ok my 5 month old male rat has had a companion in the same cage for a week now and they were fine until tonight when he attacked the much younger rat. he's never done this before my friend even brings her rats over for play dates. why could he be doing this? also i need to know how to make a temporary cage for the night so that the younger one can be safe until i can get another one since the cat knocked our spare cage over and broke it.
2007-02-21 15:25:57 · 4 answers · asked by MommyCaleb 5 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
they are both males.
2007-02-21 18:12:38 · update #1
Sometimes rats need to assert their dominance. They may just be estabishing pecking order. If there are signs of visible harm on the younger rat then you will need to seperate them. All you need is a large plastic tub or even a cardboard box with some holes punched in it. use half a tissue box as a house and put shredded newspaper down as bedding. It won't be good enough for a permanent house but ti will last a night or two so you can find and buy a real cage.
2007-02-21 15:51:38 · answer #1 · answered by Skippy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well that is the trouble with introducing pets which are very different in size and age. The younger one is naturally vulnerable to being bullied. If you intend to keep them together, then I suggest you do not separate them. The older rat has his smell all over the cage and so the cage is his. The new rat is considered an intruder. They may learn to get along but I suggest you first give the cage an extremely thorough cleaning and change the food bowls and accessories so they both think they're in a neutral space and strat from there. I've had male rats that grew up together. Sometimes there woud be scuffles but these turn out to be quite harmless. They play-wrestle a lot so make sure you are actually witnessing an 'attack' rather than male rough-housing. If indeed they are fighting, then separating them will only make the matter worse when you try to put them back together again. Provide them with lots of toys and distractions. I actually think they are only playing. If that is the case, you have nothing to worry about. Hope I am right. Good luck.
2007-02-21 20:42:04 · answer #2 · answered by aken 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
are they bth female or male cuase if not, they will do that, sometimes it is hard to tell though cause they might not have fully matured yet. as for a temporay cage, you could use a plastice drawer and turn it upside down, or you could put it in the bathtub inside a box an shut the bathroom door. the reason to put it in the bath tub is to make sure it wont get out just in case it chewz a hole in the box(be Sure To Plug The Drain)
2007-02-21 17:48:02 · answer #3 · answered by stix246 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
you're able to grow to understand the fleas if that they were there, till you will have a depressing colored rat: they are then extra solid to discover. even nonetheless it must be via emphasise from the style new cat, yet you stated it occured previously than the cats arrival. it must be once you communicate that of this variety of hair the rat has, in rats with rex hair (style of curly, or curly whiskers) the hair has a tendency to skinny with age, even nonetheless it definitely would not fall out rather different than he's a double rex...yet while they at the instant are not rex rats then it rather is many times via fact of over barbering. traditionally led to with stress. different than that protein is the single diverse objective i visit experience of.
2016-11-24 23:13:59 · answer #4 · answered by vidrine 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