# Are my rats playing or fighting?



## DesertRats (May 9, 2010)

I have two 6-wk-old female rats.

They are sisters (litter mates) but have had about a week apart and were only reunited 2 days ago. Sparkle has been with me for over a week. Tink has only lived here since Wednesday.

They often seem to be furiously nibbling each others backs - is that just grooming?

And sometimes they tear about and look as though they are fighting, each trying to get on top of the other, and I hear the odd little squeak. They don't have any injuries. It is pretty frantic stuff.

It sometimes happens when I have had one out but not the other, and then I put them back together.

It has also happened when I put them both in a (very big) new box while I cleaned out their cage.

It doesn't happen very often. Mostly they are calm and relaxed and potter around together and sleep curled up together.

Are they playing or fighting or establishing dominence or something else?


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## momentofmadness (Jul 19, 2008)

DesertRats said:


> I have two 6-wk-old female rats.
> 
> They are sisters (litter mates) but have had about a week apart and were only reunited 2 days ago. Sparkle has been with me for over a week. Tink has only lived here since Wednesday.
> 
> ...


I wonder whether its there way of getting rid of your sent... Cause my two young mice are the same.. If i put them in the tub wen i clean them out they scuffl or if I get one out..lol That is what I have put it down too anyway..lol


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

My boys do that a lot (the girls are far too ladylike) I was told that as long as there is no injury to let them get on with it as it is their way of deciding whos boss.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

this is all normal rat behaviour and leave them to it.only intervene if there is blood wounds on them!

my rats used to play fight when they were young,they'd hump each other pin each other down and power groom.they would squeak but nothing more.

you will know when there being aggressive one will puff its fur up like a bog brush and side skuttle up to the other and bite the rump of the other rat.
also hissing and then a mass of rolling rat ball fight.


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## lolabloob (Mar 30, 2010)

my girlies do that all the time! my Lacey always tries to pin the others down and groom them or puts them on their back and grooms them! Rhiannon doesn't take any nonsense off her so usually there's a scuffle and squeaks haha i think it's natural for them to get on like that- like squabbling with a sibling. x


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