RatPalace.com - Pet Rat Care and Discussion

Thu Feb 09, 2006 4:58 am

Shadow was neutered almost 2 weeks ago, because he was so aggressive with the other boys (to the point of giving Kamio several puncture wounds). His first intro with the other boys was yesterday in the bathroom. He didn't try to bite anybody, but there was often a towel in front of him, so he didn't have the chance.

I never let 2 sets of rats run around at the same time (even though there is a 3' wall separating them), unless I am in the room, because some of the rats can jump down from one side, and that wouldn't be good. I was letting Shadow and the spayed girls run on one side, and the younger boys on the other (I was in there). I left for a minute to go to the bathroom, and since I wouldn't be gone for more than 2 minutes, I left both sets running.

I came back, sat down, read for about 5 minutes, and then heard some squeaking. I lifted up the blanket, and there was KAMIO being sniffed by SHADOW. There was no blood, no gore, and Kamio is fine. I am not sure how long he was in there, but it can't have been for that long, or I would have noticed.

Obviously 2 sets of rats that don't get along will NEVER run around at the same time, but it seemed the neutering worked! They are never going to live in the same cage, but I hope to have only 1 free range time once Callie is spayed.

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Rosie

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I miss you Tut, Goldy, and Raoul Angel rat

Thu Feb 09, 2006 5:27 am

Great to hear, Rosie! And hopefully it will continue to improve over the next week or two as well - so you never know. Tetley (my flatmate's smeeze boy who choked himself last night on something and scared his dad Rolling Eyes

) was so aggressive that he was drawing blood on the others, despite having lived with them for three months, and was puffing up, huffing, foofing, jumping up and down and hopping, rubbing himself all over things that smelled of other rats (including us, bedclothes, furniture etc), baring his teeth and hissing at my rats (though they had played together happily and lived next to each other for months) - he was getting to the point where we thought he would bite us one day because we smelled of other rats, and he'd spend at least half an hour huffing and stomping at us and rubbing himself all over us when he came out to play (alone). After 4 weeks, he moved back in with the others, with no fuss or fighting, minimum flipping by the other rats of Tetley, and no more hissing and stomping at my lot.

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Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Fri Feb 10, 2006 5:14 am

whew- I am glad to hear some good news and that everything will be settling down a little. Hopefully it did the trick.
Amy

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Phoenix Gate Rats
www.pxrats.com