I have had two male rats for about two weeks, one is neutered and one is not. Now, this is what i find confusing... it was the neutered one that bit me. They are about 6 mos old, and probably weren't socialized very well. So to get them people friendly I've been taking them out of their cage individually for at least 1/2 an hour every day. When I take them out I generally stick them in my robe and let them crawl all over me until they settle down, which usually takes about 10-15 minutes, at whcih point they usually just sit down in a comfy spot and chill. The unfixed one usually ends up purring for me, while the neutered one does not seem to like it much when i pet him. Well last night I had the neutered one out and he had finally settled down and was sitting in the nook of my arm inside my robe looking comfy. Well I had been petting him on and off for a while, when he lunged out of the robe to bite my finger and then withdraw. I was shocked, so i gave him a couple minutes to chill and then put my fisted hand about four inches away from his face, at which point he lunged again, this time drawing a bit of blood. I quickly got up and let him climb back in the cage.
This is what is bothering me about the whole incident: he wasn't scared, he was annoyed with my petting, and decided to let me know with a violent bite... so I am now afraid to take him out, because if every time he is "not in the mood" to be petted, he's going to attack me, then I will never know until I'm bleeding, and that is not okay with me. I mean, how can i trust him if he's going to bite me every time I do something he may not "like". AND HE'S NEUTERED... I thought they were supposed to be less prone to biting? What is going on here? Is he mean? What should I do? How can I feel comfortable petting him again?
Will someone please give me some advice...?
This is what is bothering me about the whole incident: he wasn't scared, he was annoyed with my petting, and decided to let me know with a violent bite... so I am now afraid to take him out, because if every time he is "not in the mood" to be petted, he's going to attack me, then I will never know until I'm bleeding, and that is not okay with me. I mean, how can i trust him if he's going to bite me every time I do something he may not "like". AND HE'S NEUTERED... I thought they were supposed to be less prone to biting? What is going on here? Is he mean? What should I do? How can I feel comfortable petting him again?
Will someone please give me some advice...?