Hey guys, I'm looking for some help with some new behavior issues with one of my boys.
So here is some background info first. I have two boys just about 7 months old. I got a harness/leash a few weeks ago (specially designed for rats) and have been introducing them to it. Though neither of them enjoy it at first and squirm when I put it on, once it's on they don't seem to mind it and love getting to explore the apartment (and all the treats they get for allowing me to put it on). Well, I've just been away for ~4 days (Friday to Tuesday) and had a friend check on them for me. When I returned last night I tried the harness again, and the first one went about it as usual and got a nice walk around the living room. Charlie, however, suddenly became very aggressive when I started to put it on--he puffed up, kept erratically jumping everywhere, and bit me--HARD. I'm talking blood everywhere, wondering-if-I'll-have-to-get-stitches hard, and he kept at it. I was concerned because the room where their cage is at isn't rat-proof, and if he ran off in it he could chew a cord or get lost. So I'm trying to calm him and get the harness off him, but every time my hands came even close to him he bit me with everything he's got. I'm assuming this is because he was scared with the harness, but the thing is--he used to be so good with it, better than his brother! He was always calmer when I put it on him and happily munched treats. I didn't do anything different this time, and there have been longer periods of time between harness sessions so I don't think he would have forgotten. I can't figure out what would have caused this sudden, drastic change. As a side note, I have no reason to believe my friend would have tried anything--I'll ask, but I don't think she takes them out of the cage when she watches them for me.
Once I finally (somehow!) got it off, he of course was still upset, so I left him be in the cage for a few minutes to clean up my (now pretty raw) hands. When I went back to the cage, he was taking it out on his brother, so I wanted to put him in their transport carrier to cool off for a bit and give his brother a break. He wouldn't let me pick him up and started biting (not just nipping, biting) again, so I just put it at the entrance to their cage and let him walk in on his own.
Of course I won't try the harness again, at least for a long time (which pains me because he was so good with it before and loves to explore!). I'm worried though that biting will become a learned behavior. This isn't the first time he's bitten me (see this thread). He's always seemed the smarter of the two and picks up on things quickly. I'm worried he will start to use biting to get what he wants (for example, if I pick him up to move him from somewhere he's not supposed to be, or if I pick him up when play time is over but he doesn't want to go back yet). He's always been fairly bold and persistent in getting what he wants, but hasn't been aggressive about it until now. I also haven't noticed him being any different with his interactions towards his brother, just with me.
This morning he was back to his normal self--I cautiously let him come to me and held him and pet him, and he was fine. I can't trust him now though, and am worried that if something sets him off he'll turn on me again and possibly get lost in the room. He gets scared more often than his brother, and before I could just pick him up and move/hold him and he'd be fine, but I'm not sure that will work any more. I want to continue to take him out and have playtime in the rat-proof bathroom, but am worried about how he'll react to things now.
Sorry for the long post; I'm just at such a loss of what to do. I've read a few posts about suddenly aggressive rats, and it seems a lot of it is hormonal, which would make sense for the age they're at. I really can't afford to neuter him though (I could when I got them, but my situation has since changed), and based on some posts here that could take months to have any effect, if it has one at all. I feel like I don't have the experience or time to work with him like he might need. These are my first rats--I've spent the past 6 months gushing to everyone about how sweet and docile they've been and how they've never shown any signs of aggression, and I think I've really changed some people's perspective on rats! But one look at my hands now and people won't have anything to do with them. What do you guys think? What could have caused such a sudden and drastic change with the harness? Do you think he might start using biting to get what he wants? Any advice on what I can do?
So here is some background info first. I have two boys just about 7 months old. I got a harness/leash a few weeks ago (specially designed for rats) and have been introducing them to it. Though neither of them enjoy it at first and squirm when I put it on, once it's on they don't seem to mind it and love getting to explore the apartment (and all the treats they get for allowing me to put it on). Well, I've just been away for ~4 days (Friday to Tuesday) and had a friend check on them for me. When I returned last night I tried the harness again, and the first one went about it as usual and got a nice walk around the living room. Charlie, however, suddenly became very aggressive when I started to put it on--he puffed up, kept erratically jumping everywhere, and bit me--HARD. I'm talking blood everywhere, wondering-if-I'll-have-to-get-stitches hard, and he kept at it. I was concerned because the room where their cage is at isn't rat-proof, and if he ran off in it he could chew a cord or get lost. So I'm trying to calm him and get the harness off him, but every time my hands came even close to him he bit me with everything he's got. I'm assuming this is because he was scared with the harness, but the thing is--he used to be so good with it, better than his brother! He was always calmer when I put it on him and happily munched treats. I didn't do anything different this time, and there have been longer periods of time between harness sessions so I don't think he would have forgotten. I can't figure out what would have caused this sudden, drastic change. As a side note, I have no reason to believe my friend would have tried anything--I'll ask, but I don't think she takes them out of the cage when she watches them for me.
Once I finally (somehow!) got it off, he of course was still upset, so I left him be in the cage for a few minutes to clean up my (now pretty raw) hands. When I went back to the cage, he was taking it out on his brother, so I wanted to put him in their transport carrier to cool off for a bit and give his brother a break. He wouldn't let me pick him up and started biting (not just nipping, biting) again, so I just put it at the entrance to their cage and let him walk in on his own.
Of course I won't try the harness again, at least for a long time (which pains me because he was so good with it before and loves to explore!). I'm worried though that biting will become a learned behavior. This isn't the first time he's bitten me (see this thread). He's always seemed the smarter of the two and picks up on things quickly. I'm worried he will start to use biting to get what he wants (for example, if I pick him up to move him from somewhere he's not supposed to be, or if I pick him up when play time is over but he doesn't want to go back yet). He's always been fairly bold and persistent in getting what he wants, but hasn't been aggressive about it until now. I also haven't noticed him being any different with his interactions towards his brother, just with me.
This morning he was back to his normal self--I cautiously let him come to me and held him and pet him, and he was fine. I can't trust him now though, and am worried that if something sets him off he'll turn on me again and possibly get lost in the room. He gets scared more often than his brother, and before I could just pick him up and move/hold him and he'd be fine, but I'm not sure that will work any more. I want to continue to take him out and have playtime in the rat-proof bathroom, but am worried about how he'll react to things now.
Sorry for the long post; I'm just at such a loss of what to do. I've read a few posts about suddenly aggressive rats, and it seems a lot of it is hormonal, which would make sense for the age they're at. I really can't afford to neuter him though (I could when I got them, but my situation has since changed), and based on some posts here that could take months to have any effect, if it has one at all. I feel like I don't have the experience or time to work with him like he might need. These are my first rats--I've spent the past 6 months gushing to everyone about how sweet and docile they've been and how they've never shown any signs of aggression, and I think I've really changed some people's perspective on rats! But one look at my hands now and people won't have anything to do with them. What do you guys think? What could have caused such a sudden and drastic change with the harness? Do you think he might start using biting to get what he wants? Any advice on what I can do?