My Bully Milo

[whirlytwirly]

I have 6 boys living in a big cage.

<---- (thats Milo in my piccie )

Milo and Darcy are almost 1 yr old.
Mr Nibbles and Roly are 7 months old.
Flip and Fuzzy are 4 1/2 months.

They've all been together now for many months but just recently Milo has been picking fights with the other boys, espeicially Mr Nibbles. It sounds totally awful. They scream at one another and scuffle. No-one has had any serious cuts but I've noticed a few tiny scabs on Mr Nibbles and Darcy.

Mr Nibbles has just outgrown Milo for the biggest rat in the cage. Nibbie has always been a meeper and I used to catch him crying wolf if Milo even looked at him funny :stickpoke: . Milo only seems to fight with Darcy if Darcy seems to "intervene" when a scuffle is going on.

I've tried the "pinch" method with Milo when he is fighting (he screams bloody murder then sits and gives me death stares) but it doesn't seem to have changed anything. I've tried giving him extra cuddles and treats but again no change. :gaah:

Should I be worried that they are fighting? I could move Mr Nibble in with his male cousins but there is already about 4 rats too many in that cage plus Roly his brother would get lonely.

Any ideas would really be welcomed

 

[jorats]

Does Milo walk up to Mr. Nibbles all pouffed up, sidling him, rubbing his butt on Mr. Nibbles and then it goes into a scuffle? After a scuffle, there are not big gashes or bites?

 

[whirlytwirly]

No, he doesn't really get all poofed up. He just kinda pounces on him without warning. There has definitely been no gashes or obvious bites (I had that happen to Darcy with another of my boys and it was horrible....poor Darcy, he had to have stitches!).

They tangle like cats, just rolling around together, and slapping each other with there front paws. Also, it isn't a continual thing....every morning everyone is happily asleep together in their huge hammock.

It just sounds awful. Lots and lots of screeching, Nibbie sounds like he is being murdered! Again Milo seems to tangle with the other boys too. But I've noticed Flip and Fuzzy pretty much stay out of his way when he's in his "moods", they were introduced as young 5 week olds and Milo didn't care a hoot.

He also didn't care when Roly and Nibbie were introduced as 5 week olds either. Though Remy (the old Alpha rat) was still alive then. Remy died back in April.

 

[jorats]

If you find them sleeping together, then I wouldn't do much about it and leave them at it. Some rats are just whiners and screamers.