Hi all...

I feel awful that I only seem to be on here when something goes wrong but I really need some advice right now.

I took in two foster rats about 6 weeks ago and when one of mine died not long after they arrived, and I was left with only one, I ended up doing introductions so the two fosters now live with Fluffy (my baby).
Everything was chugging along nicely - one of the fosters (Indie) had been skitty since she arrived but she seemed to be warming up and getting used to life with me. Then about 2 weeks ago she started biting. That seems to have died off, although she will go for you if you're not careful...not sure whether she'd actually bite but she certainly lunges.
The whole aggressiveness towards me I can live with, she just doesn't want to be handled and it's fine. She still gets the same free-range as the others, she'll climb up my leg, sit on my lap, use me as a jungle gym without any issues so she's not scared - it seems to be hands that bother her so we just don't wave them under her nose and everyone's happy. She won't bite once you're holding her and has been known to indulge in a spot of shoulder riding when it takes her fancy - to be honest the biting is unpredictable, if she's happy then you're safe but if she changes her mind then she becomes Bitey McBitey. I know there's got to be a reason behind it but I am stumped trying to work out what it is.

Anyway, more than the biting, the bit that's really bothering me is that she's started bullying Fluffy. I just caught her trying to hang onto Fluff while Fluff was trying to get away - she had skin between her teeth. There was no blood drawn and actually Fluff seems fine but she was my first rat so she's an old lady now and I've lost two to a lung infection recently and so I am probably a little overprotective of my baby...also I'm worried that it might escalate. These guys moved into Fluffs cage with her because she has the ratty palace and they were previously living in something that would make most PF members cry if they saw it, it was a bit wee. The introductions went well, it was all conducted gradually and in a controlled fashion...it seemed perfect, they could leave the wee cage and move into the Hilton with Fluff, happy days for everyone. And like I said, to start with that was indeed the case so this is a new development.

Does anyone have any thoughts on dealing with aggressive rats? They were living in harmony before so I am baffled as to where this is coming from - I thought Indie'd become calmer as she settled in but instead she's turning into a playground bully Any thoughts would be appreciated - I am positive there's a reason for Indie's behaviour, I just can't figure out what it might be.

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Proud mum to Fluffy,Indie, Minnie, Loki, Tyr, Jinx & Onyx .......RIP Honey Cookie and Banoffee

When she had Fluff's fur in her mouth was she doin anything else or was she just on top of her stood still?

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Mummy to Whiskey an 8 year old terrier mix and 7 month old rats Chocolate and Sponge.

My Moota used to be really agressive with my other rat Steve to the point that if I hadnt seperated them, Moota would have killed Steve. So I kinda know what your going through. I decided to get Moota castrated and then reintroduced him to Steve and the rest of the boys with no problems.

But I think you need to go by the no blood no foul rule. How old is Indie? My girls have little tiffs all the time but they have never had a fight that I have ever worried about.

When she bites you, is she breaking the skin? If not then she may just be playing/taste biting you to see if your for eating.

Sorry if that doesnt help but hopefully someone else will come along soon

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Hi guys - thanks for the replies...

Donna - Fluff was trying to jump off their swing onto the ledge in the cage and Indie was sat on a static sticky out thing and basically holding Fluff by the bit she had hold of, stopping her jumping off the swing. On further inspection she didn't really properly break the skin so I might have been over-reacting but I wonder if it might have escalated if I hadn't intervened.

Petitepuppet - oh I only wish she was just tasting me, I can cope with that - Minnie has taken to tasting the end of my nose recently - she does it everytime she comes near me, as though one of these times she'll get lucky and my nose will have turned to cheese, lol.
But sadly with Indie, she's biting - she ended up hanging off my finger by her teeth at one point!
She's not as bad now and I haven't been bitten in a while but she's sort of threatened it if I've been too close to her. She is a very very sweet little thing - deep down inside, I just need to make it more obvious to everyone else! She's about a year old I think...their original owner told me a year so I'm going by what she said.

I might just be over-reacting, but I've never met a rat so skitty and aggressive...and like I said, she'll come over to me, sit on my lap and things so she's not scared of me, it's very odd

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Proud mum to Fluffy,Indie, Minnie, Loki, Tyr, Jinx & Onyx .......RIP Honey Cookie and Banoffee

Ah ok, thought she might have been in heat. Cos my 2 females do a similar thing when their in heat.

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Mummy to Whiskey an 8 year old terrier mix and 7 month old rats Chocolate and Sponge.

It's possible she was trying to groom Fluff and it all got a bit out of hand - I am starting to wonder if there's a power struggle going on and I'm being over-protective.
In fairness, Fluff isn't exactly cowering in a corner or trying to avoid them. She sleeps away from them most of the time but she likes the hammock and I don't think I've ever seen either of the other two in it at all so...I don't know, I just want a harmonious cage

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Proud mum to Fluffy,Indie, Minnie, Loki, Tyr, Jinx & Onyx .......RIP Honey Cookie and Banoffee

It possible cud be. My 2 groom each other all the time with the odd little squeak thrown in for good measure. my 2 play fight alot aswell. I've never seen scabs on the either of them.

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Mummy to Whiskey an 8 year old terrier mix and 7 month old rats Chocolate and Sponge.

Fluffs has a couple of wee scabs on her back - I checked...but she scratches when she's stressed so I need to keep an eye on her for a couple of days, just in case it's that again. (Totally unrelated but I left my guys with a sitter over Christmas and when I got back, Fluff was so stressed that her back was in bits, I had her over at the vet the day I picked them up because she was bleeding and all sorts! I was terrified it was some sort of super-insect infestation - immune to all anti bug treatment - but no, turned out to be stress)
I have been thinking about it and this all started after Banoffee died - I guess that might have upset the cages balance. Also Fluff is clearly missing Noffee, poor thing, they'd been together from...well, Noffee was 7 weeks and Fluff would have been 11 weeks so they were babies together really. Indie and Minnie also came as a pair so I guess a new balance needs to be struck.

Thank you for your thoughts, it does help work the kinks out of the brain when you have other opinions

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Proud mum to Fluffy,Indie, Minnie, Loki, Tyr, Jinx & Onyx .......RIP Honey Cookie and Banoffee

No probs, here to help anytime. Hope she'll be alright.

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Mummy to Whiskey an 8 year old terrier mix and 7 month old rats Chocolate and Sponge.