Parker has become very unpredictable :(

[Mizzely]

Parker, my little rat buddy, is about 10 months old. I got him at 4 months, and he has always been my friendliest rat, with people and rats alike. Super outgoing, awesome with my 3 year old son, etc. Except a couple months ago, he bit my son pretty badly. We assumed it was because he was holding him when he didn't want to be held and lashed out.

Well, I am not sure that is what happened anymore. Now every time I get them out, Parker nips me at least a little bit. Usually I can chalk it up to getting too rambunctious with playing (he loves to wrestle) so I have been trying to get him to stop nipping with screeches and putting him back in his cage if he doesn't listen.

Today he was free ranging, asking for pets, being super sweet. Then walked away for a a few minutes, then grabbed my foot and bit me really hard out of nowhere; several gashes and quite a bit of blood. There was no foreplay or warning. Just a vicious, painful, unprovoked attack. If it had been Nikolai whose foot was on the ground I honestly believe I would have had to take him in for stitches. I bled through two bandages and part of a third before it finally stopped for good.

I have been told by many in the rat community that he needs to be neutered; no one so far has given me any behavioral suggestions on how to help him. I am planning on taking him to the vet so that we can at least make sure he is healthy and not lashing out due to a pain or illness, but I don't know what I will do if everything turns out okay in the exam. I have also been told horror stories about post op complications, so I don't know if I really want to do the neuter route.

I am afraid of my once favorite rat. I am afraid of him being around my son, and I am afraid to even let him out of the cage now because of this. I don't know what to do.

I know this isn't the best forum for this and I don't know if I am expecting advice or not, but I just needed to share because I am so frustrated and upset about this. My husband is in FL for the next 2 weeks so I don't even have him around right now to help me sort everything out, and the vet is 1.5 hours away.

Thanks for listening

 

[Marvel_ous]

Aww, not a rat expert here, but I hope whatever is going on is resolved soon. Big hugs.

 

[Love My Zons]

OMG I have nothing really to say that can help. I have never kept rats, just Hamsters and a ferret once short term. But a rat bite I know well, have been bitten before a few times working in a pet store for those who bought them for you know it's not nice sorry. But I know what a bite from one is like, deep they are.

I just fear for your Son and you if you can't figure it out.

 

[Mizzely]

OMG I have nothing really to say that can help. I have never kept rats, just Hamsters and a ferret once short term. But a rat bite I know well, have been bitten before a few times working in a pet store for those who bought them for you know it's not nice sorry. But I know what a bite from one is like, deep they are.

I just fear for your Son and you if you can't figure it out.

Me too. For now, Parker is not allowed to be anywhere near my son, not even in the same room unless caged. I don't even trust him to be in the same room inside the rat play pen just because I know it's not 100% escape proof.

If we don't find a good solution, I will have to look at rehoming him, sadly. I don't want to have to do that but I cannot have him tearing holes in us without warning. I already give up a good portion of my patience with Jingo and his divebombs, but he ONLY does that to me and I can still anticipate it. I just don't have it in me to deal with a truly aggressive animal when my family is at risk.

My avian vet is also board certified for exotic companion mammals, and I know she will tell me honestly what the best route is for us, regardless of the results of the exam. So I think that truly is where I need to start.

 

[Love My Zons]

Me too. For now, Parker is not allowed to be anywhere near my son, not even in the same room unless caged. I don't even trust him to be in the same room inside the rat play pen just because I know it's not 100% escape proof.

If we don't find a good solution, I will have to look at rehoming him, sadly. I don't want to have to do that but I cannot have him tearing holes in us without warning. I already give up a good portion of my patience with Jingo and his divebombs, but he ONLY does that to me and I can still anticipate it. I just don't have it in me to deal with a truly aggressive animal when my family is at risk.

My avian vet is also board certified for exotic companion mammals, and I know she will tell me honestly what the best route is for us, regardless of the results of the exam. So I think that truly is where I need to start.

Yes, you cannot have a totally crazy biting (unprovoked) pet in the house with a little kid. Let alone you, your feet and rats can jump. I know there is alot of talk of CBD oil and it's use with animals as being calming. I know for a fact that hemp (non sterile) seeds will not harm a rodent ask me know I know! Well I will tell you years and years ago my Brother used to you know.......burn the stuff and the seeds he fed to his hamsters, no ill effects. Maybe it helped keep them calm, I have no idea but I know that CBD oil won't be harmful.

Crazy me, letting TMI but that was life back in the days............some 30 plus years ago. Not ME, my Brother.

 

[Mizzely]

I do have pet CBD, I will ask my vet

 

[Love My Zons]

I do have pet CBD, I will ask my vet

Yes, good thing to ask. Glad you have some! My Friend who has a dog that snaps at imaginary flies it has worked for him.

