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Suddenly Evil Rat2007-11-24 22:15:10

I've had my rat for about a month, and never has she bitten. Sure she'd rather run around than be with me but she still has never harmed anyone. However just yesterday I tried to pick her up (she was not sleeping, just sitting on a wooden block in her cage) and she bit my finger. I thought maybe I just surprised her so I gently placed my finger on her back and she bit me again. I didn't want to be hurt anymore so I stopped.

Later that day my brother's girlfriend tried to pick her up and it bit her for the first time as well.

What's happened? Any help would be appreciated.

Answers:

Hmm--I must admit, it's strange.

Just to be safe, I'd wash your hands before handling her to get rid of any food smells.

How often have you been handling her? If she'd rather stay in her cage than be with you, then maybe she's just a naturally aggressive rat--or you haven't handled her enough.

EDIT: Never mind, 1-2 hours a day should be enough to make her friendly towards people.

It's also possible that she's sick, so look for any signs of listlessness or pain.

If she were male, then neutering him would fix the problem--male rats can grow bitey when they hit a certain age unless neutered--but I'm pretty sure you're able to tell her gender for certain :).

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I'm a little baffled, too. My only thought is that she isn't feeling well. Pain can make an animal grumpy. Perhaps a vet visit to rule out illness is in order.