spookie.cookie
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2009
- Messages
- 77
hey everyone:
if you haven't been following my previous post (crying for help lol)- my rat has just given birth! her behaviour has changed! aside from increasing maternal aggresaion (she has her babies for almost a week now!), she is behaving strangely and i am worried!
her babies are ok by the way.
i have been noticing her bowls being tipped over in the morning. today i realized that she has been climbing in her cage a lot trying to look for a way out. she does not chew on the cage bars (i hope not), but rather mouth it. she did it a couple of times and i am observing her behaviour. i do not know how to discourage it as she is pretty determined and i don't want to punish her because she might be scared.
she does have A LOT of time out. she basically free roams whenever i am around! so it would be more than 4 hours daily! her cage is on my table and she is free to explore anywhere she wants. i wonder if she starts to prefer what is OUTSIDE of her cage (although i think her cage is cozy and filled with lots of toys!).
today i found out that she has been building a small nest in my travel bag. i did not know at first until i moved the bag (i was worried she would be chewing on it), but she lunged and bit me :sad3: she has made it her territory! later that night, she started moving between the cage and bag A LOT. i saw her trying to move her baby to the bag, but i stopped her on time. i was worried of her moving the babies around and misplace it. i have locked her in her cage, but i am worried of future time out and her escaping! i wouldn't want to wake up to a destroyed room or missing babies or trying to stop her from moving the babies during time out. the cage is chew proof and the bar spacing .5 inch. i don't think she can make her way out, but i want this behaviour to stop - if there is a way!
thanks!
if you haven't been following my previous post (crying for help lol)- my rat has just given birth! her behaviour has changed! aside from increasing maternal aggresaion (she has her babies for almost a week now!), she is behaving strangely and i am worried!
her babies are ok by the way.
i have been noticing her bowls being tipped over in the morning. today i realized that she has been climbing in her cage a lot trying to look for a way out. she does not chew on the cage bars (i hope not), but rather mouth it. she did it a couple of times and i am observing her behaviour. i do not know how to discourage it as she is pretty determined and i don't want to punish her because she might be scared.
she does have A LOT of time out. she basically free roams whenever i am around! so it would be more than 4 hours daily! her cage is on my table and she is free to explore anywhere she wants. i wonder if she starts to prefer what is OUTSIDE of her cage (although i think her cage is cozy and filled with lots of toys!).
today i found out that she has been building a small nest in my travel bag. i did not know at first until i moved the bag (i was worried she would be chewing on it), but she lunged and bit me :sad3: she has made it her territory! later that night, she started moving between the cage and bag A LOT. i saw her trying to move her baby to the bag, but i stopped her on time. i was worried of her moving the babies around and misplace it. i have locked her in her cage, but i am worried of future time out and her escaping! i wouldn't want to wake up to a destroyed room or missing babies or trying to stop her from moving the babies during time out. the cage is chew proof and the bar spacing .5 inch. i don't think she can make her way out, but i want this behaviour to stop - if there is a way!
thanks!