Help introducing a new Rattie!

[Lanna]

Hi All,

A week and a half ago I bought a new rattie to be a possible friend to my current two girls. They are around 2 years old but never really seemed entirely 'content' with each other, and from the research I did it seemed that 3 rats were sometimes happier than 2. So, I read lots of material about introducing new rats (quarantine period, dabbing vanilla / neutral scent on all rats, placing in neutral environment etc) but the 2 times I've tried to let them meet it hasn't gone well. Both of my older rats puff up and get very aggressive and I'm too scared to let the little one near either of them (one at a time of course).

One of my older rats started sniffing her and they seemed fine, then suddenly her fur puffed up and she slowly seemed to 'bite' the little one's back!

I'm really worried now that I've done the wrong thing. And I'm concerned that what was meant to be a treat for my current ratties has actually stressed them out more. They've never been very cuddly rats - they never ever bite but they don't like to sit, preferring to run around alot as they weren't handled much as babies (I got them when they were 3.5 months old).

All 3 ratties now seem to be making MUCH more noise of a night-time. Nesting etc, so much that I can't sleep!! I'm not sure if this is normal because I've had many rats and they've never been THAT noisy.

Anyway, would appreciate ANY advice or help anyone can give.

I did as much research as I could but it seems that isn't enough!

Lanna, Melbourne xo

[Kim]

Rats around 2 years old dont really take that well to youngsters.

A 2 year old rat is basiaclly equivalent to a 60 year old person.

Where as an 8 week old rat is like a 14 year old.

Thats a big difference. More often that not intro's in this age range either never happen or take close to 6 months or more.

I prefer to tell people that if they have rats that are close to 2 years old then its better if they get a 3rd rat who is at least a year old.

Personally if I had 2 rats who were close to 2 years I wouldnt get a young one.

More often that not its only recommended that you get a younger rat for an older one if you have had 2 oldies and lost one.

Its also why its recomended that 2 young ones are got rather than one. In case the older rat or rats dont want anything to do with it.

Are you keeping your young one in a different cage or is she is with the older girls?

I'm sorry to hear that you are having problems, but remember that many people have been in the same situation as you.

[Lanna]

Thanks so much about that info on rat ages. That would make alot of sense then as to why they're not very accepting of her!!

I'm keeping the little one separate.

I have to because I'm too scared to put her in with the older ratties!

But she seems very very happy and I get her out all the time. She's very playful - I've thought about buying her a little friend too (the same age as her, in case the introduction never properly happens which I fear it may not) but I think I'll see how it goes for the time being.

If I keep her by herself, how old is too old for me to introduce a new little friend to her?

I wish I'd known beforehand about the age difference / introduction thing. But I have to make the best of the situation and if that means keeping them separate, so be it! I want them to be happy!

[sarah]

HI Lanna
When you said you keep the little one separate, is her cage near the older girls? It often helps to keep them in separate cages to avoid fights, but near enough for the company of the others.

Having said that, it is something I haven't had to deal with among the ratties I have had in the past. The last time I got a couple of babies to go in with my last boy who was quite old. The little ones keep each other busy playing so don't bother the older ones as much.

[brittnaya]

I too am having trouble introducing new babies.
The older one is almost 4 months and the younger one is approx 6 weeks now (both female). I have them placed side by side in seperate cages but when i try to mix them, in neutral territory and also letting them spend time alone in each others cages, things dont go to well.

[Kim]

How do things not go well? It could just be that you are witnessing the normal, social behaviour of a new social order sorting itself out.

Has the older girl had a cage mate before?

[Claire]

just butting in but one of my rat died and my other was from the same litter and became very lonely so i got a new friend but now ruby is sick to even after i thought she was clean so i now have two lonely rats because i had to seperate them for at least ten days my question is i have already put them together before ruby was sick but do i have to re-introduce them? and ruby grooms india but it is very rough is this ok?

[Alysha]

Just putting my two bobs in. Ive got 5 girls all introduced a few months apart from each other.

I then adopted a 2yr old rat from some people that didnt want her anymore. She was malnurished & alone. She didnt know how to get along with my other girls (naturally, she was quarenteened and we got her to put heaps of weight on her before we introduced). I had her cage beside my other girls cage and my 5 girls would puff themselfs up and actually hiss at her, meanwhile Kinky (the rat we adopted) done nothing to initiate it. Was very strange how they took an instant dislike to her.

It took me a good 3-4 months to finally have her full socialised into the girls cage. At first it was free roam time, she hung out with us and we prevented fights from breaking out. She soon learnt if she was getting into trouble she would seek us out (we werent far away, always supervised.)

We went through the process of the bathing, essence, neatural ground everything. Eventually she won a few girls over and we were down to two that needed convincing (at least at this point we could swap the girls that were comfortable in and out of her cage so she had a mate).

For some reason she won one of them over pretty much a few weeks after and we would let her in with the other girls and we'd actually start keeping the last aggressive rat away. It took another month or so but in the end, we let them have a little scuffle and they seemed to work out their differences. In saying that, Kinky is very weary of her but she learnt to stand her ground against the aggressive rat and now they even sleep together.

Kinky is still relearning how to socialise with the other girls, sometimes doesnt get teh whole grooming thing, but she is doing very well.

And as for the name.. hehe thats her name when she came to us.. they called her that because the tip of her tail was broken (apparantly when they got her as a baby, to me it looks like its been shut in a cage door). But now she gets to live with other rats and be spoilt for the rest of her life.

Sometmes it works, sometimes it doesnt, it took me a good 6mths to fully socialised with the girls. Just remember they are allowed to have little scuffles, to work out dominance, however you do need to draw the line before it gets nasty.

Best of luck with your rats. im sure your two oldies enjoy each others company and if u choose to get another young rat for your other young one, best of luck with intro's.