Boys power struggle?

Shop with us on Ebay
Fins us on Amazon
Advertise with us
The Rat Shack Forum

Help Support The Rat Shack Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
K

KristyR

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2007
Messages
889
Location
Oklahoma City, OK
My group of 10 boys has always been pretty close and all of them have always gotten along pretty well. There is the occasional wrestling match, power groom, and um.... displays of sexual dominance.... but it has all been very short-lived, and then they've all gone back to being buddies.

My boys range in age from about 3 months old to about 4 months old, with one boy who is probably a few months older than the whole rest of the group. The 3 month olds are all littermates. One of those boys, Cyril, is usually the one doing the sexual dominance thing. But tonight, Ryan, one of the 6 littermates, was just terrorizing Roger. Roger is usually one getting picked on when stuff does go on, but never like this. Ryan was absolutely stalking him around the cage. Roger would run away, and Ryan would creep up behind him and pounce on him. Roger was squeaking and squirming and trying to fight back, but Ryan is a bit bigger, even though he's younger.

And while it was going on, the whole cage was just in an uproar. Everyone was running around, climbing bars, jumping on and off shelves, stepping on each other... just crazy. When it didn't stop after several minutes, I pulled Ryan out and put him in the extra cage for a little while. He was just as calm as could be, and so were all the other boys. When I put him back in with the others, he went right after Roger again. I pulled Roger out, and he had several globs of (I'm guessing) semen on him. I cleaned him up, kept him out for a little while, and when I put him back, Ryan was practically on him before his paws touched the inside of the cage.

So I've got Ryan out again. Should I leave him out, or should I just let them duke it out? Nobody has gotten hurt except for a tiny scratch on Ryan's nose.
 
This is probably a daft question, but are you sure they're all boys, does roger definately have fuzzballs!?? haha

If so, which I'm guessing it is, I'd keep a close eye on them, but don't separate anyone unless there's a proper injury... scratches and scuffs are just part of the setting of the heirarchy, and they may be getting worse now, as they're 3-5 months old, which is the teenage time just about... rampant hormones and all that! haha.

So yes, I'd leave them together for now, and keep watching them... And keep us updated.

If things eventually don't settle down, I'd look into a neuter for Ryan, this might calm him down totally... separation is a last resort only if your really worried about the health of a rat...

But yes,, do keep us posted on the sweet little devils! :D
 
LOL, Roger definitely has goolies!

I figured this was just establishing a pecking order, I was just kind of freaked out because Roger is so sweet and I just hated seeing him get violated like that!!! When I put Ryan back in the second time, he went off and sulked in a tube. Then Emmet was humping Jed, and Milo was holding Bob down on his back with one foot, while casually inspecting his other foot. Lots of eeps, but no injuries.

Oy, teenage boy ratties! :shock:
 
hahaha I bet they're great fun to watch! Daft buggers... but poor Roger, I hope he gets over his violation!

I think it's all due to their age then... sounds like you've got a right mad house.

Sometimes in england when people are totally worn out they say "oh god I'm shagged" or "I'm shagged to death" And in my little ponderous mind I have often wondered if it's possible to be shagged to death... I now know it's true, because if you put a girly in your madhouse I bet she'd be shagged to death!! Poor poor girlie!! I dread to think of that situation... damn horny manrats!!!
 
I'm having the same thing happen in my cage. Jorge keeps going after Captain. He's relentless. Poor Captain doesn't stand a chance with this guy. And when this goes on, the other rat have to watch out and get out of Jorge's way. Jorge doesn't hurt, he just wants to pin Captain and Captain is so afraid.
I've been watching them for a bit now, I take Jorge out once in a while but for the most time I watch them.

Jorge will be neutered next week. :?

eta: but I keep changing my mind about Jorge. I just don't feel like he needs a neuter. Ugh.
 
Hearing about this reminds me of bullying in people... it's often the popular well-liked ones picking on someone weaker to maintain their social status. Can the same be true for rats?
 
Ya know, when Ryan was creeping up on Roger, the look in his eye totally looked like the high school jock creeping up on the geeky kid to give him a wedgie! I could almost imagine him turning around and giving Cyril and Justin high fives and them standing around laughing.

The funniest thing though, was that with all the chaos going on around the cage, Elwood was snuggled in the hammock, just snoozing away.
 
Well, all the fighting and humping died down a bit for awhile, but is back in full swing. Sigh.

Remember last time it was Ryan who was terrorizing everyone (but especially Roger)? Well, apparently the boys decided to take Ryan down a notch or two. He has several little white globs ( :shock: ICK!) in his fur towards the back side. And he has some skinned man parts. There is a little blood, but not much.

Boy, I sure wonder who's going to end up as alpha of this bunch. I sure hope they decide soon!
 
This could go on for another few months. Boys. :roll:
Do you have them close to the girls? This can also make them all freaked out.
 
They are in the same room as the girls. As far away as possible, but still in the same room.

I'd love to have them in separate rooms, but I don't want to keep any of them in the same room as the ferrets and both the ferrets and the rats need to be in a room that can be shut off from the dogs.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top