Why is Tiddle trying to bite Squidge?

[spudsgirl]

They have been in there table together since I got them and they have been fine now am noticing Tiddle is trying to bite Squidges shell I even popped my hand in the other day and he tried to bite my finger. Whats happening to my gorgeous Tiddle is he turning EVIL I call him a he as Tiddle is to young to sex.

Why the biting and how can I stop this he hasnt done it before and the table is absolutely huge so its not a cramping his space thing.

Any advice or should I think about seperation cant have Tiddle going for my fingers though I suspect that would hurt. Tiddle and Squidge are now approx a year old and have lived quite happily together till the last couple of days when I have noticed Tiddle being naughty.

[annsimpson1]

I'd say it is just a dominance thing in that they have to sort out who's boss so I'd leave them for a while and see if it settles down as for biting fingers do you ever feed by hand? could it be that he thinks you have something to eat? if so I'd stop, hand feeding titbits etc with any animal can lead to biting.

[spudsgirl]

Sometimes I do have a rummage and yes I do hand feed a little ann I cant lie

Tiddle wont hurt Squidge will he a dont want him trying to take a bite out of his legs.

[annsimpson1]

if they're both pretty much the same size and young then I don't think either can do any serious harm to the other, my boys went through the same untill Timmy accepted Fidget as the boss and now they are fine, if you have a male/female again they will be to young to hurt each other and to young to mate although they will try to mount the same sex or the opposite. I'd just give them time if the bullied ones goes of his food or really becomes stressed then maybe you'll have to separate or feed them apart, justmake sure they have enough places to sleep etc by themselves so the lesser can hide away if it needs to.

[spudsgirl]

Thanks ann I was thinking of seperating them as when I am at work I cant keep me eye on them dont want Squidge to get hurt I would never forgive myself but I suppose by seperating them I am not allowing the the process to happen i.e let them sort there place out.

I also just added little elmo to my collection another horsefield but Elmo in quarantine for the next year at least am I gonna have the same probs when I introduce Elmo to the pair of them or is it best to not add do you think.

Elmo is loving the new table I have even got my readigrass in there now. I know I have a year to ponder on introducing Elmo but again I would rather know what is going to be best for all of them.

[Frase]

I cant see any harm in introducing, on the basis that if elmo is a bit smaller than the other pair, keep a close eye on how things go...Maybe introduce new things to the table? more hides, more area's to discover and such.

Im new to all this myself, but i would imagine that the more theyve got to keep their mind occupied, the less the chance of this happening is? Like fish do anyway.

[spudsgirl]

Tiddle weighs in at 94grms and Squidge at 72grams. Little Elmo is only 32grams and is tiny at the mo in comparison, The other 2 will fit in the palm of my hand and elmo barely covers my finger tips Elmo is tiny approx 15 weeks old. So there is a big difference in size, Elmo came from a viv to a lovely table and is doing extremely well on own I have no inclination of introducing Elmo as yet and even if I could do it now as elmo is that small I would rather wait until Elmo was a bit bigger. I have been told to keep seperate for 6months to a year so am gonna leave it the year before I do.

At mo am more mortified my little Squidge is getting chomped on.

[Frase]

yeah good choice to leave the quarantine period.

Squidge i am sure will be perfectly fine. You are aware of the situation now.

When you bath them and what not, just keep an eye out on squidge, make sure no unusal markings or damage to him. Its is an heiracrhy thing. t'is all needs tp happen and happens everywhere. You keep two dogs, one is more dominant then the other etc etc

[spudsgirl]

Yeah I understand the reason now just was a bit mortified thinking they werent getting along anymore Tiddle just going for the shell all the time and Squidge just looks petrified but if this is perfectly normal then I will leave be but I do worry alot about my little ones wanted to hibernate this year got me fridge sorted me temps perfect got the boxes and the newspaper and couldnt do it they still so small and helpless I couldnt put myself through it. So am gonna keep them up this year and try next I think wait till they a little older.

[annsimpson1]

the thing is if you separate them they will still go through the same process if you try to reintroduce later on, they will work it out though given time and they don't have teeth so if small can't be much more than annoying.