Females "playing"

[trulytree]

So I have my two rats Beaker and Zelda, both girls. I'm pretty sure they came from the same litter and they sleep together usually. They like to play a bit and Beaker is the more dominant one and will run around "humping" her which I've looked up before shows her dominance or whatever. Zelda will run around squeaking and sometimes its pretty loud to the point I think she might be hurting her but I've never found anything wrong with either of them. They don't mind being around each other but every once in awhile they just run around going at it. I'm guessing its playing? Do you know if I should be worried and know when playing isn't playing anymore?

 

[user 78]

The times when they seem to just run around doing nothing but that, one of them is most likely in heat. Some rats will hold really, really still and wiggle their ears when you touch their backside. Others only like to to do the hop forward, trying to entice whomever is touching them into "chasing" them. It sounds perfectly normal, though. The squeaking could just be for show, or Zelda may think Beaker's being a little rough. Some rats are more vocal than others, especially when they're "excited."

 

[jorats]

Yep, I bet it's when one or both are in heat. And they will squeak pretty loudly too.

 

[allykatt]

Wow reminds me SO much of my one ratty Pepper and when her sisters visit. Pepper has ALWAYS been a whiner. Somes rats really are just mroe vocal. Pepper will bug all teh other rats, and when they bug her back in event eh slightest way,s he will get upset adn squeak, even though SHE started it. She also squeaks when being groomed though she isn't being hurt at all. She is just a big whiner baby.

I agree it sounds like they are in heat. Mine often run around chasing and humping when they are in heat. With my first two rats, Matilda would "drive-by hump" the other ratty, Violet. Poor violet would be eating by herself when Matilda would run up behind her, hump her really fast and then run off. Violet would jsut look confused and continue eating.

 

[trulytree]

Haha thanks. I wasn't sure if I should be concerned or not. They are usually fine. Beakers been acting odd and I was thinking she might be in heat. Bouncing around moving really fast.