Rats fighting or playing?
Like 3 Dislike 0 Published on 27 Dec 2010
----- UPDATE:
Thank you all so much for your responses! Many of you said this was not something to worry about so I never stopped them. There was never blood involved so I assume that they were just fine.
Both have passed on now. Sugar actually stayed by Cinnamon's body long after Cinnamon had passed and ended up passing away only a few months later. While I enjoyed their company very much, I don't think I'll be able to bear getting another rat. I had no idea that their early deaths would affect me so much. However, I will never regret owning Sugar and Cinnamon. They gave me a love I'll never forget.
Again, thank you for your helpful comments! -----
These are the first pet rats I've ever owned and I'm unsure whether they're fighting or playing with one another.
They're between five and seven months old, both females. I bought them both together and the person at the pet store said they received them both together. I've had them for four months now.
Shortly after I bought them, perhaps a month after, I noticed that they chase each other a lot, the white one (Sugar) often being the chaser. She goes after the brown one's (Cinnamon) rump almost constantly, and Cinnamon squeaks often because of it. They almost ALWAYS seem to be trying to dominate each other; Cinnamon will suddenly pin Sugar down, then Sugar will pin Cinnamon down and it happens almost every time I let them out of the cage and even happens inside the cage!
At the moment I keep them in the same cage but have been thinking about separating them. I got them both because I read that rats should NEVER be left alone since they're social creatures but this decision is starting to feel like it's biting me in the butt. I'm really unsure about my rats' behavior because, just recently in the four months I've owned them, Sugar suddenly bit me hard enough to draw blood. Neither of them had done anything of that sort before and I'm nervous that she may be becoming aggressive. I think she bit because I accidentally scared her (I had reached under the blanket to make sure she wasn't chewing it and touched her from the back; that's when she bit me) but I feel much more weary of handling either of them now.
Any information anyone would be able to give me would be very appreciated. I'm not experienced with the behavior of rats and want to take care of them to the best of my ability!