Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is my first shot at rats. I had success with mice so I figured I'd give it a shot. I picked up 2 females and a male. The females were together when I bought them. The male was in a different tank with other rats. I brought them home, put them together and within minutes the male was attacking the females. They stopped so I left them. Checked later and they seemed fine. Now I looked at them again and I nopticed bites on the females. What's going on? Is this a normal dominance display, part of mating, or is the male mad that he has new females? Will they stop? Should I keep them seperated and look for a new male?

Are you SURE they are females?
What size cage do you have them in?

Definitely. The two albinos were mothers already and the nads on the other are huge. They're in a 40L tank in the garage. I didn't think of that. Is that maybe too small?

i would give thema time out, my males will get rough with my females and they will stand up together like their dancing. I seperate them and ten i put the female with the male as appose to the other way around if that doesn't work time out again and then try a different female if it won't work.
-----
My roomates 1 boa(Flicka),3 corns, 1 cat(Morris) and 1 dog(Chance)

>>This is my first shot at rats. I had success with mice so I figured I'd give it a shot. I picked up 2 females and a male. The females were together when I bought them. The male was in a different tank with other rats. I brought them home, put them together and within minutes the male was attacking the females. They stopped so I left them. Checked later and they seemed fine. Now I looked at them again and I nopticed bites on the females. What's going on? Is this a normal dominance display, part of mating, or is the male mad that he has new females? Will they stop? Should I keep them seperated and look for a new male?

It sounds like you got adults and that is the harder way to start. If you don't end up with some peaceful existance soon then you may need to start with a different boy. If they girls are pregnant from a different male they may continue this way. I think if it were me I would separate them for now and see what, if anything, happens in three weeks. If the girls were moms previously and were in with boys still then they are bred back and not keen on the new male. And/Or the new guy got them already, whether they liked it or not. Time will tell if they implant/reabsorb or give birth. No point in keeping them together if they are fighting as no one needs the added stress. But if you see them sleeping together some of the time and fighting others it is likely just settling dominance. In my book if there is no blood then let them settle. Your call on whether to leave him in.
-----
Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on them. Thanks for the help.