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I've noticed that each of our boys will sometimes force his way underneath the other; typically underneath the jaw. Nibbles seems to do it more often than Jesse; if Jesse is near a corner, Nibbles will squeeze underneath his head and then sit alongside him or walk away. It's obviously a very deliberate behavior but I find it baffling. Jesse does the same thing, but also sometimes stops under Nibbles in a way that I think is requesting grooming.
Right now Jesse is squeaking because Nibbles is trying to crawl under him in the play tube but it's not big enough so they're stuck until Nibbles backs out. This happens in the tube quite often; I was thinking about removing it but I imagine if it was seriously hurting either of them they'd stop going in the tube.
Why would a rat crawl under another rat's head if they weren't stopping for a grooming? Is it a sign of submission? Aggression? Affection?
edit: Ah, this particular time in the tube Nibbles was trying to use Jesse as a blanket. I just checked on him again and he was asleep in the tube. Jesse took the opportunity to aggressively groom him and then try to squish him...
Right now Jesse is squeaking because Nibbles is trying to crawl under him in the play tube but it's not big enough so they're stuck until Nibbles backs out. This happens in the tube quite often; I was thinking about removing it but I imagine if it was seriously hurting either of them they'd stop going in the tube.
Why would a rat crawl under another rat's head if they weren't stopping for a grooming? Is it a sign of submission? Aggression? Affection?
edit: Ah, this particular time in the tube Nibbles was trying to use Jesse as a blanket. I just checked on him again and he was asleep in the tube. Jesse took the opportunity to aggressively groom him and then try to squish him...