Things are coming on, overall, pretty well with my four boys. Two are starting to socialise really well, one's still quite nervy and skittish but getting there. I'd noticed the last of them was getting a bit nippy, but it's usually my clothes and some of them just do that, without realising there's human underneath. I realised he was going more and more for my fingers, and started to take good care in cleaning my hands before handling them, in case there's any food residue on them. Earlier, with clean hands, I offered him a bit of rice cake (which he normally polishes off) and he sniffed it once, then moved straight to my hand - not even the finger & thumb that was holding the food - and nipped at me. I eeped at him and backed off, mainly because I had another boy trying to devour my roman blind. A short while later, while they were all out on the sofa, he was nipping at me again. I put my hand on a cushion (I leave two piled up for them to hide under and play around) and he darted out a good 4 inches and chomped straight on my index finger. I sort-of-eeped, but had to get up and put a plaster on it so I wasn't able to do any more. I put them all back, then.

The advice I had from this board before, when I had a biter, was to eep as soon as it happened*, which I've been doing since he started nipping at me. However, I don't know if it's very effective, because I had throat surgery last year which affected my vocal cords, and I can't really squeak, it comes out more like a squawk Does anyone have any opinion that this would make a difference?

The other problem is that they are all identical. All of them. I can tell Chestnut apart, as he's ruby-eyed. Sprocket is kind of a little bit different, but you have to be really looking at them. So it could be Chip, Dunk or Sprocket. I need to be able to tell, in order to work on the right one as soon as poss. Does anyone have any suggestions? The only thing I can think of is finding some way to dye them, which strikes me as rather dodgy and potentially harmful too.

Any ideas? comments?

Right now I have the confidence of a tiny thing, but tomorrow is another day. The worst thing is I don't want to be - I can't be - nervy of three of them. If I could identify which one it was, then...

(* The advice to eep, and to do 'enforced socialisation' or whatever it's called, worked wonders and cured my last bitey boy very well. I can't remember what it's called, but it's something that was recommended to me on here - hold the rat gently for at least 10 mins each 'out' time, not letting them run away or hide; eventually they realise that being with you is not going to harm them. 10 mins of trying to hold a squirmy furkid is... funny! I worked up from 5 to 10 to 15 mins and within the fortnight this boy was a different rat. I'll be needing to do it with Chestnut at least, I think.)


*sigh* I could do without this, as I got the stress of my business laptop misbehaving when I have a major bit of work to do, and a funeral to go to on Sat 

I have several PEW's.  The first 3 were brothers, so I marked them with a mustache trimmer.  One had a shaved patch on his rump, another had a shaved line across his back, and the third had a shaved spot behind his ear.  Right now we have a new set of PEW brothers, and thier PEW sisters, 3 each.  We're currently using food dye to mark them, it works pretty well.  The blue, pink and purple work the best, and you don't have to use a different color each time, just mark them in a different area.  It stains the fur, and if they groom before it dries, they just get the color on their face and paws.  We normally keep them out until the dye dries, and we'll use a kleenex to soak up some of the extra.  Be prepared to get dirty, and wear an old shirt that you don't mind being turned into different colors.

Yep, my rats will nip at my feet when I'm wearing socks too.  So I always make sure to take them off before I go into their room when they're out for free range time.

Deb

Congradulations.

Fantastic news Han!!  It can work   You can eep/squawk at the boys who are biting down on your fingers a bit too hard as well

oooo, this whole thread was very informative.
I've been having troubles with a nipper (never hard enough for blood), and I was thinking of posting a topic, but I think I'll try all thse first...
Now I know why he always goes for my feet, haha. drives me insane. And holding them for a few minutes each time would be good for my boys. They aren't very cuddly (except on their terms ie. climbing up me to sit on my shoudler when they feel like it)