Biting Prevention Note: Before we go into the descriptions about the various possible instances that could possibly result in a rat bite, we must first stress the fact that it is rare for a domesticated rat to bite a human. However, if they do bite you, these would be the reasons why. Throughout our site we use three different terms to describe the varying degrees of what could be considered a bite. They are as follows... Biting - We use this term to describe a situation where a rat has actually drawn blood with their attack. Nipping - This is when a rat bites you but does not break the skin. It just feels like a hard, somewhat painful pinch. Mouthing - This is when a rat puts his mouth on you as if to bite you, but uses only very slight pressure. Completely painless, a rat will mouth you like this to help explore who and what you are. Sometimes they will even try and pull you away with them. In all "biting" situations, if one occurs, whether it was unintentional, a sign of warning, or serious, you should always respond with a very abrupt, loud, NO. Never hit your rat for biting you. Simply lock them in there cage for a time out. Try to figure out why they bit you, and then correct the problem for the future. Here is an example of a serious rat bite. In all "nipping" situations, if one occurs, whether it was unintentional, a sign of warning, or serious, you should always respond with a very abrupt, loud, NO. Never hit your rat for nipping you. Simply try to figure out why they nipped you, and then correct the problem for the future. In all "mouthing" situations, just ignore it. If they are using their mouth on you in some form or fashion, in a non painful way, then they are just using their mouth to check you out, or they are trying to groom you. Again, nothing to worry about. Food Aggression... Rats are loving animals, but they can turn into little monsters when it comes to food. This is because in the wild they live in communal groups, and it is every rat for itself when it comes to getting enough food to survive. So they have learned that if they aren't quick and aggressive about getting a portion of the food, it could mean starvation for them. Domesticated rats still have this instinctual behavior, so when food is present, they will rush in, try and snatch up as much as they can, and then go hide to eat it. This is so that the other rats don't steal their food away from them. If your finger happens to be in the way of all this madness, a misguided bite or nip may possibly occur. Here Are Some Rules to Live By to Avoid Accidental Food Related Bites and Nips... Always wash your hands before interacting with your rats. This removes any smells of food, perfume, and lotions, which the rats might mistake for a tasty treat. NEVER feed a rat through the bars of their cage. This will teach them to quickly snatch anything poked through those bars, even fingers. If a rat does nip/bite you when you stick your finger through the bars of their cage, it means someone has already taught them to do this by feeding them that way. Simply never, yourself, feed them that way, and they will eventually stop expecting your fingers to be food. Never tease your rats with food. And Other No, Nos... Always be extra cautious with newly adopted rats, until they have a chance to get to know you. Their whole world just got turned upside down when you brought them home, and everything is foreign to them. This will make them fearful and put them on edge. You know your not going to hurt them, but they don't know that. Be sure to take things slow and gentle with them until they become comfortable and start feeling safe in their environment. However, a well socialized rat should have no problem adjusting to their new environment and should be comfortable with you right away. Never startle a rat, especially if they are sleeping. They might mistake you for a predator sneaking up on them and bite/nip you out of defense. Talk to them first, make sure they have woken up and know it's you, then go to pet them or pick them up. Never break up fighting rats with your bare hands. Use a towel instead. Be cautious if you are putting your rat through a new experience they may not like, such as clipping their nails or bathing them. These new experiences need to be introduced slowly. If you overwhelm them too quickly, they might bite/nip out of fear. Be very wary of female rats who are pregnant. Be very wary of moms who are protecting their pups. Once you've bonded with your rats, be sure to keep handling them frequently. If you ignore them for two months, don't expect your rats to be "happy" campers if you suddenly decide to play with them again. Rats Will Sometimes Bite/Nip If... Sometimes a rat will bite/nip if they are in pain or feeling sick. It might be time for a trip to the vet. Sometimes a rat will bite/nip if they have been through a very traumatic event which has left them huddled and frightened. Give them time to get composed before handling them. Males' (and sometimes females') personalities go through a stage of change when they reach the age of puberty (between 3 and 6 months of age). Their bodies become flooded with hormones at this time just as with human males, and this can "sometimes" change your rat's behavior towards you and/or his cage mates. Some males will get an extra helping of these hormones, which can cause them to become overly aggressive. If this is the case, you should have him neutered. This will mellow his behavior out. If you have the smell of a strange rat on your hand, your rat might instinctually bite your hand thinking it is an intruder. Another good reason to wash your hands first. Rarely, some rats will be complete lovers except when they are inside of their cage. We call this "cage aggression". It is caused by an over active territorial instinct. They will defend their cage and everything inside of it by nipping at intruders. This is simple to deal with though. You simply need to be aware of this, and not monkey around with their cage, unless they have been removed from it first. And instead of reaching in and pulling them out of the cage, where they might nip in defense, try to teach them to come out on to your hand by command using a treat reward system. Once they are away from their cage, they are usually complete lovers. Here, I coax Mojo to come out of her cage. Do not wear Band-Aids around your rats. They love to nip/bite these. Don't ask me why, but many rats will nip/bite at socked feet. Just simply remove your socks and you will be fine. Sometimes new rats will constantly mouth your fingers when presented with them, to test and see if they are food. This shouldn't hurt, and will pass with time as they learn your smell and discover that you are not edible. ;) While your rat grooms you, he/she may nibble at your skin. This is not a sign of aggression, and should not cause pain. This is just a natural part of their grooming to remove dead skin and debris, and should not be worried about. Certain rats can be attracted to the smells of "certain" parts of the human body. So much so, that they will give these areas little nips of interest, which do not hurt more than a bad pinch, but can be very startling. Namely the nipples, crotch, armpits, and ears. One of my girls was a nipple nipper, and all I did was simply make a point to watch her closely if she was anywhere near my chest. I also had a girl who would actually bite my ears if given a chance, but it was no big deal. I just turned my head if she started sniffing my ears and the problem was solved. There are some cases of rats who are simply just ill tempered and aggressive little buggers towards humans. These rats are the products of bad breeding and/or handling. I give some tips on how to avoid these rats in "When Choosing and Adopting Your Rats" within this Guidebook. There is not much that can be done for these rats unless you are very experienced. Most sellers identify these rats and sadly place them in the feeder bin or euthanize them since they don't make appropriate pets. This is why proper breeding is so very important!