i'm going to have to take Iedani into the vet's tomorrow to be put down. she is too dangerous to keep any longer. i finally ironed out EXACTLY why she is biting and there is no solution to this problem.
as some of you may have known i have been having biting issues with Iedani. i've had for 9 months and she has always been nippy but when she was in my bedroom the only one she had a chance to bite was me or other rat savy people i invited up. now she lives in the living room of my apartment (the only space in the apartment that i can keep them) and my young son lives with me. it doesn't matter how often you tell a kid not put their fingers in the cage they do eventually. and she bites really hard (draws blood 9 times out of 10) and that's with me not jerking back in unmitigated fear like a child would.
i had different theories on why she could be biting and tested each. when i first got her i thought it was just that she wasn't properly handled. after forced socailization she was a BIT better. didn't bite as frequently at least and was't afraid when outside of the cage (stopped biting out of the cage entirely). so that was at least PART of the problem.
for a while after that i was stumped as to why she still bit, though now randomly. sometimes you could put your hand in and be fine others she'd have her pound of flesh. then i thought maybe she just wanted more room. afterall when she was out with all that space she was fine. so i expanded the cage. no change.
then violet came and she got friendly when there were less rats in the cage during my three cage circulations. so i thought maybe she just doesn't like to have so many rats in with her and that was making her generally cranky which she would take out on me. i moved her for a time to another cage (its small and something only really suited for one rat) but she was away from the other rats. for the first little while she was fine then she started biting again. so i put in twix (they hang out the most together) and gave her more toys thinking maybe she was bored or lonely. no change.
after the move i expanded the cage again. still not helping. at first i thought well, mayb ethe cage expansion will work but she just has to settle from the move. its been a month now and she still bites.
so i've gone through the reasons for biting. she's not afraid, she's not confusing me for food, and she's not playing rough. this only leaves that she's territorial. when she's out of the cage, her space, she's a very sweet rat. gives kisses, chases feathers, takes naps on my lap or shoulder. but inside the cage and she's out for blood, sometimes. but that makes her all the more dangerous, you can't tell if she's coming near you for affection or if she's coming for the attack. there's no clear difference in her body language between the two.
i've dealt with this biting issue for 9 months and i know she's 15 months old now. she probably won't live for very much longer anyway as rats only normally live 2-3 years anyhow ut my son is moving in this weekend and i have to protect him. its a really hard decision. i view my pets as family. Iedani is my daughter too. so to protect my son i have to hurt my daughter. but what other choice do i have?
with iedani biting once she decides that the space is hers she isn't adoptable. its hard enough finding homes for well adjusted rats let alone dangerous specail needs rats. its hard anywhere but especailly out where i live. i had to find homes for 24 babies nearly 2 years ago now and they were cute babies not bitey adults.
there's so much in me saying "DON'T! she's healthy and happy" but then the other part says "she's not safe to be around." its one thing for her to bite me. but another thing entirely to bite my young son or one of his friends who won't understand and be afraid afterwards.
i really really don't want to do this but i can see no other option. i'll be taking her in tomorrow afternoon. i'm going to beg my vet for an alternative but i'm not hopeful.
so this is goodbye for Iedani. i'm so sorry.
as some of you may have known i have been having biting issues with Iedani. i've had for 9 months and she has always been nippy but when she was in my bedroom the only one she had a chance to bite was me or other rat savy people i invited up. now she lives in the living room of my apartment (the only space in the apartment that i can keep them) and my young son lives with me. it doesn't matter how often you tell a kid not put their fingers in the cage they do eventually. and she bites really hard (draws blood 9 times out of 10) and that's with me not jerking back in unmitigated fear like a child would.
i had different theories on why she could be biting and tested each. when i first got her i thought it was just that she wasn't properly handled. after forced socailization she was a BIT better. didn't bite as frequently at least and was't afraid when outside of the cage (stopped biting out of the cage entirely). so that was at least PART of the problem.
for a while after that i was stumped as to why she still bit, though now randomly. sometimes you could put your hand in and be fine others she'd have her pound of flesh. then i thought maybe she just wanted more room. afterall when she was out with all that space she was fine. so i expanded the cage. no change.
then violet came and she got friendly when there were less rats in the cage during my three cage circulations. so i thought maybe she just doesn't like to have so many rats in with her and that was making her generally cranky which she would take out on me. i moved her for a time to another cage (its small and something only really suited for one rat) but she was away from the other rats. for the first little while she was fine then she started biting again. so i put in twix (they hang out the most together) and gave her more toys thinking maybe she was bored or lonely. no change.
after the move i expanded the cage again. still not helping. at first i thought well, mayb ethe cage expansion will work but she just has to settle from the move. its been a month now and she still bites.
so i've gone through the reasons for biting. she's not afraid, she's not confusing me for food, and she's not playing rough. this only leaves that she's territorial. when she's out of the cage, her space, she's a very sweet rat. gives kisses, chases feathers, takes naps on my lap or shoulder. but inside the cage and she's out for blood, sometimes. but that makes her all the more dangerous, you can't tell if she's coming near you for affection or if she's coming for the attack. there's no clear difference in her body language between the two.
i've dealt with this biting issue for 9 months and i know she's 15 months old now. she probably won't live for very much longer anyway as rats only normally live 2-3 years anyhow ut my son is moving in this weekend and i have to protect him. its a really hard decision. i view my pets as family. Iedani is my daughter too. so to protect my son i have to hurt my daughter. but what other choice do i have?
with iedani biting once she decides that the space is hers she isn't adoptable. its hard enough finding homes for well adjusted rats let alone dangerous specail needs rats. its hard anywhere but especailly out where i live. i had to find homes for 24 babies nearly 2 years ago now and they were cute babies not bitey adults.
there's so much in me saying "DON'T! she's healthy and happy" but then the other part says "she's not safe to be around." its one thing for her to bite me. but another thing entirely to bite my young son or one of his friends who won't understand and be afraid afterwards.
i really really don't want to do this but i can see no other option. i'll be taking her in tomorrow afternoon. i'm going to beg my vet for an alternative but i'm not hopeful.
so this is goodbye for Iedani. i'm so sorry.