Aggressive rat, finding a cagemate?

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EndlesslyAshley

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Hi there,
I'm an inexperienced rat owner. I adopted two male rats last year who were both in bad shape. Sadly one passed on they were both in bad condition when I adopted them and he was almost two years old.

My boy who is alive is over a year old now, and he is not neutered. He is skittish and aggressive. I've been trying to acclimate him to me but I'll be honest and say I'm scared since he bit me so hard he left a nasty scar when I first got him, and he along with my other boy who passed on were my first rats.

He is chasing and biting his tail and I know he needs a cagemate badly. What should I do? What sex do they need to be, and do I need to neuter my boy?
 
If you have access to a good vet with the knowledge and experience to safely neuter rats, and if he is in good health, then I would suggest a neuter

I would also suggest a vet appointment ASAP with a good vet who has the knowledge and experience to treat rats because biting his tail could indicate a serious problem

If possible, please post a video (post to youtube and then put the link on here)

see ideas for dealing with aggressive rats at joinrats.com
 
If you have access to a good vet with the knowledge and experience to safely neuter rats, and if he is in good health, then I would suggest a neuter

I would also suggest a vet appointment ASAP with a good vet who has the knowledge and experience to treat rats because biting his tail could indicate a serious problem

If possible, please post a video (post to youtube and then put the link on here)

see ideas for dealing with aggressive rats at joinrats.com
My rat actually has a chronic issue it seems like. We have to continually give him doxycycline but he will not stop sneezing or having the discharge on his nose.
 
If he's on antibiotics for a respiratory infection, he needs to be on them for 4-6 weeks for it to do any good. Adding baytril may also help. If the doxy alone isn't helping, I'd ask about adding baytril, and maybe changing the doxy to azythromycin may help. What is his cage like? Is it big enough for him? Has plenty of places to play and hide? Does he get supervised out time? Does he have toys? All of this is very important. Too small of a cage, or not enough enrichment, can give them cage rage, and cause them to be aggressive as well. Also, it can bring on neurotic habits as well.
 
He DEFINITELY needs a cagemate. Another male, or two. I'd go for older than 12 weeks, and intro them slowly. Check out www.joinrats.com for lots of good tips and advice. Post a video on YouTube, and copy and paste the link on here so we can see his behavior. Is he puffy when he's biting? Make sure your hands are clean and don't smell like food, or other animals before you handle him. If you want to let him out for play time, but can't touch him, put a box up to his cage and let him jump in it, then put him in a rat proof area, and when it's time to put him up, use the box again. If you have to pick him up, but don't want to get bit, use a towel to handle him. But he needs lots of places to hide and play (soda boxes, tissue boxes are great) so he can feel more secure. An insecure rat, may sometimes bite in fear. Just some things to think about....
 
He needs to see a good vet asap!

He may be in pain, and he definitely needs different meds …. as was mentioned he may need baytril added to the doxy or other meds Biting his tail indicates that something is wrong

He does need to live with at least one other rat, but right now he needs to see a vet
 
He DEFINITELY needs a cagemate. Another male, or two. I'd go for older than 12 weeks, and intro them slowly. Check out www.joinrats.com for lots of good tips and advice. Post a video on YouTube, and copy and paste the link on here so we can see his behavior. Is he puffy when he's biting? Make sure your hands are clean and don't smell like food, or other animals before you handle him. If you want to let him out for play time, but can't touch him, put a box up to his cage and let him jump in it, then put him in a rat proof area, and when it's time to put him up, use the box again. If you have to pick him up, but don't want to get bit, use a towel to handle him. But he needs lots of places to hide and play (soda boxes, tissue boxes are great) so he can feel more secure. An insecure rat, may sometimes bite in fear. Just some things to think about....
He does need some more enrichment to his cage, I can be honest with that. He won't use the wheel we bought him, but I don't know anything of his past before the shelter so he probably never learned as a baby. I recently did a large Chewy order and got him toys, but he's already gone through a ton so I'm thinking I need to research better toy options. But he is in a two story critter nation cage. We have tried to get him to use both stories since my other rat passed but he is too scared to go down the ramp. In his cage he has a fleece cube and two wooden houses to hide in as well as some cardboard boxes we cut up for him to play in, which he loves to tear up. Additionally his lining is fleece and he loves to hide under that. We also have a ton of shirts and soft fabric sweaters we would rewash and use just for the rats to hide and nap in. We have been taking him out for play and setting him up in a large pen while taking his little hidey hole house and putting it in the pen so he can go there for comfort.

Right now he is still comfort grooming himself. He gets stressed out about being put outside of the cage for a bit, but he will climb on top of us for a short while.

On your recommendation I called my regular vet and asked about the neutering, but they recommended another vet. When their hours are open again I'm going to call and ask if there is a vet who specializes in or is very familiar with rats, since I don't think my vet, kind as she is, knows too much about rats. He has been on Doxy for months now!
 
He needs to see a good vet asap!

He may be in pain, and he definitely needs different meds …. as was mentioned he may need baytril added to the doxy or other meds Biting his tail indicates that something is wrong

He does need to live with at least one other rat, but right now he needs to see a vet
I'm going to call the aforementioned vet tomorrow from my post above. My vet now says his issue is just chronic. She doesn't know what she's doing, so hopefully this vet she recommended me who can do surgery also knows how to treat them. He has been on Doxy for months.

