pet rat biting

Question
As of last night I have became the owner of two female rats that are approx. 3 months old. The one rat that we call satin will let me pet her even through the bars of the cage. the other one that we have called lace bites me every time i reach in to pet her or pet her through the bars. The person that we got them from said that they have never bitten anyone and were easily handled. not sure how to go about getting her to let me do these things to her like her sister does. any suggestions/info is greatly appreciated.

Answer
Sometimes going to a new home can be stressful for a rat, and they can become frightened or upset, which can cause the biting.  It is possible that she may settle down with time.

Biting through the cage bars can be a bad habit even in a normally tame and friendly rat.  It results from the rat being fed through the cage bars, and they come to believe that everything the comes between the bars is food.  They will then nip at anything that comes through and not realize it is your finger.  Rats have very poor eyesight and often don't know what it is they are biting, they just assume it is food.  Try making a loud squeaking sound when it happens, this will let her know it is your finger and that it hurts.  You can also try passing her bits of cardboard or something else that is boring over and over and over again until she gets used to the idea that not everything that comes through is food.  Of course, do not give her any treats through the bars.

Biting when you have the cage open, however, is usually a sign of fear or aggression.  If they have never bitten before it is odd for her to start now, it is possible that it is just stress or perhaps she feels she is protecting her sister.  Make sure your hands are washed and do not smell of other animals or food before trying to handle her.  I would go easy on petting her at first, giving her a few days to settle in to her new home before attempting to play with her.  If after a few days she is still biting you will have to attempt to win her trust with treats, offering her food from your hand and working your way up to petting her and eventually holding her.  It may take some time but she should eventually come around.

Were they in an aquarium before you got them?  I've gotten a few rats that bit very badly through the bars that used to live in an aquarium, and I think it was because they weren't used to fingers poking into their personal space.  They never bit if I put my hand through the door, but they would latch on and bite very deeply if I put my finger through the bars.  Just another suggestion.

Well, I hope I have helped, good luck with your rats!

For more information about rats please visit my website at http://careguide.evergreenrattery.com