inappropriate advances

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Phlip - 29 Apr 2006 05:53 GMT

Ratsters:

Our little juvenile rescue has a touch of the wheezes. We have a vet
appointment scheduled, and she has dry spells when she is active and
playful, including using the wheel. She coughs when she awakens, then
remains silent through an active period.

However, she often pesters our bigger thoroughbred with inappropriate sexual
advances. The juvenile has not yet figured out she is female, and I think
the episodes happen more often than the bigger girl comes into heat. I have
heard this occurs every 4 minutes in rats.

Rats have a great system to deal with this situation. The juvenile tries to
sniff under the big girl's tail, and the big girl simply puts out a hind leg
and steps on her head. She instantly goes submissive, head stuck down in the
bedding, and the big girl moves on.

Rats with complications from mycoplasmosis often exhibit neurological
issues, such as wry neck. Could the juvenile's arousal be due to the disease
putting pressure on her brain?

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Phlip
http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?ZeekLand <-- NOT a blog!!!

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msjdoolittle - 30 Apr 2006 03:21 GMT

Just a note.... Thoroughbred's are horses. :))

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Joanne - 30 Apr 2006 05:21 GMT

> Ratsters:
>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> issues, such as wry neck. Could the juvenile's arousal be due to the disease
> putting pressure on her brain?

Humping or mounting is also a sign of dominance or trying to get up the
alpha ladder.
It is perfectly normal for any females or even males to mount their same
sex cage buddy. Females go into heat every 5 days.
Also, mounting will occur when one female is in heat and the others
sense this and will mount her. Is this a sexual behavior, no one really
knows.
Myco is usually in the nasal passages making it's way to the lungs then
creating pulmonary abscesses which then becomes "game over" for them.
The wry neck is caused by inner ear infections which is caused by myco.
I have never heard of myco causing neurological events. Pituitary tumors
are not caused by myco.
It's soooo good of you to bring your sweetie in to the vet. If it's
myco, you'll have caught it early. Keep in mind it could just be the
change in seasons or even caused by the type of bedding used or simple
allergies or even what detergent used to clean the cage.
Keep us posted on how it goes at the vet's!

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Joanne
Owned by 20 rats.
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Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / April 2006

inappropriate advances