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Anonymous
I have 2 male rats, each a little over a month old. And yes, they're brothers, so they grew up together.

Now I know that they're supposed to play fight a lot, but they seem to do it quite a bit...and I'm worried that it's not playing. One of them tackles the other and just kinda nibbles at him while holding him down. The one being held down squeaks sometimes, which makes me think he's in actual pain, and it's not just playing...

How do I know when it's play fighting and real fighting? If it's real fighting, anything I can do about it to get them to not do it so much?
>> Anon
If they're really fighting you'll find wounds. Being young and male, they're going to play fight a lot. Look at puppies or kittens playing, they make a shitload of noise. Rats are quieter, but they do get noisy when rowdy.
My two six month old females make a lot of noise playing.
>> Anonymous
Easy way to tell: No blood, no foul. If they're really fighting, there'll be blood.

It's typical young rat play to wrestle each other and try to groom the nape of the other's neck, or hold them down and groom them. That's the "nibbling" you're seeing, most likely.
>> Anonymous
>>320008
>or hold them down and groom them.

That does seem to be what they do some of the time. Guess that's all it is.
>> Anonymous
If they do start fighting never try to stop them with your hands. Use a stick.