[LizLovesRats5]

So I had just written a post about giving up on ever getting my rat William to stop biting me, and was going into it refreshed and ready to work on him some more, but now I'm really freakin angry. He bit me three times today, and I didn't even attempt to hold him or pet him today. He bit me while I was playing with the other rats, putting food in the cage, and spot cleaning. God, I am just so sick of this. The last bite drew a bit of blood, and it took all my will power not to scream at him. He's just getting worse as time goes on, it's like he knows he can get away with being a bit freaking A-Hole, so he does whatever he wants to me. Seriously, I don't want to give him back to the rescue, but it's getting to the point where I can't even enjoy my other rats because he'll run up and bite me every time I touch one of his cagemates. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR :evil:

 

[Destrega2002]

I'm no expert but would separating him from the other rats until he starts to play nice with you first work? Have you tried it?

 

[OnlyOno]

yeah geez, i'm sorry to hear that, that's a real bummer. maybe being around the other rats is agitating him? making him more courageous? maybe you could separate him, get him all alone and vulnerable, and try again? sounds like you have a real pain in the ass there, i'm sorry.

 

[Poppyseed]

Sounds like he's being territorial still D: Even of the other rats. Everything is his his his his. Go away! *bite* That sort of thing D:

That sucks, I remember you got him neutered as well right? I don't know what you can do really. But if you really feel you can't handle him being a biter, perhaps you should give him back to the rescue...

 

[Forensic]

Perry will sometimes nip at me (and has drawn blood) if I try to pick up Guinness. The other two, he doesn't mind, but Guinness... Heh.

Yeah, sounds quite cage aggressive... could you move him by himself so you can at least enjoy the other boys?

 

[lilspaz68]

You have a cage aggressive rat. It happens with rescues. They usually come from bad beginnings and a tiny cage they are never let out of. Then they are moved to a shelter where they may or may not have adequate caging, then on to you. At this point the confused and neglected rat only feels that the cage is his and will defend it and his cagemates. He's not being an a**hole, he sounds more like a fear-biter who is doing pre-emptive strikes.
It doesn't sound like you are able to deal with his behaviours so your best bet is to give him back to the rescue. Someone else could try to work with him who is more experienced with this sort of thing, and you can enjoy your boys. Removing him from the other boys just to see if it improves him, would be cruel at this point and would possibly make him worse, since he's fearful to start.

 

[LizLovesRats5]

Yeah, you're right, he's a fear biter that goes on pre-emptive strikes. I've calmed down quite a bit now, I was just at the end of my rope with him yesterday. To be honest, I do kind of want to give him back to the rescue because I'm sick of being bitten (both in and out of the cage, he does not discriminate), but I also feel really bad for him. I understand that the reason he's like this is because he had a rough life before going to the rescue, and I would have no problem letting him stay and giving him a good, comfortable life if he would stop attackin me every time he's around me. And other than strongly disliking me, he is very happy with his brother and his girlfriends. So, I guess I'll chew on it some more and figure out what I want to do within the next couple weeks.

 

[LizLovesRats5]

You were so right about him being cage aggressive. I put a small stuffed animal in the cage to see what he would do, and he ran up to it and attacked it the same way he does to me. LOL

 

[Poppyseed]

Maybe if he gets all his anger out on the stuffed animal he'll be too exhausted for you? lol probably not but it's a funny thought.

 

[LizLovesRats5]

I can't give him back to the shelter, I just don't have the heart to take him away from yet another home. I think when I'm stressed out like the way I was yesterday, I will just avoid being near him so he doesn't tweak me out like he did yesterday.