[Rue]

I rescued two 6 month PEW boys this past Sunday, Herbert and Edgar, And they keep Biting. Each time I've offered my fingers for them to smell, they attempt to bite at me and have gotten me twice both drawing blood. They've accepted food, but have been extremely skittish and are mostly hiding in their Hammocks throughout the day. I don't know if they're just Anxious and Afraid or if it's Aggression. Their previous owner didn't seem to have handed them much, and when I first held them they didn't nip or bite but once I got them home in their cage it's started. I've had 3 rats in the past, and I've never seen this behavior. Please help! any tips about how to better hand train them and how to give them free roam when they bite and won't leave the cage?

 

[Rue]

I rescued two 6 month PEW boys this past Sunday, Herbert and Edgar, And they keep Biting. Each time I've offered my fingers for them to smell, they attempt to bite at me and have gotten me twice both drawing blood. They've accepted food, but have been extremely skittish and are mostly hiding in their Hammocks throughout the day. I don't know if they're just Anxious and Afraid or if it's Aggression. Their previous owner didn't seem to have handed them much, and when I first held them they didn't nip or bite but once I got them home in their cage it's started. I've had 3 rats in the past, and I've never seen this behavior. Please help! any tips about how to better hand train them and how to give them free roam when they bite and won't leave the cage?

FORGOT TO ADD: They are both PEW and completely identical so I don't know which is biting or if it's both. I plan on marking them with food color as soon as I can, But I can't even get them out of the cage because of the biting. Advice needed!

 

[animalmom18]

FORGOT TO ADD: They are both PEW and completely identical so I don't know which is biting or if it's both. I plan on marking them with food color as soon as I can, But I can't even get them out of the cage because of the biting. Advice needed!

hey! It might be a hormonal problem? I have researched a lot about this because I also have one male rat that always tries to nip me (only drew blood once) and I’ve heard it could be multiple things. I suggest watching some YouTube videos, they helped me a lot and can show you ways to condition your rats to be more easily handled. It could be a personality thing, in which case if you can dedicate time to reducing this behaviour it should stop. Otherwise like I said it could be a hormonal thing and you may need to neuter him! 6 months is usually when I’ve read that hormonal issues tend to rise.

 

[Tinytoes]

Hi and welcome! It could be hormonal, or if your new boys haven't been handled much, they are probably just being defensive. Drawing blood means they are afraid and don't want to interact yet. Don't put your fingers near their faces for now. Try feeding a wet treat like cereal or baby food on a metal spoon, and encourage them to come to the front of the cage for their treat. They will learn to not bite the spoon, and you'll be able to talk to them and let them see you better and smell you (they have rather poor eyesight). As they learn who you are, and how to lick the treat, you'll see them start to relax. It can take weeks for them to become familiar and feel safe in their new home. Time, it just takes time.