# Hormonal aggression in female rats?



## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

Can does be as aggressive as bucks? I've never experienced it before but Ailis is a little horror! I should have read the signs when I went to pick the girls up from their previous home. The chap's hands were covered in puncture wounds & he looked sheepish but having aggressive rats doesn't really bother me. I thought it was just fearful biting at first, until she nipped my earlobe! Spending time with her on her own free ranging hasn't made a difference (sharpened my reflexes no end though!) as she will still lunge for no apparent reason.
Could this be a hormonal issue? I don't want to put her through a spay unless I have to.


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## Argent (Oct 18, 2009)

Could almost definitely be a hormonal issue - she could have polycystic ovaries causing her pain or a hormonal imbalance. I had a girl who was really really bad, biting my OH and rubbing herself on EVERYTHING to mark it. She huffed through the bars of the cage and hissed at people if they came near. I had her spayed and she turned into a different rat. Unfortunately my confidence with her was shot, but she now happily lives with her sister in a massive group of girls, is leader of the group and is my friend's PR ratty for when the kids come over because she's turned into a massive squish!
A spay can do wonders for a frustrated, hormonal girly


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Oooh sounds like a tricky situation hun, Ive never experienced a people aggressive rat and all my girls have loved each other too, sounds like her and George would be a match made in heaven . Hope you get it all sorted out, I know a lot of vets wont do female rat neuters so it might be an idea to look for a suitable vet now in case you decide to go down that route.


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

Argent said:


> Could almost definitely be a hormonal issue - she could have polycystic ovaries causing her pain or a hormonal imbalance. I had a girl who was really really bad, biting my OH and rubbing herself on EVERYTHING to mark it. She huffed through the bars of the cage and hissed at people if they came near. I had her spayed and she turned into a different rat. Unfortunately my confidence with her was shot, but she now happily lives with her sister in a massive group of girls, is leader of the group and is my friend's PR ratty for when the kids come over because she's turned into a massive squish!
> A spay can do wonders for a frustrated, hormonal girly


Aww glad it worked out for her
Thanks for that, I will be looking into a spay for her, I think she's about the age Snape was when he started getting aggressive (7/8 months)


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> Oooh sounds like a tricky situation hun, Ive never experienced a people aggressive rat and all my girls have loved each other too, sounds like her and George would be a match made in heaven . Hope you get it all sorted out, I know a lot of vets wont do female rat neuters so it might be an idea to look for a suitable vet now in case you decide to go down that route.


Both Snape AND her are nasty to humans but OK with the others in their groups Snape would chase me up the hallway huffing & bristling at me
I've already spoken to our vet about spaying as it's something I was planning on doing with any future lumpy girls provided they didn't have other health issues to consider, so they are kind of expecting the phone call sometime


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