I have three male rats, two were the ones I got originally and I got a new baby a few months back that has been living with them for awhile without trouble. I tamed the baby the same way I did the others, (stuffing him inside my shirt, feeding him treats, etc.) and although he was a bit more nervous he was still interested in what I was doing and would come out for pets and treats when I came to see them.
The last little while though, I noticed when I moved him for cleaning he would run and hide from me (to the extent that he will cram himself under the wheel to avoid my hands), and started to squeak out like I was hurting/scaring him when I picked him up. So I took a closer look at him, didn't see anything, felt him up and down and didn't feel anything. He still acts fairly normal, runs in his wheel, eats, cuddles with the others, plays. He's started to fear-bite as well now, which he's never done before.
I guess my question is, is there something seriously wrong with him? Or did something spook him and I have to start taming all over again? The only thing I could think of that would have spooked him were the thunderstorms we've been having the last little while. The lightning has been hitting pretty close to the house (loud/close enough to shake the house), but the other two are acting perfectly normal. There's been no blood, no violent playing or fighting, no obvious signs of illness that I've seen, I just don't get it. Everyone in the house comes and goes to see them, they get hand-fed treats daily and handling often. It's not like he's in some quiet room closed off from the rest of the world, they're in my bedroom where I spend a good deal of time every single day.
The last little while though, I noticed when I moved him for cleaning he would run and hide from me (to the extent that he will cram himself under the wheel to avoid my hands), and started to squeak out like I was hurting/scaring him when I picked him up. So I took a closer look at him, didn't see anything, felt him up and down and didn't feel anything. He still acts fairly normal, runs in his wheel, eats, cuddles with the others, plays. He's started to fear-bite as well now, which he's never done before.
I guess my question is, is there something seriously wrong with him? Or did something spook him and I have to start taming all over again? The only thing I could think of that would have spooked him were the thunderstorms we've been having the last little while. The lightning has been hitting pretty close to the house (loud/close enough to shake the house), but the other two are acting perfectly normal. There's been no blood, no violent playing or fighting, no obvious signs of illness that I've seen, I just don't get it. Everyone in the house comes and goes to see them, they get hand-fed treats daily and handling often. It's not like he's in some quiet room closed off from the rest of the world, they're in my bedroom where I spend a good deal of time every single day.
