Rat Domestication

[JJJoshua]

My little brother just got two rats from Petco. The one is a very nice peach rat, and the other is an albino rat. The albino rat is down right mean. It's bitten me multiple times, and drawn blood on one occasion. It's bit my brother but no blood. It bit my girl friend, who is very good w/ rats she has 4 and has had them for over a year, and her finger literally gushed blood, whole sink was red. She is very knowledgable about rats and refuses to blame the rat for biting her, just like I wouldn't blame a T for biting me. But she's always telling me how smart they are and how they can be domesticated to a certain extent. My mom wants to get rid of them, and my brother doesn't care. The peach one is nice, and I'd evens take care of it, but I hate this albino one. Should I allow it to live and try to calm it down? Or should my new milk snake have a nice dinner? I personally think it would be good for my milk snake but I'm not sure if she could swallow it I know that snakes can take down VERY large prey, but this rat is probably 3/4 the size of my girlfriends rats. And they are almost fully grown. Or, option C, wait for my little blondi, to become a big blondi, and have a nice treat waiting for its ultimate molt? So many options just looking for some input and information.

Thanks,

 

[Malkavian]

I'd give it a little while to tame down, if it refuses i'd personally make it snake chow. The fact that the other rat isn't biting seems to rule out things like food on the fingers which is what usually incites a rat to nibble on you

 

[JJJoshua]

Yeah, when I walk by, I just stick my finger in to pet their noses and to give em some attention, because theyre kinda secluded and no one else really pay attention, but this thing is mean. I've tried smacking it on the nose like you would to a dog, and it seems to have immediate effects, but after a while it'll do it again. The first time it will bite hard, I'll smack it it'll bite a little less hard, third time, it'll just nibble, but if I go away and come back it'll just bite hard again. But just tonight, I tried doing the smacking technique and it seems to be fed up with that and actually bit hard enough to break skin. So, I don't know how agressive this thing will be towards my really docile snake. I know snakes are powerful, but man this thing is mean...

Edit: we've had the rats for about a month, enought time to chill or no? This problem has been going on since day one

 

[Malkavian]

How big's your snake?

 

[mouse]

i'd just stay away from the albino if it won't calm down - or get rid of it. i had quite a few rats not too long ago. mostly regular petrats, but also had a few dumbo rats (they were real mellow) well i did end up with one that was missing some hair (he did loose all of it, then grew it back, then loose it again and it stayed gone)the hairless one was the only one that would try to bite. might be the breed, don't know. like when you over-breed a dog and limit the bloodlines. i'd keep the peach, maby get a nice hooded dumbo (black in front, white in the back, big ears and sometimes curled wiskers and a cute confused look on face) .

dianne

 

[JJJoshua]

The rat is 4.5" long my milk snake is maybe 3' or 3.5' But its not very thick.

My girl friend has two of the same kind as the mean rat, and they are the sweetest rat ever. She also has two rexes? I think they are, pretty cool, but very skittish, yet nice. I've never seen a rat like this one.

 

[JJJoshua]

I definately think the snake could kill it, just the swallowing part might be hard... I got the snake from my Bio teacher a few days ago, so I really don't have a feel for how powerful this snake is. I know that it will definately try to eat it, my water snake has tried to eat those super large goldfish at the petstore and ended up having to give up and move on... I'd give it a shot if I was totally sure the snake would eat it, but I dont want to waste the rat if it cant eat it. Maybe I should just wait, see if it calms down, and if not, feed it to my hopefully large Blondi...

 

[Wolfchan]

Do keep in mind that pink-eyed rats often have poor vision. Part of his problem may just be that he can't distinguish people from predators that would eat him. Also, Petco doesn't always get animals that have been treated well, so he may well have not had much socialization up until this point, and he may also have been fed through the bars of a cage previously.

I've had several rescues that had been fed through the bars of their cage in their previous homes, and forever they would bite me if I stuck my fingers within range on the outside of the cage.

Mouse: What you describe with the hair loss and regrowth is a double-rex or "patchwork rat". These are often inbred and are prone to more health/temperament problems than "normal" rats because of it.

You will only make it more aggressive by smacking it. A spray bottle is much more effective.

Honestly, I'm not one of the rat people who would flip at the idea of feeding off an aggressive animal, but I never feed live prey to my snakes so I do recommend a good cervical dislocation first, especially if the rat is already known to be nasty and the snake is on the small side.

 

[Malkavian]

...but I never feed live prey to my snakes so I do recommend a good cervical dislocation first, especially if the rat is already known to be nasty and the snake is on the small side.

I was getting around to that by asking how big the snake was. Reccomend going this same way esp since the rat's a biter.

 

[JJJoshua]

ALright, well my girlfriend took the rats. So no T or snake food today. She said that the rats seem skittish, but the white one is not that aggressive once it is out of the cage, and does not bite. So we think you guys were right in saying how it was fed through the bars. So thanks for all your help :clap:

Thanks,

 

[Wolfchan]

Good stuff, glad to hear everyone found a happy solution.

 

[MilkmanWes]

You will only make it more aggressive by smacking it. A spray bottle is much more effective.

What about blowing air in its face? Does this work as a negative reinforcement?

 

[The Misanthrope]

Nah, I tried that with my rats and it just kinda blinked at me, it didn't seem to mind it much.

 

[Wolfchan]

What about blowing air in its face? Does this work as a negative reinforcement?

I've never tried.