Hi there
First off, I would like to thank the individuals who were so helpful on chat today! I think we may know the solution...but I was told a few of you may have more insight.
I am not new to owning pets, I raised hamsters and gerbils as a teen and as a mom, I continue to love animals and enjoy their company. We currently have 2 female cats, both fixed and 2 fish tanks. In addition to these animals, I became very attached to a dumbo rat at a local pet store chain and brought him home. I am a new rattie owner...since May 29th. I have a male named 29 who we had fixed, he is approximately 6 months old. My rats live in the Feisty Ferret cage, it's huge, if you are unfamiliar with it. About 6-8 weeks ago, I decided to get a cagemate for 29 and started searching the internet for rescues. There is only one rescue that I could find in our area and I went to see what they had. I wanted 1 of 3 females housed together in a cage. The 3 girls, I was told, were too bonded to separate, so they needed to be kept together. After sleeping on it a few days, we brought them home. The girls, known as Spice, Mocha Java and Pixel were fostered by a couple in their 60-70's, living in a very peaceful home. The rats had their own, equally quiet, room in the house. They were fed breakfast and dinner every day, whatever foster mommy/daddy were eating, in addition they received rat block and cereals. Their cage was cleaned daily. Their bedding was old sheets and pillow cases with a small litter box with Softsorb. The cage was on its own little table and the doors were open all day long. Basically, they couldn't escape their little table, but weren't confined either.
So, we brought them home, intros went smooth...very much so! About a week after we got them in the same cage, Mocha started biting me. She broke skin and hasn't since, but she bites me about 4x a day if I guessed. If I reach in to give food and she is there, she will bite (yes my hands are always washed prior) and if we unlatch the door-she will bite me. Sometimes I remove the rats to clean their house, which I clean and empty the bedding every other day, and sometimes I leave them in the cage...she bites me. I don't get it. We don't go into her sleeping houses, we wait for her to come to get out of the cage. Sometimes I will reach in when they are aware I am there and pet the 3 girls and she seems fine with that.
29, he couldn't care less....he just goes about his day thinking I am his pet human. He's wonderful.
So, today...Mocha bit a 3 yr old who was visiting us. She didn't stick her finger in the cage, she was about 1 inch from the bars and she reached thru to nip her. I'm concerned because she has now resorted to biting other people. Mocha has nipped at my hubby a few times too...mostly just me though. We do not feed her thru the bars ever!
So, I called the rescue and talked to both the foster and the organizer and was basically told I wasn't a responsible pet owner. I was told we had too many rats (5 total-I got a baby 2 days ago) and we didn't have time for what we had. I was told that a responsible rat owner keeps to 2-3 rats and no more. I was so PISSED! She allowed us to take 3 girls when we already had one boy...that is more than 3. I was told I should clean the cage daily, I refuse to do that...most don't clean this often from what I hear...plus their cage is HUGE-so it takes a while for it to get bad. Basically, I was told to call a mediator of sorts, have her come over to see what we were doing and go from there. I said I wanted to bring back the girls, part of the agreement was they go back if we can't take care of them, I was all but told NO.
So....no what? The new baby, named Uh-Oh (my daughter named her) and 29, our awesome boy, love each other. I was thinking to just put the girls in our spare room to live their lives out in peace since I can't take them back. I'm not sure what more I can do. Cait suggested Mocha was terrified...lots of changes from foster to my house.
Any ideas...much appreciated. I will answer any questions you have, I am an open book. Maybe I am missing a key element. Maybe I am not doing something right...I'm at a loss.
(I will post a photo when I figure out how...LOL)
First off, I would like to thank the individuals who were so helpful on chat today! I think we may know the solution...but I was told a few of you may have more insight.
I am not new to owning pets, I raised hamsters and gerbils as a teen and as a mom, I continue to love animals and enjoy their company. We currently have 2 female cats, both fixed and 2 fish tanks. In addition to these animals, I became very attached to a dumbo rat at a local pet store chain and brought him home. I am a new rattie owner...since May 29th. I have a male named 29 who we had fixed, he is approximately 6 months old. My rats live in the Feisty Ferret cage, it's huge, if you are unfamiliar with it. About 6-8 weeks ago, I decided to get a cagemate for 29 and started searching the internet for rescues. There is only one rescue that I could find in our area and I went to see what they had. I wanted 1 of 3 females housed together in a cage. The 3 girls, I was told, were too bonded to separate, so they needed to be kept together. After sleeping on it a few days, we brought them home. The girls, known as Spice, Mocha Java and Pixel were fostered by a couple in their 60-70's, living in a very peaceful home. The rats had their own, equally quiet, room in the house. They were fed breakfast and dinner every day, whatever foster mommy/daddy were eating, in addition they received rat block and cereals. Their cage was cleaned daily. Their bedding was old sheets and pillow cases with a small litter box with Softsorb. The cage was on its own little table and the doors were open all day long. Basically, they couldn't escape their little table, but weren't confined either.
So, we brought them home, intros went smooth...very much so! About a week after we got them in the same cage, Mocha started biting me. She broke skin and hasn't since, but she bites me about 4x a day if I guessed. If I reach in to give food and she is there, she will bite (yes my hands are always washed prior) and if we unlatch the door-she will bite me. Sometimes I remove the rats to clean their house, which I clean and empty the bedding every other day, and sometimes I leave them in the cage...she bites me. I don't get it. We don't go into her sleeping houses, we wait for her to come to get out of the cage. Sometimes I will reach in when they are aware I am there and pet the 3 girls and she seems fine with that.
29, he couldn't care less....he just goes about his day thinking I am his pet human. He's wonderful.
So, today...Mocha bit a 3 yr old who was visiting us. She didn't stick her finger in the cage, she was about 1 inch from the bars and she reached thru to nip her. I'm concerned because she has now resorted to biting other people. Mocha has nipped at my hubby a few times too...mostly just me though. We do not feed her thru the bars ever!
So, I called the rescue and talked to both the foster and the organizer and was basically told I wasn't a responsible pet owner. I was told we had too many rats (5 total-I got a baby 2 days ago) and we didn't have time for what we had. I was told that a responsible rat owner keeps to 2-3 rats and no more. I was so PISSED! She allowed us to take 3 girls when we already had one boy...that is more than 3. I was told I should clean the cage daily, I refuse to do that...most don't clean this often from what I hear...plus their cage is HUGE-so it takes a while for it to get bad. Basically, I was told to call a mediator of sorts, have her come over to see what we were doing and go from there. I said I wanted to bring back the girls, part of the agreement was they go back if we can't take care of them, I was all but told NO.
So....no what? The new baby, named Uh-Oh (my daughter named her) and 29, our awesome boy, love each other. I was thinking to just put the girls in our spare room to live their lives out in peace since I can't take them back. I'm not sure what more I can do. Cait suggested Mocha was terrified...lots of changes from foster to my house.
Any ideas...much appreciated. I will answer any questions you have, I am an open book. Maybe I am missing a key element. Maybe I am not doing something right...I'm at a loss.
(I will post a photo when I figure out how...LOL)