OK, so my 6 females have been together for the last 6 weeks and all is well in that department. I have taken the remaining 2 neutered boys and am doing intro's in case they end up separated by an adoption or don't get adopted at all and end up staying here. For the past 2 nights we have placed all in the tub and then on the bathroom floor. Watermelon who was my original "pin" rattie was been pushed out of king pin and Luna has taken over. The 2 cages have been side by side for the past week. For the past 2 nights we have put everyone in the tub which really works out well. From the tub they go onto the bathroom floor where all the trouble is taking place. The 1st night Luna was pinning Tolberone and Tolberone only. The second night she was pinning Little King and Little King only, but Gaddy took over the pinning of Tolberone. Luna is pinning but she is also "nibbling" on the bellies as she huffs. Her body is puffed out as well, something Watermelon never did. Is this something I should be worried about? and should I let it go on? at what point do we step in. When little King continued to squeal, Jill went to take Luna off him and she turned and tried to bite her. Is this also normal behaviour? The next time we put them all together, I am going to try and video tape it so people can see exactly what is going on.
More introductions & not liking it!
- Thread starter Maple
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jorats
Loving rats since 2002.
So far from what you are describing it's all normal.
The girls are determined to get the boys' respect. Also, when a rattie is being dominant, she's kind of in the zone and anyone that goes near her might get the attitude and a bite. Most good rats stop before doing the actual bite though.
I'd continue with this... eventually the girls will no longer feel the need to pin the boys.
When you do want to remove a dominant rat, use a towel in case the rat doesn't realize it's a human hand there. It's also ok to tell the rat, enough and move her aside. If she is very persistent you might need to flip her over and hold her down on her tummy, using your fingers to kind of scratch at her chest. (gently but firmly)
The girls are determined to get the boys' respect. Also, when a rattie is being dominant, she's kind of in the zone and anyone that goes near her might get the attitude and a bite. Most good rats stop before doing the actual bite though.
I'd continue with this... eventually the girls will no longer feel the need to pin the boys.
When you do want to remove a dominant rat, use a towel in case the rat doesn't realize it's a human hand there. It's also ok to tell the rat, enough and move her aside. If she is very persistent you might need to flip her over and hold her down on her tummy, using your fingers to kind of scratch at her chest. (gently but firmly)
sausage4ever
Well-Known Member
Just to let you know Jo, Luna is a spayed girl if that changes anything.
It sound good to me Maple!! You definitely couldn't stand my boys!! Buford and Caillou are in the process of figuring out who's TopRat.
It sound good to me Maple!! You definitely couldn't stand my boys!! Buford and Caillou are in the process of figuring out who's TopRat.
jorats
Loving rats since 2002.
How interesting is that... the spayed girl has taken over.
henry's_mum
Well-Known Member
It sounds like Luna is trying to give those boys a good dose of reality!
As long as noone is being hurt, and it doesn't sound as though they are, they are just figuring out who's the boss.
I would continue until there's no issues on the bathroom floor, thn move it elsewhere.
and breathe woman, you're doing good!
:giggle:
As long as noone is being hurt, and it doesn't sound as though they are, they are just figuring out who's the boss.
I would continue until there's no issues on the bathroom floor, thn move it elsewhere.
and breathe woman, you're doing good!
:giggle:
sausage4ever
Well-Known Member
I think it's funny she's taken over as she used to let all my boys "dominate" her no questions asked :giggle:
This is very interesting Dee and I am not wondering if it is because your boys are older and bigger. Maybe with these 2 still being young has something to do with it and I forgot to mention Luna is the only spay female. Interesting.....what will happen when all the females are spayed & is spaying a good idea after all. I was doing it to reduce tumor possibilities and nothing more. Anyone got an opinion on that before I go ahead with surgery.sausage4ever said:
lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
Spaying doesn't change any characters of the girls, the only change I have noticed is all the sexual tension goes into eating food and sometimes they will gain a little weight LOL. Some females who are hormonally aggressive will calm down a little but spays won't create a more aggressive behaviour. Luna is just being a dominant rat with younger boys...she couldn't before 
jorats
Loving rats since 2002.
Above anything else, spaying is hugely beneficial in reducing the risk of mammary tumours.
Thanks for the opinions ladies and I think I will proceed with the surgeries as the chances of tumors are so greatly reduced. Not only that but I personally feel it is easier on their little bodies to do a spay surgery at 6 months than a tumor removal at 2 or 2 and a half.
My video camera is ready for the big "fight" tonight so if its not to late I'll get it posted or better yet, maybe....just maybe the fighting ritual will be over forever and I won't have to post at all
My video camera is ready for the big "fight" tonight so if its not to late I'll get it posted or better yet, maybe....just maybe the fighting ritual will be over forever and I won't have to post at all
sausage4ever
Well-Known Member
I was wondering if you were going to spay all your girl, so happy to hear that Luna won't be the only one!!
As you can see there is no video posted. Tonight went fairly well. Only 2 or 3 little scraps and they were so small I couldn't even get them on video. I didn't post it cause I didn't want to bore everyone with just an average video of a bunch of rats running around on my bathroom floor! Tomorrow night we move on to my daughters bedroom. Hurray!!
jorats
Loving rats since 2002.
