playing or fighting?

[dreadhead]

So we have a new game... it's pound the crap out of each and wrestle in the fluff. It seems more like just charging and bounding, I just want to make sure this isn't a start to aggressive/territorial behavior. The two rats are 7wk. females from the same litter, and have been together in my home for about a week now. There is no screaming or biting that I can tell, and when they're not "rumbling" they coexist and even sleep and nap together fine. I have noticed that Mindy will drop whatever she is doing (or eating) to steal Lucy's food... no matter how big or small it is. Mindy is the bigger rat, and is much more timid though... and Lucy is a little fireball and much more curious...and she seems to be the aggressor. Any opinions on this?

[Kubo_Kita]

They're still young and are probably just playing - ours have all done similar things. There always seems to be one trying to steal food from the other (just a rat thing I guess XD) One of our rats in each cage will steal food from the other, even if they have a bigger piece. If Mindy's more timid, Lucy will take advantage of that and act as the dominant one in the cage; she may beat up on Mindy a bit sometimes just to make sure Mindy doesn't forget that.

[Sky14]

If you ever find scabs or fresh wounds you should probably seperate them.

A kinda rat rule,"no blood no foul".

But if not it should be okay.