Aggressive Senior Rattie from Rescue

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Lily

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Mar 11, 2018
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Location
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A little backstory: I adopted a little over a week ago a pair of intact, 2 year-old males (Nibbler and Cooper) from a rat rescue, "brothers" with cataracts in one eye and blind in that eye. Unsure of their prior life, but probably not great as they came into the rescue with a bad case of lice, and the previous owner claimed they were a little under a year, when in fact both very much 2 years old. They supposedly got along ok together when they were being fostered in rescue for close to 3 weeks, Nibbler was clearly alpha, although there was really nothing for them to get territorial over in their foster cage. There was a teenie altercation between them when females got brought into foster home (obviously different cage different side of rat room but within smelling distance apparently, but nothing terrible).

Once I brought them home I expected a bit of re-establishing of dominance, but it has turned into something I'm totally lost on how to deal with.
Nibbler, won't let Cooper anywhere in the cage, except for the un-covered corner of the bottom section, Nibbler has drawn blood from Cooper (Nibbler got put in "time out" for 1 day for that aggression, where I put him in his carrier w/ food, water, a chew toy, burrowing blanket). After a week, Cooper will still stay hunched in the corner, not moving from that location in cage while his brother has all the hidey holes, etc.. During free play, Cooper rushes out of the cage and onto my lap, or hubby's lap where he curls up and grooms himself, then promptly snuggles into the lap and falls asleep, while Nibbler explores. (From day 1) Cooper will not leave a lap unless picked up and put on the floor, even then he will sniff the air, or his brother runs to him, in which case he then runs from his brother, right back onto the closer lap. Putting them back into the cage is another issue, as if Nibbler is already in the cage or gets put in first, regardless of where he is, Cooper will frantically try to climb up arms to not go in. If Cooper is in cage (in his corner) and Nibbler gets put in, he'll go for his brother, unless you specifically put him on the 2nd floor entrance. Im not sure if Cooper is terrified of his bro, or just the cutest lap rat ever.

Nibbler, also has a habit of primarily nibbling and sometimes biting fingers. While outside the cage, he'll come up to me or hubby, sometimes come onto our laps, sniff at my hand, then exploratory nibble of my finger, kinda jump sideways then run off. He has also done this where he would come up to my hand and bite my finger, not wanting to let go, drawing blood. I always make sure I don't have scented lotion/soap on hands, don't hand feed him (in or out of cage), and make sure to be on his good seeing side, not swooping down on him, and do the eek sound when pulling finger away. Im unsure how to stop this, and if it's learned behavior, or him just being aggressive towards me.

Thanks
 
Can you take him to a good vet experienced an d knowledgeable about treating rats to make sure he is not ill or in pain?
Hopefully they are not currently living together
 
Sounds like Nibbler has some major anxiety issues which I have seen in rats who have moved around too much. If he was mine, I'd have him neutered. But we can try doing intros first. As for their age, it will be very hard to tell because of the mites/lice damage to their skin and the cataract is not always an indication of age. Young rats can get them too.
You have only had them a very short time, they need longer to readjust. Can you get another cage for poor little Cooper? And start intros over again in 2 weeks from now? Actually, I would put Nibbler in the smaller temp cage and keep Cooper in the main larger cage. Nibbler might need the security of the smaller cage. Every day have them meet up for play time. After the 2 week separation.
 
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