Squabbling in a peaceful Cage

[adreabri]

I've already spoken to Hopefloats in chat already so my mind is already at a little amount of ease

Okay here's some information about my setup.

First off I would like to say that a neuter isn't an option. I don't have a vet comfortable with a neuter so its already out of the question. I have Six boys housed in a double FN. I've had the same 6 since sometime before christmas. I have 2 boys about 20 months old. I have two others about a year old and then I have rufus & sundae. Unsure about either of their ages but after some digging I think I have their ages pinpointed about 6 to 9 months old. About a month ago my alpha switched from one of my old boys to Sundae who is a very old grouchy man reincarnated into this rat lol. He's very grouchy and crabby and a bit of a bully. Well earlier this morning I was woke up to the sound of some squabbling and upon further inspection found rufus with a lot of small to mild scratches all over his body. ( i forgot to mention that he is a hairless )

I'm worried that this could be more than something normal. Worried it could be them fighting. I didn't actually see them interacting. Usually once I approach the cage they stop what they are doing and run to the bars. I'm just wondering what my options could be. I guess I could separate my clan between the top and the bottom but I wouldn't even know where to begin with putting who with who.

Also I don't have any other groups in the room or females. No one has come over that also has rats.

I feel a lot better knowing that this could be normal but I'm still worried about them..

 

[fenshae]

Having myself 9 boys, I can tell you, I think they always squabble a little, especially as power dynamics shift. Boys play rough. My understanding is hairless rats are kind of delicate and tend to get injured more easily since they have no fur to protect them, but from the sounds of it, it doesn't seem too bad. I personally don't separate unless there's a fairly major blood-drawing injury, and even then sometimes I'll leave them. My boy Stock is actually going bald on his hind end from all the scuffling he's done in his life, but he's so much more miserable when he's separated. He's a bit of a bully (and always loses the fights he starts, oy) but he's ultimately still happier with the others.

But it'll really depend on your guys' temperament and also how delicate your hairless chap is. I've never had a hairless myself but I have read that due to ease of injury sometimes they can only be housed with other hairless?

 

[jorats]

First thing I would do is treat for mites. Second thing, observe and make sure it doesn't escalate to full attacks. Squabbles happen all the time and it's part of a healthy colony just so long as it doesn't get out of hand. Your young boys are in the prime age to take over the cage, once the alpha has been accepted, everything should settle down again.