Question about Biting

[Dahlas]

My babies, now 7 months old, have never shown any aggression to anyone or anything. They are a very friendly group. Especially outside of their cage. I play with them, handle them, even stick my hands right in their hammocks while they are sleeping....they have never even looked startled.
Well we got home from camping.....I went and said hello to the babies. I got lots of kisses. Then while I was in the other room....my sons girlfriend, who never holds the rats but likes to open the doors and pet at them with her fingers, let out a yell and said one of my babies bit her....Sure enough her finger was cut. It did break the skin. But not bad. I immediately reach in and grabbed Honey, she was the one who did the bite. She seemed fine. Not stressed or upset just looking at me like " hey momma what are you doing"
Angel and Honey are not as outgoing with other people in the cage as the other babies are......but they are VERY cuddly with me. I was a bit upset that one of them would bite....but really I wish the kids (not mine but all the visiting ones) would just keep their hands out of the cage.....any ideas or suggestions of why this might have happened and what you guys would do about it?.......
Do you guys worry about strangers putting their fingers in the cage? How do you keep people from doing this or do you just let them?

 

[user 78]

Regardless of how often someone comes to a cage, it's not daily interaction. They don't "know" the person, and so they're going to react accordingly. I tell anyone who decides to be a twit and put their fingers near the cage to do so at their own risk. Do not come crying when you get chomped. I figure I've given them fair warning, and it's not my fault if they feel like being a twit. I still want one of those signs that says "Attack Rat", though, just so I can get a chuckle.

 

[Dahlas]

Thanks guys that is how I feel too but then I was wondering about other people and their rats.......I was thinking of putting up a sign that says..."yes we will bite" because everyone that comes in goes to the cage and sticks in their fingers and then asks "do they bite?"

 

[jorats]

My first thought would be silly girlfriend. :giggle: I bet the cut happened because she took her finger away too fast when the rat put her teeth on her. The rat probably thought, I don't recognize this smell, I bet I can eat it. But silly g/f gets startled and pulls away to fast and voila, a cut.

 

[Dahlas]

That could be it Jo....because she said Honey licked her finger first...and they are always groooming me.....But I just wish people would keep there fingers out of the cage.

 

[jorats]

Ya, I agree... they should. A sign might be the way to go.