:joy:
henry's_mum
Well-Known Member
:happydance:
Its been one full week since I started the intro's between my 6 girls and the 2 boys. Luna won't let up. During out time things are pretty good, but we have tried twice to place them together in the cage.......forget it. Luna "HUNTS THEM DOWN" she won't leave them alone. Lots of squeeking, pinning and biting but most of all Luna pushes the boys up against the cage bars, but she is pushing them sideways!!! Does anyone understand this? Also, Little King is mounting any females in heat. Is this common for a neutered boy and will it stop. It's driving me crazy. I don't want to watch 2 rats going at it everytime I walk in the door. Tonight I have put Little King (the sex pot) and Luna (the pure b*tch) together in one cage and Tolberone and the remaining 5 in the second cage. Little King is on the top level of 1 CN and Luna is on the bottom, you can clearly see they are staying away from each other. Cage 2 with the 5 females and Tolberone is awesome. Running, jumping, playing, eating and grooming. :thumbup: So now what?? I can't stop Little King from mounting (only the girls in heat) and I can't stop Luna from fighting (rat balls with the boys only)
jorats
Loving rats since 2002.
Little King is doing his job. Those girls are asking him to do this. It comes natural to him. He may stop after while when nothing is happening or he may go on. The girls need to stop going into heat. :giggle: Only a spay will do that.
Luna is being a bully but might very well let up once they've been living together and she's had enough of pushing him around. And the boys might come into their own and put her in her place. It's all very normal. These guys are on her territory and she's making sure they know it belongs to her.
I'd put them all back in the same cage... first it needs to be totally scrubbed down.
Luna is being a bully but might very well let up once they've been living together and she's had enough of pushing him around. And the boys might come into their own and put her in her place. It's all very normal. These guys are on her territory and she's making sure they know it belongs to her.
I'd put them all back in the same cage... first it needs to be totally scrubbed down.
lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
The mounting of neutered males with girls in heat is normal, but also may slow down/stop in time. Think of it this way, you have seen girls mounting each other when one is in heat...helping each other out I guess you could call it :giggle: Same deal really. I find that once they have been together for quite a while, that behaviour generally stops.
Luna is Alpha and is letting everyone know it. The pushing is just part of the Dominance Dance. Is there any blood? If there isn't serious biting and blood, don't worry about it...let her get it out of her system. Monkey did this with Taltos for ages...pushed him around, fur puffed, chased him when he ran, pinned him, made him cry like a baby, etc. NOW they love each other. She was just sure "he wasn't getting it" all those weeks...hehehehe.
Let them work it out.
Luna is Alpha and is letting everyone know it. The pushing is just part of the Dominance Dance. Is there any blood? If there isn't serious biting and blood, don't worry about it...let her get it out of her system. Monkey did this with Taltos for ages...pushed him around, fur puffed, chased him when he ran, pinned him, made him cry like a baby, etc. NOW they love each other. She was just sure "he wasn't getting it" all those weeks...hehehehe.
Let them work it out.
I thought the girls were asking for âfriendly favorsâ. Itâs just funny that one is doing it and not the other. Tolberone is having a blast just having the girls for company and the girls seem to love him back (except Luna of course). I hope it stops but I guess there isnât anything I can do about it. Nature works in funny ways!
Jill and I scrubbed down the cage last night, should we do it again tonight?
Spaz, you have made a valid point with the girls mounting, I just find the girls mount each other 3 or 4 times and then find someone else in the cage to play with. Little King did this steady for some 45 minutes. No bloodâ¦â¦yet although Little Kings toes look like they could be bruised, mind you he could have hurt himself during all his naughty play!
Iâll try not to worry about it, but it looks so nasty when they are in the fight balls. They fly around the cage like a pin ball machine and the noiseâ¦.OH donât even like to think about it.
OK so as soon as I hear an answer about cleaning the cage again, Iâll put them all together and get my ear plugs out. Thanks guys, this forum is awesome for info and greatly appreciated when you are stressed and worried.
Jill and I scrubbed down the cage last night, should we do it again tonight?
Spaz, you have made a valid point with the girls mounting, I just find the girls mount each other 3 or 4 times and then find someone else in the cage to play with. Little King did this steady for some 45 minutes. No bloodâ¦â¦yet although Little Kings toes look like they could be bruised, mind you he could have hurt himself during all his naughty play!
Iâll try not to worry about it, but it looks so nasty when they are in the fight balls. They fly around the cage like a pin ball machine and the noiseâ¦.OH donât even like to think about it.
OK so as soon as I hear an answer about cleaning the cage again, Iâll put them all together and get my ear plugs out. Thanks guys, this forum is awesome for info and greatly appreciated when you are stressed and worried.
jorats
Loving rats since 2002.
Luna and Little King get into a rat ball fight? Luna really is a bully. When this occurs, pull Luna out of the cage and spend some one on one with her.
Yes, the cage would need another scrub down unfortunately. Also it might help to move a few things around.
Yes, the cage would need another scrub down unfortunately. Also it might help to move a few things around.
