Rubbing on stuff (uploaded Video)

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ryelle

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2008
Messages
3,427
Location
Cleveland, England
Patrick has lost the plot :shock:

I just picked up the log cave and put it on the bed, and Patrick has gone crazy! I have a video but i can't find the stupid camera cable. He walked through it sniffing it. Walked to the end, started chewing on the wood and scratching the right side of his body like a maniac with his back foot. He then started rubbing his hips against the inside of the log cave and squirming along the inside of it on his side. He ended up laid on his side chewing the corners like a mad man. He then stopped chewing and started walking around kneading the bed with his front feet - like cats do on your lap some times.

I know it probably smells of Sid, because he was sleeping in it. But what?!?! why?? What is he trying to do to the log cave?
I can't let him near Sid. He just puffs up and starts walking sideways to him and Sid freaks out
 
I've seen that before in intact males. Patrick can smell Sid and is putting his scent on the log and of course getting pouffy. He scratches his sides because that's where the oil is to put his scent. Your boy needs a neuter maybe.
 
I've seen it lots of times with my males. It is some serious dominant behaviour. Often it will be accompanied by 'wet' spots on their haunches/flanks where the scent glands are.
I think it is amusing, but they don't. I have learned to keep my distance when they are actively doing it.
 
Video: (its on its side lol. im a bad film maker)



Is his behaviour going to jepordise (spelling) any future introductions i try to do if i don't get him neutered? I'm planning on getting two babes (or rescue's, depending on whats around) when i get my own place again. Now i'm worried. My avatar pic is Sid and Patrick 2 months ago. You wouldn't believe they used to be best friends after watching that vid :? :(
 
I've seen much worse rubbing... but that could change, he could become far worse because he's doing this with a scent that belong to a one time buddy of his. I honestly can't recommend getting him buddies yet with him doing that, not without a neuter.
 
Oh, I have seen much worse than that. I remember Hades going berserk! He was rolling around so much that he fell off the couch, and his haunches were soaking wet.
Hades lived with three other rats, and it never interferred with their relationship, but I would be very careful with introductions.
 
SQ said:
The fact that he needs a neuter is probably why he no longer gets along with Sid.
Click to expand...

It's not as easy as saying he needs a neuter then getting one done. It could be atleast 6 months until he could get a neuter, maybe longer. I don't even know if there is any experienced vets in the area to do it. There is 1 practise i know that does it, but i dont know how well they do it
 
Im going to call up and enquire about it all either friday or next week (busy tomorrow). Ill ask the price and the procedure (all the questions listed on the post made by SQ) and then i will start saving. Hopefully, it wont be too much, so it doesn't take me forever to save up.

My mum is going to go nuts though. She thinks i waste too much time and money on my rats as it is. She loves them, but she thinks im obsessed. She thinks vet visits are a waste of my money, and if she finds out im thinking of having Patrick neutered she will flip because its not something thats like life or death. It would be easier if i wasn't living here, and i could just go and do it, but because im living under he roof, she knows about everything
 
It is so difficult when you doin't have knowlegable rat vets nearby ....

Good luck with your mother .... mine is going to flip if she ever finds out how many I have ....
 
I think we have a breakthrough on the mother situation!

I was sorting the cage out for Sid the other day, and i had him in the cat box. We let Patrick out on the couch, and he jumped down onto the floor and ran to the cat box. I was telling my mum how he's started puffing up and pushing towards the box because he can smell Sid.. when... before i had chance to pick him up and put him back on the couch, he just went crazy and started attacking the box. Sid was inside and started screaming because he is terrified of Patrick.

Patrick had been jumpy all day. Hes confident inside the cage, but hes started to get more jumpy when he's outside. He is clinging to me a lot more too. He was sat in the crook of my elbow while i was reading a magazine this morning and he was jumping every time i turned the page over.

I picked Patrick up and i was walking back to his cage after the box attack. I must have been atleast a foot away from the cage and he just flew out of my arms and into the cage. He had jumped that fast he hit the inside of the cage bars. He ran around all skittish for a few minutes then disapeared into the bottom of the cage.

I was explaining to my mum though that getting a rat neutered can work the same way that neutering a slightly aggressive dog or dog with behavioural issues can calm it down. She didn't react the way i thought at all. It was quite suprising. She sat and listened and didn't judge or making any snide comments like she normally does lol. I think if she hadn't seen the way Patrick reacted then i don't think she would have understood. She was even saying "whats wrong with Patrick? he doesn't look himself today" because he was hiding behind the couch cusion - before he attacked the box.

My mum pulled Sid out of the box and sat cuddling him until he calmed down. She's allergic to the contact with the rats, but it didn't bother her. I think Sid is her heart rat, like Harvey used to be (she wasn't allergic to Harvey, just seems to be Sid). She likes the cuddle-bug oldies ^^

The only thing she's having trouble understanding and the only question she asked was "is it worth it with the time he has left?" - going on rats living an average of 2yrs. She also had concern over the fact that anaesthetising (spelling?) has some serious risks aswell
 
That's great that you mum is understanding it better... those questions are valid somewhat but... each living being is should have the right to live a happy life, neutering does that, regardless if it's 2 years or 15 years. It's Patrick's life that matter however short or long, he needs to feel happy again.
With a good exotic vet, surgery really isn't all that risky anymore. I can't even count how many times my rats went through surgery and only once did something go wrong.
What it boils down too... do you think Patrick is a happy boy living constantly with that kind of stress?
 
I haven't been able to get on my computer the last couple of days as much as i wanted to. Lots of studying going on, and work search related stuff.

So i've just called my old Vet's to find the cost of a neuter (i asked before if they've ever done surgery and specifially neuters/spays on rats and they said yes - one time i was there, there was a couple booking in to have a tumour removed on a rat) and the neuter is £55.66... very specific price lol. It isn't as bad as i thought. I'm still not in the position to get this done asap, but i am going to start saving for it. I also want to make an appointment to check Patrick's chest again, and i would like to make an appointment for a consultation to discuss HOW they do their neuters. Everything i need to know before i decide where to get this done at. I need the best for my little guy

It's not the vet i took Patrick and Sid to last week..i'm still not 100% sure about them. I will ask when i take Sid in for his next jab on Saturday how they go about neutering rats and the cost of it. Im keeping my options open at the minute, and going to research the best possible vet to do this.

Yes, i do agree with you Jo. I would like to get Patrick living with other rats, and i honestly think the only way im going to be able to achieve this is if he calms down - which is only going to be a neuter by the looks of it (i will even be able to get some girlys!!! :D ). He looked rough today. He feels cold to the touch - my boyfriend said hes been sleeping on the hard plastic of his litter tray all day, but it has been quite warm today - he had porphyrin around his nose which he has NEVER had before, and he looked all hunched up and puffy. I panicked and pulled him out the cage, but after about 5 minutes he looked back to himself. Im going to keep an eye on him tonight and check him every hour or so.
I dont want the stress of him living on his own making him sick - his chest sounded grunty after he stopped living with Sid.
 

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