Confused Rat?

Question
We had three rats that we got from petco as pets. They all got along marveliously all three were females. Welll about 2 months ago we bought another baby female rat, the girl at the petco said that she was bred in the store. When we introduced them they all got along like they had known each other for years, and the three rats we had often got into little arguments over who was allowed to groom her.

Well now she is getting bigger and has started "humping" one of our other females. I checked her imeditly but she shows no sign of testicles or a sack or anything. As well as her outer organs look exactly the same as the other three. Im wondering is it posible for a female rat to just be confused? Or is this an example of a male rat who is under developed? I have seperated them for the time being but it is sad to hear them crying out for each other.

Answer
Hi Kyle

Well good news for you and the little confused girl!
She can go back in the cage with the other girls...she is simply being dominant and it is totally normal. Males will do this to each other and I cant tell you how often people thought the same as you, perhaps it was a case of undescended testicles or even the chance the rat may be homosexual (they aren't, its not within their nature)

It is simply a case of her wanting to be the boss over the other females and this is just one example of her showing it! You even said it without realizing it: "The other three rats we had often got into little arguments over who was allowed to groom her"
She became alpha so it seems, the day she moved in with the other girls!

Anyhow, hope this helps you feel better. It is very common among both sexes. Your rat isn't confused one bit, she wants to be boss and she darn well is going to show it!  Its the rat owner that gets confused when the rat acts like this!        LOL!!


Thanks for writing




Sandy