lounge now so I'll see how they go.
I'll just have to change my clothes when handling the boys.

Also I don't want injured rats and if it's making my boys fight with each other that can't be good?


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## spoiled_rat (Mar 24, 2008)

blade100 said:


> The thing is Laura you always have rats of both sexes and I only have males.
> I have made room in the lounge now so I'll see how they go.
> I'll just have to change my clothes when handling the boys.
> 
> Also I don't want injured rats and if it's making my boys fight with each other that can't be good?


I havent always had both sexes 

Once they get used to the smells of each other, they should settle fine.

You will encounter injuries in your rats from time to time, especially having so many rats around the same age and coming up to the typical 'hormonal period' in bucks, it's part and parcel of the rat owning package.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

So do you think I should keep them all in the rat room as before?
Let them get used to the smells.
Its just there foofing , side scuffling,and lots of humping.
As I say it's only just started happening since having the 2 girls.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Hugo has been bitten on his hind back leg nr his bum.
No one else has marks on them. Well not yet I'll check them over when I get in from bring here at work.


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

If I am honest I am little less than willing to take on more responsibilities at the moment as I have suffered massive losses in my zoolet recently and i am going through a tough time in my "real" life too, but blade if you can get up to say Stoke-on-Trent or somewhere a little nearer Manchester, I can help deliver this lot to a new home around Manchester, North Lancasire of West Yorkshire areas.

And blade am so sorry you have to do this! But if its any consolation, and it may well not be, I agree you are doing the right thing. Hormones are such a b***er!!!


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## RockRomantic (Apr 29, 2009)

such a shame your faraway i'd have took them in  i currently have3 males and 1 lone female i am desperate for her to have some other company as my males arent neutered and both genders are in totally seperate rooms  

really hope they find somewhere x


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Shame your are too far away niki and rock romantic.
After moving them out yesterday and putting them elsewhere temp in the house as hubby's not amused where they are at min. But they have gone back to there original selves! The smell of the girls must be winding them up and I don't want to keep incase it gets worse resulting in a dead or badly injured rat!
So thank you for understanding niki x
Sorry to hear of your losses recently. Hugs to you.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Would it be worth doing a seperate thread asking for transport to rockromatics house from Blades house, there are so many members on here, surely someone will be doing the journey or part of it in the near future.


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

blade100 said:


> Shame your are too far away niki and rock romantic.
> After moving them out yesterday and putting them elsewhere temp in the house as hubby's not amused where they are at min. But they have gone back to there original selves! The smell of the girls must be winding them up and I don't want to keep incase it gets worse resulting in a dead or badly injured rat!
> So thank you for understanding niki x
> Sorry to hear of your losses recently. Hugs to you.





thedogsmother said:


> Would it be worth doing a seperate thread asking for transport to rockromatics house from Blades house, there are so many members on here, surely someone will be doing the journey or part of it in the near future.


Oh bless them.!

I can still help with transport up to Rockromantic's...I now know my way  If anyone is coming from Derby way...any nearer to Manchester that would be great!


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Well on fancy rats bat outa he'll rescue is taking them but she too has requested a rat train as shes in glouster. Stroud.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

its a shame you cant keep them, have you talked to tapir about it, she may well want a say in where they end up


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Hi yes we were txting last nite she can't take then back but wants to know where there going.looks like bat outa hell is going to take them but organising a rat train to get the to gl10 area.


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## Tapir (Mar 20, 2010)

Yep I have spoken to Amy. I was going to take them back but remember I have to foster my cousins 2 bucks while she has heart surgery for about 4-6 weeks, and I am leaving in 8 weeks, so there wouldn't be much point.

I have sent a message to Rat out of Hell rescue, and they seem very nice, so I am confident they will be looked after. I hope to stay in touch with their next owners if they will allow me.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

these ratties have now gone to jackie on fancy rats,she runs a rat rescue so she'll find them a nice new home.


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