Why is novo doing this.

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Clairebee1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2008
Messages
72
Location
Northern Ireland, Belfast
Well the other day i wrote a post saying novo bit me.
And well hes not biting my but when i try to lift him OUT OF HIS CAGE he doesnt bite me but he turns his head sharply around to my hand to like warn me not to lift him out.
But when hes out of his cage i can lift him around and so on.
But hes not letting me lift him out what am i suposed to do?
Im in contact with a breeder and he wants me to take 2 baby males i cant though because i cant lift novo out. . so intro's wont be easy how will i seperate them if they fight novo wont let me pick him up what could this be?
 
how long have you had him? are you 2 still getting acquainted?

I am ratless atm, but I don't think I every had to take my previous rats out of their cage. I opened their door and they pretty much came running out to me. I would extend my hand and they would climb up when they wanted, few would just jump at me when I wasn't expecting it. They also came from a breeder where they were handled constantly from birth.

To me it really sounds like a trust issue, if possible I would suggest stop grabbing it Novo. Open his cage, call his name and let him come to you. Offering treats initially to coax him out might help. Extend your arm or hand and let him climb on to you. A little patience and time and you two should be fine.

Also ... any chance he is deaf / blind? Could it be that he just doesnt see / hear you coming and you startle him?
 
What kind of cage do you have? If you have one that you can lift the top off and put just the cage bottom on or beside the bed or couch so he can come and go as he pleases with you during his out times then you don't have to reach in to take him out, the decision will be his, and the dividing line between 'his space' and yours not entrenched. As he relaxes you can start to put the top back on with the door open while the cage is on or near the bed or couch and see if he's getting less territorial about it. If he still is then take the top off again for a while.
You wouldn't put the babies in the cage with him until you had got them all comfortable together out of cage first anyway. Maybe when they are all good together out-of-cage you could start having just the cage bottom available to them all during play times and see how he reacts with them in there?
 
I would suggest to never try to lift him and never to surprise him either, always go slow, and pet his head before touching him anywhere else. Show him some loving and then try to pick him up. Don't grab, just scoop him up. Try and teach him to come out of the cage by coaxing him with a treat. I don't think i would try new rats right now, not yet, do a lot more socializing with Novo.
 
Well a breeder contacted me this morning saying he had 2 males left and i went to pick them up they are VERY shy and run from you but they are in a different cage.
But i dont think im going to introduce them to novo because novo is just getting worse he runs away when he gets out of his cage and he runs under a cupboard and you cant get him back out again.
He still is acting aggressive when i try and lift him from his CAGE so god knows what will happen in the intro and plus i cant lift him out of the cage to do an intro.
I need to go away and leave the door open.
Im going to keep working with him ( trying to get over my fear of getting bit ) and see if he improves.
His cage is beside the babies.
But he doesnt want to come out or anything unless i go away its as if he wants to be on his own.
I really dont know if i made the right choice by getting these new ones but i was only trying to do a good thing for novo but i dont think im going to be able to intro them anway.
 
I only mentioned not to get them just so you aren't overwhelmed. If it were me, I would still have gotten them and work with novo to finally get him to accept the babies. Keep socializing novo and eventually he should be happy enough to be introed to the boys. How old are the babies?
 
My novi is NOT agressive hes just getting old and grumpy LOL but im really scared of him biting me because he does not want to be MADE to come out of his cage.
The babies are around 9-10weeks i think.
One is very rare over here its like a browny weird colour with currly hair and whiskers and big ears ! LOL ive never seen one before.
And the other is just a hooded brown standard.
They are VERYYY healthy and active and eating alot. so im pleased.
Im just going to work with novo and let him run around with the babies after quartine.
And then gradually let them live together will that be a better idea?
 
Thank you jo for telling me that!! :)

Well the babies are quite shy because they where from a BIG litter so i think thats why.
Also is it normal for them to like nip your hands when you give them your finger ? LOL everytime i put my hand near them they must think its food and nip it.
When novo and toto where babies they never done that.
Would it scare them if i just grabbed them out of the cage or should i left them come to me?
 

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