Can he live with another rat without being neutered? He was so aggressive with my other rat and they bit off 1 of the others toes.
 
I'd get him neutered asap. In the mean time, I'd get a couple more boys, or two girls (only if he gets the snip) and start getting them acclimated to you and your house. About 3 weeks after his neuter, you can intro him to the new group. :)
 
Thank you both for your help. Should I get the 12 week old babies and they got in at my local pet store? I checked the local shelters and there are none up for adoption. I would keep them carefully separated from the one I have now on the other level. Then as followed a few weeks after his operation I can start introducing them?

I don't know when's a good time to get them since I called and the neuter operation would cost over $300, and the ones at my pet store are all males and although young they are unneutered too.
 
I'd get him neutered asap. In the mean time, I'd get a couple more boys, or two girls (only if he gets the snip) and start getting them acclimated to you and your house. About 3 weeks after his neuter, you can intro him to the new group. :)
I intend to neuter him....but I have a question. There are no rats to adopt around here as I've checked the shelters, so my only option is 12 week old babies at my local pet store. Should I keep them separated so the babies can get used to be now? Those rats aren't neutered either.

I can't get my precious bitey boy neutered quite yet since it's going to be around....$300
 
O just suggested 12 weeks as the youngest. It's totally up to you. You could even get a couple of older rats. Don't let the age be a limiting factor. If it were ME, I'd get them soon, so they can acclimate and such. And not ALL makes get hormonal. Some do, but handle it better. I've had 5 males so far, and (knock on wood) none have been bitey past the first "fear, and getting to know you" stage.... You could get girls as well (who don't get all puffy, hormonal), but you have to MAKE SURE they stay away from the boy. Like another room away. Or you could get the girls after his neuter. Only thing with girls, is you have to make sure they weren't around boys at all, or be prepared for a possible litter after you get them home....
 
O just suggested 12 weeks as the youngest. It's totally up to you. You could even get a couple of older rats. Don't let the age be a limiting factor. If it were ME, I'd get them soon, so they can acclimate and such. And not ALL makes get hormonal. Some do, but handle it better. I've had 5 males so far, and (knock on wood) none have been bitey past the first "fear, and getting to know you" stage.... You could get girls as well (who don't get all puffy, hormonal), but you have to MAKE SURE they stay away from the boy. Like another room away. Or you could get the girls after his neuter. Only thing with girls, is you have to make sure they weren't around boys at all, or be prepared for a possible litter after you get them home....
Thanks so much. Because there's no rats for adoption around me...I'd have to pick up two males from the pet store. I know that's a no no but I don't think there's a rat rescue near me. It's a Male only store so I can't get females. I'm going to go tomorrow and see them...might bring two home. My first babies! But first I am making an appointment for my bitey boy.
Do you have any helpful links for me for babies?
 
Before you buy, go ask pet stores, and vet clinics if they have any surrenders. Sometimes for whatever reason, people can't, or don't want to keep their rats, and will take them to those places instead of shelters, and drop them off. Often just leaving them in front of the doors. Or they may know of someone looking to rehome. That way, you can give a less fortunate rat or two a home. ;)

As far as links, just www.joinrats.com and our forums. You can search here, using the magnifying glass up top, and go to other options when it comes up, and type in key words baby or babies. I know there has been a bunch of stuff posted recently. :)
 
Where are you located? If in the US you can check Craigslist, if in Canada you can check Kijiji.

I personally would get him neutered first then get new rats. If he's aggressive and fearful he might need a month or more post-op before he settles down and can be safely introduced to others.
Can you tell us more about the tail biting? Does he squeak, grab his tail and lick or chew the end?
 
Before you buy, go ask pet stores, and vet clinics if they have any surrenders. Sometimes for whatever reason, people can't, or don't want to keep their rats, and will take them to those places instead of shelters, and drop them off. Often just leaving them in front of the doors. Or they may know of someone looking to rehome. That way, you can give a less fortunate rat or two a home. ;)

As far as links, just www.joinrats.com and our forums. You can search here, using the magnifying glass up top, and go to other options when it comes up, and type in key words baby or babies. I know there has been a bunch of stuff posted recently. :)
Will do! I'll also make sure I have enough to cover the operation for my boy now before I consider getting more rats. I thought about that last night and as excited I am, my furbaby now needs me as it is. It would be too hard for me to go today and look at baby rats without wanting to bring some home!

Will update as I go to the vet and make an appointment with them. <3
 
Where are you located? If in the US you can check Craigslist, if in Canada you can check Kijiji.

I personally would get him neutered first then get new rats. If he's aggressive and fearful he might need a month or more post-op before he settles down and can be safely introduced to others.
Can you tell us more about the tail biting? Does he squeak, grab his tail and lick or chew the end?
No noises. It's playful almost, like he's a puppy. He chases it around and and grabs it. He may be biting it some, but he hasn't bit it too hard. I don't notice chewing at the end.
 
Ok good. I was worried it was a spinal injury but this sounds like a behavior. What signs of aggression are there? Puffed up fur? Digging with front paws?rubbing, chattering teeth? When you were bitten before was it a hard deep chomp or a slashy bite like he was scared then ran away?
With the biting of the toes of your older rat was it through the bars, or through a ramp in the cage? Did they ever fight and ratball or did they just box and mirror each other standing up? Trying to determine if a neuter is really necessary with my questions.
 
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