# Nervous behavior in rats?



## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

My rat, Penelope, just starting holding her tail in her mouth and turning in circles. To me, if this were a cat or dog, it indicates a nervous behavior. Would the same be true with rats?

About a week ago, she got moved with her 12 babies from the huge rat cage (3.5ft tall, 3ft long, 2ft wide with four teers) to a 29gallon fish tank. She has been getting out, so we put heavy objects on top of her cage so she can't get out when we are not home. 

We just noticed this about an hour ago. The only difference in today is that we took away 7 of her babies for feeders. Could this be the issue? I've never had problems taking babies from rats before, but she is an unusuall girl. She is about 6-8 months old. she was a rescue rat. I got her from Time Warner Cable. Some one had left her in one of their workers' trucks. When I brought her home, it was obvious she had been handled and left loose to roam the house. She has always been very friendly. When she gets out of her cage or we let her out, she will roam around the house but she wont leave out sides. She got out of her tank the other day and went straight to my BF and got on his chest while he was sleeping and curled up on him. 

Her behavior worries me. If anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it.


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## xchairity_casex (Oct 8, 2011)

my female rat who at the time had young pups would also do this once her babies were older she stopped i always assumed it had somthing to do with being overly motherly carrying her tail like a pup mayb mistaking it for one.

are you apart of the RMCA forum? thats a great forum for good info perhapes they could give you a bit mroe info? (just DONT tell them you took babies for feeders they will kick you out!)


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

xchairity_casex said:


> my female rat who at the time had young pups would also do this once her babies were older she stopped i always assumed it had somthing to do with being overly motherly carrying her tail like a pup mayb mistaking it for one.
> 
> are you apart of the RMCA forum? thats a great forum for good info perhapes they could give you a bit mroe info? (just DONT tell them you took babies for feeders they will kick you out!)


Its almost like an obsessive behavior. She will go from her nest, across the tank, get a drink, grab her tail and spin in fast circles all the way back to her nest t her babies. Then she does it again and again and again and wont stop until we get her out of her cage or she is so tiered that she can't move.

I will check out that forum! Thank you so much. I was researching and trying to find information on what she is doing, but couldn't find anything.


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## xchairity_casex (Oct 8, 2011)

hum my girl never went that far with it she was a little obsessive about it but not to the point she would wear herself out she too would leave the nest grab her tail and circle for a few minutes go back to the nest come out again and do it all over then run right back then come out and do it again then run back but once her babies were older she quit.

how old are the babies? are they moving around freely or begining to play with each other yet?


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

xchairity_casex said:


> hum my girl never went that far with it she was a little obsessive about it but not to the point she would wear herself out she too would leave the nest grab her tail and circle for a few minutes go back to the nest come out again and do it all over then run right back then come out and do it again then run back but once her babies were older she quit.
> 
> how old are the babies? are they moving around freely or begining to play with each other yet?


They are one week old. They aren't doing much of anything yet. 
She does her circles all the way back to the nest and runs to the other side and does circles all the way back again.


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