 

[Gazimon]

What kind of post-op complications and what are the probabilities of them happening?

Perhaps it would be better to chance a neutering, than giving a ‘sudden-trigger’ rat to another person who may not know him at his best and can only see him at his worst. His quality of life may worsen if kept cagebound.

 

[Mizzely]

What kind of post-op complications and what are the probabilities of them happening?

Perhaps it would be better to chance a neutering, than giving a ‘sudden-trigger’ rat to another person who may not know him at his best and can only see him at his worst. His quality of life may worsen if kept cagebound.

Apparently most of the rats she has seen get the surgery have had an issue with an abscess in the area after the surgery I am going to discuss with my vet who is board certified in small animal surgery.

 

[Mizzely]

I also do not want him in a cage without ever getting to come out if I can at all help it.

 

[WendyN]

 

[Serin]

Neutering is your best bet as a lot of male rat aggression is hormones, but depending on his origin it's possible he is also a genetically aggressive rat. Most of my former pet rats were from feeder lines, and while some were super sweet we had one girl who was just a biter. Not so much to me, as she bonded to me, but anyone else in reach she'd go after and attack pretty viciously, drawing blood and going for the kill. And in her case, it was not a result of too much testosterone, she was just aggressive due to generations of indiscriminate breeding.

 

[Shezbug]

I have no idea about aggressive rats and my suggestion was going to be asking if maybe it could be hormones. I hope you can get some answers from your vet.

 

[Mizzely]

Neutering is your best bet as a lot of male rat aggression is hormones, but depending on his origin it's possible he is also a genetically aggressive rat. Most of my former pet rats were from feeder lines, and while some were super sweet we had one girl who was just a biter. Not so much to me, as she bonded to me, but anyone else in reach she'd go after and attack pretty viciously, drawing blood and going for the kill. And in her case, it was not a result of too much testosterone, she was just aggressive due to generations of indiscriminate breeding.

I have his full blood brother, same age, with zero issues so far :/

 

[Galadriel]

Rodents, and really all mammals for that matter, can have the same traits as humans. Sometimes they're just wired wrong. Domestic rats are very intelligent, and can be easily trained. This is going to sound a little weird, but lurk on some training sections in dog forums, and follow the same advice. Use treats as positive rewards for good behavior, put him in time out and ignore for bad behavior. Make sure he has enough physical and mental stimulation. If it doesn't work after a few weeks, he may need to be confined for your safety. I've had plenty of "hands off" pets over the years, and sometimes that's what's best for them as long as their needs are met.
Good luck to you, love!

 

[Mizzely]

Rodents, and really all mammals for that matter, can have the same traits as humans. Sometimes they're just wired wrong. Domestic rats are very intelligent, and can be easily trained. This is going to sound a little weird, but lurk on some training sections in dog forums, and follow the same advice. Use treats as positive rewards for good behavior, put him in time out and ignore for bad behavior. Make sure he has enough physical and mental stimulation. If it doesn't work after a few weeks, he may need to be confined for your safety. I've had plenty of "hands off" pets over the years, and sometimes that's what's best for them as long as their needs are met.
Good luck to you, love!

I do treat, and I also give time outs for bad behavior. The three boys share a double critter nation which should be more than big enough for even 6 to 10 rats lol. They also get daily out time for a few hours that is either a 10 foot by 8 foot area or half the house, depending on time of day and other considerations at the time. They also have to forage for a lot of their food to keep them busy, and of course they get plenty of chew toys from my shop!

I also have tried short 10 min out times several times a day to hopefully put him back in before he gets over stimulated, but sometimes he still bites within a few minutes of being out, and then often he goes and picks fights with his brothers immediately after.

It was the ruthless and unpredictable nature of the attack that makes it hard for me to understand how to deal with it :/

The critter nation does allow me to separate the cage into two cages if needed so that I could let the other two free roam while restricting him, but he would really miss the companion ship.

I got caught up in the anxiety of making the phone call for an appt today so I'll have to do it tomorrow.

 

[WendyN]

@Mizzely
How is your foot?

 

[Mizzely]

@Mizzely
How is your foot?

Much better. I have been cleaning it twice a day and it still stings when I do! Using lots of neosporin and bandaids. No pain otherwise though and seems to be on the road to healing.

Thank you for checking on me

 

[JLcribber]

From what I do know about male rats (which ain’t much) is they can be down right aggressive. He sounds like he would be somewhat of a “leader” among his own kind.

You got another good one my dear. I feel really bad for you guys. No easy answers.

 

[Mizzely]

From what I do know about male rats (which ain’t much) is they can be down right aggressive. He sounds like he would be somewhat of a “leader” among his own kind.

You got another good one my dear. I feel really bad for you guys. No easy answers.

Yep I know how to pick them apparently