Aggression towards others?

[BHReptiles]

I've had a 1.2 trio of VIRGIN rats in my care (housed together for breeding purposes) for between 3-4 weeks. Everyone has gotten along fine until the last few days. One of my females likes to pick on the other one and they get into some loud scuffles (but no injuries noted on either). One of the females is starting to look a little pudgy (she is the instigator of the scuffles). Could it be a pregnancy related aggression? This is my first venture into rat breeding and I have a whopping 0 litters under my belt so any help is appreciated. I just don't want any of them to get hurt.

[satomi325]

What kind of scuffles?
When rats play or even try to groom each other, they are quite noisy and do try to pin the other down. Is this what you are witnessing?

If there's no blood, I would just leave them alone and continue to keep an eye on them.

And if the female is pudgy, she will probably have her litter in a few days. Some mothers do get a little possessive and will lash out at other rats who come too close. But this normally happens if there's already a litter present.

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[sorraia]

I've had pregnant females get very bossy toward other females, to the point of needing to be separated. There's no harm in separating them. it might even be safer for the soon to come babies, so they aren't injured in a scuffle.

[BHReptiles]

What kind of scuffles?
When rats play or even try to groom each other, they are quite noisy and do try to pin the other down. Is this what you are witnessing?

If there's no blood, I would just leave them alone and continue to keep an eye on them.

And if the female is pudgy, she will probably have her litter in a few days. Some mothers do get a little possessive and will lash out at other rats who come too close. But this normally happens if there's already a litter present.

I'm not really sure what's going on. The really loud scuffles happen in the middle of the night. It's loud enough that it wakes me up from a deep sleep. When I'm awake and have the lights on, the female usually goes up to the instigator and tries to groom her. The other with kick and scratch and then run away. During those times, it's never as loud as it is at night. At night, it sounds like WWIII in the tank. No one is injured or bleeding so I've just been watching it.

I don't think this female is -that- close to delivery. She just looks noticeably pudgier than before (granted, I don't know what a pregnant rat should look like...I've been told they look like baseballs and she's not that round...just pudge). Her abdomen is a little firm upon palpation which does sound like a pregnant uterus. I've raised her from a weaned rat so I've had her for awhile. I just noticed the difference the last couple of days. The other female doesn't look any different and I've seen no breeding behavior with her. Oh well. Maybe she'll get with the program soon.

I've had pregnant females get very bossy toward other females, to the point of needing to be separated. There's no harm in separating them. it might even be safer for the soon to come babies, so they aren't injured in a scuffle.

It seems like this female is just bossy. I don't think they need to be separated because they are usually pretty well-behaved. Like I said, I've had them almost a month and the last couple of days are the first I've noticed the aggression.

[steve_r34]

loud in the middle of the night .. there most likely just playing or one is being dom .. my rats do it all the time .. i will go in there when i hear it and one will be on its back and the other standing over the top .. if theres no blood i wouldnt worry .. u could seperate them if u want but if housed them together and tried to get them prego together and its there 1st litters id keep them together so they can help each other