Pet Rat Puberty

Question
Hi Sandy,

I've gone through a lot of past posts looking for an answer to my question, I kind of got a partial answer.  I have three male ratties.  The youngest of which is causing a total mayhem in the cage.  He is pushing, chasing, humping around after the older two.  He is probably about 3-4 months old now.  

Is this normal?  My older two calm ratties have scabs on their backs and shoulders.  I don't like the way they get pushed around!  Is this serious?  The little buckaroo has some scabs too, but not as many since he is the antagonist in all of this.  Should I separate him from the others?

Could you explain to me the difference between
a bad fight and normal quarrels?  My ladies are so peaceful with each other, it upsets me to see the males giving each other scabs.  That means they bit hard enough to get a bit of blood.  Help!!

Thanks again,

Heidi  

Answer
Hi Heidi


Boys will be boys...I usually raise only male rats so I am used to this...but it can be unnerving.  Male rats (and females too) love to chase, wrestle, see who can dominate who, race, chase, stalk and jump on the unsuspecting rat, push and shove and all that stuff. This is normal play. Later that day they will be all snuggled up in a rat heap, sound asleep like innocent furbabies that they are.
True puberty in rats is not until around 6 months and ends around 9 months. This is when testosterone levels rise and this can be when the more aggressive phase begins. True aggression usually shows sooner, around the age your boys are now. This includes them biting humans too totally unprovoked.
When the males are really angry, they have a deeper pitch in their squeaks. Its not high pitch fast squeaks, it is deeper and you can tell it means business. They also hiss when angry and the fur on their back will stand out. They do this to make themselves look bigger. This also means the rat is serious and not playing. They may stand on their hind legs, straight up, and circle each other, possibly one shoving at the other, both of them are up on their hind legs now and have their fur puffed out. Hissing may take place or even a low growl. This is the point you do NOT  touch them nor make any sudden move that may provoke an attack too.  I always kept thick oven mits, rose pruning gloves (heavy thick suede gloves and a squirter bottle with water in it and a tin can with bolts and nuts or loose change in it to shake to make noise  at them sould a fight break out.  This may NEVER happen...and its good to know that if it does occur it may never occur again after that one time.

I had two boys from a breeder that was SUPPOSED to be good.  Uh huh.
Well my two boys were killing each other and their cagemates and me too. I couldnt even touch them or they would bite. ONe had an abscess on him that needed removed the day I brought them home and after the other rat lunged after the vet assistant, that was it...the vet drained the abscess and took off a few other things too...such as the "equipment" on both of the biting boys.  LOL
About a week later, they were already chillin out and after a month, they were like mush...so sweet and loving but trust me, they still ripped around and wrestled, pushed, shoved and were total energy balls for months and months and months till they slowed down due to age.

They were close to 5 months when we neutered them, but again, they showed true aggression including biting people too.

To determine how much is too much lets figure this out together first before deciding if one of them needs neutered or not:
Do they get along more than they "play fight"?  

How big is the cage they are in?

How old are the older rats?? The good sports that they are being:)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          How is the young male with you and do you exercise him daily to get the extra energy out of his system?

Just like a small child, the more they run around and exercise the more they rest during bed time.

Do you have a secure area for the rats to run around and play rather than just free roaming the house or being kept on a bed to play etc...

If you dont, check out this page on setting up a safe play area for the rats.

http://www.freewebs.com/crittercity/gettingstarted.htm

Please let me know these few things so we can figure out if he needs more time to mature or if he indeed is a little guy with extra testosterone levels!