One of the most common concerns about getting pet rats is whether they’ll bite you. There’s no fun in having a pet if you’re afraid of them! While rats do have sharp teeth, they’re also incredibly intelligent about when and how to use them.
Like most domestic animals, rats are capable of biting. Pet rats may bite if they’re frightened, injured, pregnant, or have a poor temperament. Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do to prevent your rat from biting.
How to avoid being bitten
💡 The easiest way to avoid being bitten by a pet rat is to choose your new pets carefully.
If possible, spend a little time with potential new rats before you bring them home. Speak to their previous owner to find out what their personality is like, or handle them a little bit before you take them with you.
A responsible breeder is one of the best places to adopt a friendly rat. A good breeder will select two parents with calm and affectionate temperaments. They also handle the babies from birth so your new pets are used to humans before you adopt them.
Rats from other sources, like pet stores, feeder bins, and rescues, may or may not be well socialized when you get them. It’s a bit harder to predict their personality, and they can require a lot more time, patience and training.
I’ve adopted some rats who were super friendly and others who were more nervous and harder to bond with. Fortunately, none of them bit me, but I took my time with the nervous ones and paid attention to the way they behaved around me.
If you already adopted a rat who bites, it’s possible to train them to stop biting (without getting hurt in the process). First, it really helps to figure out what type of bite it is, and what might be causing them to do it.
Are they biting hard, or just checking you out?
Rats use their mouths and teeth for almost everything. Sometimes they’re just exploring with no intention of hurting you. They may gently nibble or mouth you (which will not be painful or injure you). Many friendly rat behaviors involve some teeth, but rats are intelligent enough to know not to hurt you if they don’t want to.
Unless your rat is showing signs of fear or aggression towards you, the gentle nibbling shouldn’t progress into actual bites.
Watch for signs of fear and aggression
If your rat is showing signs of aggression or fear, (s)he may actually try to hurt you. With that said, just because your rat is acting this way right now, it doesn’t mean (s)he always will. It’s important to figure out why they’re biting so you can train them to stop.
Signs of aggression in rats
An aggressive rat will show one or more of these signs:
- Hunched over and appears tense
- Hissing or huffing noises (Not the same as sneezing!)
- Fur standing on end. The rat looks puffed up and spiky
- Nips you when you come near the cage
- Suddenly lunging or charging towards you
- Wagging or wriggling its tail
- Grinding its teeth is a tough one, as it can also just mean your rat is happy. Consider the rest of the signs as well.
If your rat is showing signs of aggression towards you, see the chart below for possible reasons why, and how to fix it. Avoid handling an aggressive rat or putting your fingers near their cage without protection.
If you get a deep rat bite, follow the instructions from Healthline.com.
Signs of fear in rats
A fearful rat is also at risk of biting you when startled. You’ll probably notice that a fearful rat:
- Desperately tries to escape your hand
- Darts away from you
- Cowers in a corner or hides from you
- Looks “puffed up” and spiky (hair standing on end)
- Doesn’t want to be handled or touched at all
This sometimes happens with a brand new rat who hasn’t had time to get to know you yet. Let them settle into their environment first and take the bonding process slowly and steadily. Sitting near their cage and talking to them softly can really help get them used to you.
Why do pet rats bite?
Getting to know these situations can help you understand how rats behave and how to avoid a bite. If your rat is normally friendly towards you, it’s rare for them to randomly bite you. Picking a rat with a friendly disposition is the #1 thing you can do to avoid bites.
| Situation | Explanation | Prevention |
| Aggressive temperament | Rats who were mishandled in the past sometimes carry fear and aggression towards humans. | Assess a new rat before you adopt it and be aware of its history. If you can, try to adopt from a breeder rather than a pet store. Some rescues can also tell you about their temperament. |
| Never handled by humans | Rats who weren’t handled as babies can take a lot more time to warm up to you. With patience, you can still win most rats over. | If your rat is shy or fearful, spend extra time with them before you handle them. This can take a few days or even weeks, depending on your rat’s history and personality. |
| Startled | Rats don’t have good eyesight, and may defend themselves if you startle them. Again, this is more likely to happen with nervous or poorly socialized rats. Rats with pink/red eyes have especially bad eyesight and might be more cautious. | Speak to your rat so they know you’re in the room. Ensure your rat sees you coming before you pick it up, and don’t suddenly grab it from above or behind. Avoid picking up nervous rats while they’re asleep. While you bond with new rats, make sure you move slowly and gently. Sudden movements can startle them into biting. |
| Mistook your finger for food | Always keep in mind that rats don’t have very good eyesight. They also LOVE food and will sometimes get too excited if they’re used to getting treats through their cage bars. | Avoid feeding your pet rats through the bars of their cage. Make sure you wash your hands well after you’ve just prepared food. Avoid feeding them any liquid foods off your finger if they get too excited about it. Rats can also be taught to understand the word “gentle” when they take food from you. |
| Territorial | Some rats will only bite you when you put your hand in their cage or through the bars. | Over time, get them used to having your hands near or inside their cage. |
| Rough handling | Different rats have different preferences when it comes to being handled. Some don’t mind being squeezed a bit, but others will feel trapped. | Don’t squeeze your rats or grab them too roughly. If they dislike being held, let them sit in your palm so they don’t feel trapped. If they struggle against you, respect them and put them down somewhere safe. |
