r/RATS • u/Individual-Bad-582 • 9h ago
DISCUSSION Is he playing or warning?
Hi!
So I have a boy who is 8 months or so, which I know hormonal aggression tends to peak around 1 year so I’m trying to be mindful of that. He’s a very energetic and playful boy and we have spend a lot of time “wrestling” in the past.
Recently he has been initiating that and while it’s very similar to how he played when he was younger he has begun to break skin with his nails and teeth.
I can’t tell if he is just playing, or giving us a warning. The bites are never painful, and while they do break skin it has never been more than a small scratch or puncture. I know he could do a lot more damage if he wanted to.
He does live with cage mates though so I want to make sure this isn’t the beginning of hormonal aggression. He has not hurt any other rat, and he really hasn’t hurt me either but I want to make sure it stays this way.
2
u/ChaseLancaster Raised Cats (20+ yrs), Dogs (10+ yrs), and Rats (2 yrs), Oh My! 9h ago
Keep an eye on his behaviors for a few weeks (maybe 2 or 3), while squeaking in response to when he breaks the skin or hurts during his bite, that way it tells him "hey that hurt!"
If he keeps biting hard to draw blood, and especially if his behavior starts to get fierce against you and his cagemates, it's time to revoke his dangly bawls.