Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / November 2003

I just got my first rat about a year ago and got her a cage mate about six
months later.  at first they would fight all the time even reaching through
the bars of their seppereate cages to try
to swipe at each other eventually I got so frustrated with the slow and easy
process of introduction and just put them in a new cage and let them fight
it out..  they did fight quite a bit that first night but I watched them
often and made sure no one got hurt.  they have for the most part been
alright together ever since but lately they have gone balistic again, I'm
not sure if they are just play fighting or if they really hate each other.

a more background,  one is a large white hooded rat the other is a smaller
blue rat.  the hooded is often the loser in a battle but doesn't squeak at
all, but most of the time the hooded has the blue rat down and the blue rat
is very vocal about it.  but I'm not sure that means anything either because
the blue rat is kind of whiney anyway as she'll squeal if you try to pick
her up sometimes.

anyone have any suggestions on how to determine weather or not these guys
are really hurting each other and what should I do about it short of
seperating them?

Thanks