Agression problem!

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Talulla

Active Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2020
Messages
27
Location
Canada
Hi, I have a problem with my two female rats being aggressive to one and other.
They are one year old sisters and have always lived together.
Periodicly, like onece evry month or two they start figting pretty badlly (usually about food and after a deep cleaning), screaming and biting. They are not playing and, after one year of living always together I would think thay have their herarchy figured out. I still see them playing on normal days, and most of the time they are fine with eachother, cuddeling, sleaping and generally spending time with together. The bites are usually superficial, there is some fur pulling and rearly do I find scabs.
I know that when rats are aggressive they should be separated but I don't think it would help in this case, as thay are sisters and have never been separated (but I do notice that one of them is more scared of the other).
I'm curius to know if anyone has had a similar experience and if and what can be done.
 
Well, if there's no serious fighting and they are still grooming each other and sleeping together then I wouldn't separate them. If they are fighting over food, that's easily dealt with, provide two dishes at meal times so one isn't hogging it.
 
Also, you can try getting a third, so they have another girl to snuggle with, and sometimes it helps with them figuring out who is alpha. I'd also add the second food dish, and make sure they have a cage large enough that they can be far away from each other when they need a break.
 
Thanks for replying so fast.
I will try with the second food bowl.
They live in one unit of the furat tower and are out most of the time (at least 4 hours a day), so I don't think fisical space is the issue.
I'm trying to figure out if I could afford a third rat, but as of now I'm not sure. I know that girls can become "expansive" when they get older and I was thinking of finding a nuterd boy... Don't know if it would make a difference in the long run.
 
A neutered boy is a great idea! Just make sure you get a rat around the girls age, and do PROPER introductions.
 
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