| Scared or cornered | Rats may defend themselves if they feel like they’re trapped and can’t get away from you. | Be mindful around new pet rats who don’t fully trust you yet. Give them plenty of space and a little box to hide in while getting to know you. Don’t reach your hand into their cage right away – let them come to the door and sniff you. |
| Gloves, band-aids and socks | Even friendly rats might not understand that your hand is underneath a glove. For some reason a lot of rats just LOVE Band-Aids and can go a little crazy trying to steal them. | Avoid wearing rubber gloves and Band-Aids around your rats. If your rat bites and you need to wear gloves around them, use thick ones their teeth can’t penetrate. This is a temporary solution for handling them as most rats are even more likely to bite gloves than hands! |
| Pregnant or new babies | Some female rats become abnormally protective around their young ones. | If your rat was friendly with you before having babies, she will likely calm down again once the babies grow. Give her lots of space. |
| Hormonal (males) | Some (not all) male rats become aggressive around 4 – 12 months of age. If your rat was friendly and later became aggressive, it may be a hormonal issue. | Neutering can improve this behavior. Hormonal aggression in rats is genetic, so adopting a rat from a careful breeder can help avoid problems. |
| Ill, injured or in pain | Rats can act defensively when injured. They tend to hide that they’re in pain very well, and it may not be obvious to you. | Have your rat checked out by a vet to rule out any underlying health problems. Use protection like a towel or gloves to transport it into a carrier and take them to a vet. |
| Stress | Some rats get stressed out in chaotic environments with loud noises or lots of foot traffic. | Give your rat some space and quiet time. Especially if you just brought it home, let it get used to its environment. Give it places inside its cage to hide out in. |
| Fighting with another rat | You can sometimes be the unintended victim of a rat bite if you’re trying to break up a fight between two rats. | Be cautious when introducing unfamiliar rats to each other. Follow the introduction process slowly and use a thick towel to separate them. |
Does a pet rat bite hurt?
Whether a rat bite hurts depends on the severity. “Play bites” don’t hurt at all and shouldn’t pierce your skin.
If your rat bites you by mistake, they will likely realize what they’re doing and stop right away. It might be a small bite that doesn’t pierce the skin at all, or it wont be very deep. This can sometimes happen if they’re used to getting food through their cage bars.
If a rat really means to hurt you – for instance, if it’s an aggressive or defensive bite – this can be extremely painful. Rats are capable of biting deep enough to damage nerves and tendons. They sometimes latch on and don’t want to let go, which can tear the skin as you pull away.
Pay careful attention to your rat’s behavior if they have bitten before. It’s rare for most rats to bite, and even unfriendly ones often give you some warning before they seriously bite.
If you’re trying to train a rat who bites, it’s best to use hand protection or avoid putting your hands near the rat until it settles down.
Why does my rat bite me gently?
There are a few reasons a pet rat might bite you softly:
- They’re playing! Rats will sometimes “mouth” you when they’re playing, like a dog would! A “play bite” is just gentle and won’t break the skin or draw blood.
- They’re grooming you. Sometimes a rat will even use its teeth to groom you the way it would another rat. That’s a good sign it likes you – it treats you like a fellow rat! Rats even seem to understand fingernails and will clean them out for you if they notice something tasty underneath.
- To give you a warning. This is most common in new rats as you’re trying to bond with them. They may bite you just a little to see how you react. It’s important not to pull your hand away suddenly or act fearful, as this can encourage them to really bite. Be wary of new rats who “teeth” you when you have your hand in or near their cage.
- Because you taste like food. Rats might use their teeth to nibble you if you have some tasty food leftovers or smells on your skin. Friendly rats usually know enough not to hurt you when they do this.
- To tug on you! You will sometimes see rats tugging on each other – and they’ll even do it to you! Some rats will grab you with their teeth and hands to pull you closer to them. It’s very cute and not painful at all.
How to discourage nipping or “gentle biting”
If this behavior bothers you, or you find it getting too aggressive, you can “squeak” to show your rat that (s)he went too far. That’s what rats do with each other when they play fight. Another option is to firmly say “NO.”
If they repeatedly get too enthusiastic when they play with you, avoid wrestling with them directly with your hands, and play other games with them instead. You can use dangling cat toys or a long piece of thread to keep a distance from your hand.
If your rat is still persistent, you can end play time with them early and return them to their cage. Rats are very intelligent and they will learn over time that you don’t want to play with them if they use teeth.
How likely is a pet rat to bite?
Keep in mind that every rat has a unique personality. My rats were fortunately very sweet, but I’ve heard the odd story about one who wasn’t.
A well socialized and non-aggressive rat is very unlikely to bite, even under stressful circumstances.
A rat who doesn’t trust you yet could possibly bite, so make sure you get to know each other first. Be familiar with the signs of aggression and fear in rats that may provoke them to bite.
For more, check out this Quora thread:
As a rat owner, how often have you been bitten and how serious was it?
What to do if your rat bites you
A rat bite sometimes requires medical attention, particularly if it’s deep or appears infected. Rat bite fever is a concern, so if you feel unwell after being bitten by a rat, see a doctor as soon as possible. While rare in domestic rats, it does require medical attention.
Follow the instructions on Healthline.com if your rat bites you.
Conclusion
Although this seems like a long article, the truth is, if you adopt rats who are already used to human companionship, it’s extremely unlikely your pet will bite you.
If you rescued your rats from a difficult or unknown situation, it’s a good idea to take your time with them to build up trust and familiarity.
I hope this article helped put your mind at ease about pet rats!
