opinions wanted on potentially aggressive rats

Atlas had always lived with his brothers, so I am not sure how he
could be territorial. Unless that's why? He couldn't 'control' his
brothers so he uh..'took it out on me'?


On Apr 24, 1:02 pm, Marlo wrote:
> I'd give them a chance to see how they turn out.
>
> I'm having a super aggressive rat issue, Bernard. Adopted from Humane
> Society, we estimate he is about 1. I was trying to introduce him to
> the other boys and he got in a scuffle and I very stupidly intervened
> with my hand. Well, Bernard chomped down hard on my right ring finger.
> It's been three weeks and I still can't feel the end of my finger, he
> must have done some nerve damage. I went to the doctor and got
> antibiotics and a tetanus booster the day after it happened. He makes
> happy rat noise on my shoulder sometimes, but during playtime, he just
> goes after my hands and feet for no reason. He's also very territorial
> about his cage. He lives alone. I don't know if I'm making headway
> with him or not, and I don't know if rats can be rehabilitated.
>
> It's a very tough call and I'm sorry you are going through this.
>
> -Marlo
>
 >> Stay informed about: opinions wanted on potentially aggressive rats 

I'd give them a chance to see how they turn out.

I'm having a super aggressive rat issue, Bernard. Adopted from Humane
Society, we estimate he is about 1. I was trying to introduce him to
the other boys and he got in a scuffle and I very stupidly intervened
with my hand. Well, Bernard chomped down hard on my right ring finger.
It's been three weeks and I still can't feel the end of my finger, he
must have done some nerve damage. I went to the doctor and got
antibiotics and a tetanus booster the day after it happened. He makes
happy rat noise on my shoulder sometimes, but during playtime, he just
goes after my hands and feet for no reason. He's also very territorial
about his cage. He lives alone. I don't know if I'm making headway
with him or not, and I don't know if rats can be rehabilitated.

It's a very tough call and I'm sorry you are going through this.

-Marlo

perigrine wrote:
> So yesterday Atlas was euthanaised due to becoming increasingly
> nasty.
>
> I think he was overly territorial, coz he would always do this little
> dance and then try and bite. It was getting so bad that I had becoming
> more and more reluctant to put my hands in the cage for cleaning and
> so forth. It culmulated yesterday with him attacking, literally, a
> friend and then when I was going to put him back in the cage, him
> biting me rather savagely.
>
> His mother was also inclined to be bitey, so now I am wondering
> whether the remaining boys will also turn nasty, and whether they
> should be euthanaised BEFORE they do. They are almost a year old.
>
> thoughts, opinions?
 >> Stay informed about: opinions wanted on potentially aggressive rats 

So sorry to hear that, I once had a girl who was very aggressive, gardening
gloves were a must
but it was a shame that she never experienced the closeness that my others
have.
I would not euthanize the remaining boys, there is always the possibility
there was a health issue
with Atlas possibly neurological.
If you feel nervous of the other boys becoming that way maybe rehoming would
be an option, they
would sense if you became nervous of handling them.




"perigrine" wrote in message

> So yesterday Atlas was euthanaised due to becoming increasingly
> nasty.
>
> I think he was overly territorial, coz he would always do this little
> dance and then try and bite. It was getting so bad that I had becoming
> more and more reluctant to put my hands in the cage for cleaning and
> so forth. It culmulated yesterday with him attacking, literally, a
> friend and then when I was going to put him back in the cage, him
> biting me rather savagely.
>
> His mother was also inclined to be bitey, so now I am wondering
> whether the remaining boys will also turn nasty, and whether they
> should be euthanaised BEFORE they do. They are almost a year old.
>
> thoughts, opinions?
 >> Stay informed about: opinions wanted on potentially aggressive rats 

If it were me?... I would take extra time out to love the others with
lots and lots of handling and time spent down your top. It would seem
odd if they did actually become agressive at that age as they are past
puberty. If they did it would be some sort of neurological problem. I
would definitely up the handling time and take it from there.

Regards Kate



perigrine wrote:
> So yesterday Atlas was euthanaised due to becoming increasingly
> nasty.
>
> I think he was overly territorial, coz he would always do this little
> dance and then try and bite. It was getting so bad that I had becoming
> more and more reluctant to put my hands in the cage for cleaning and
> so forth. It culmulated yesterday with him attacking, literally, a
> friend and then when I was going to put him back in the cage, him
> biting me rather savagely.
>
> His mother was also inclined to be bitey, so now I am wondering
> whether the remaining boys will also turn nasty, and whether they
> should be euthanaised BEFORE they do. They are almost a year old.
>
> thoughts, opinions?
 >> Stay informed about: opinions wanted on potentially aggressive rats 

I forgot to ask if they were neutered? Neutering does wonders to
problem males :)

perigrine wrote:
> So yesterday Atlas was euthanaised due to becoming increasingly
> nasty.
>
> I think he was overly territorial, coz he would always do this little
> dance and then try and bite. It was getting so bad that I had becoming
> more and more reluctant to put my hands in the cage for cleaning and
> so forth. It culmulated yesterday with him attacking, literally, a
> friend and then when I was going to put him back in the cage, him
> biting me rather savagely.
>
> His mother was also inclined to be bitey, so now I am wondering
> whether the remaining boys will also turn nasty, and whether they
> should be euthanaised BEFORE they do. They are almost a year old.
>
> thoughts, opinions?
 >> Stay informed about: opinions wanted on potentially aggressive rats 

perigrine wrote:

> So yesterday Atlas was euthanaised due to becoming increasingly
> nasty.
>
> I think he was overly territorial, coz he would always do this little
> dance and then try and bite. It was getting so bad that I had becoming
> more and more reluctant to put my hands in the cage for cleaning and
> so forth. It culmulated yesterday with him attacking, literally, a
> friend and then when I was going to put him back in the cage, him
> biting me rather savagely.
>
> His mother was also inclined to be bitey, so now I am wondering
> whether the remaining boys will also turn nasty, and whether they
> should be euthanaised BEFORE they do. They are almost a year old.
>
> thoughts, opinions?

I would agree with other posters and recommend you give them a chance. I
used to own two rats who were mother and daughter and couldn' have been
more different. The mother was an incredibly friendly, bright and
trustworthy rat who never bit once in her life, but the daughter was
vicious and would run over to you to bite you.

Rosemary
 >> Stay informed about: opinions wanted on potentially aggressive rats