Solitary boy too attached to me

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Amaginon

Active Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2015
Messages
36
Location
Brisbane
Hi, I have an older male (called Phoenix), approaching two years who I got when he was about 5 months old. I originally got him at the time as a companion for an elderly blind rat (Olly), whose siblings had died. But Olly did not take two him at all, and despite Phoenix friendly advances, Olly would attack him constantly and viciously, eventually resulting in Phoenix losing the end of his tail. So eventually I keep them separated and stopped trying to introduce them until Olly passed away.

Phoenix became my only rat for the next 13 months and since I live in a small three room apartment, he has been able to free range, as his cage door is always open. Phoenix is extremely easy to handle, and constantly climbs up onto my bed or couch for some attention.

Anyway, I eventually decided to get two more baby boys a month ago, as companions for him, and as companion for each other when Phoenix passes on. I was concerned at first as I was not sure how Phoenix would react to new rats after his previous traumatic experience. Anyway I got two 6 week old energetic males and my worries seem to have been groundless. Phoenix just totally ignores them, even if they climb over him. He displays no dominant behaviour at all towards them, but he has started to climb onto my bed at night to sleep with me (something he has never done before), he has previously climbed up to spend time with me, but never actually gone under the covers and slept with me before. And now he does it most nights since the new males have arrived. (Not really afraid of squishing him, i do not move around much when i sleep and he often chooses near the feet, or the shoulder, (or if he can, he tries to sleep on my hand which he seems to enjoy but for me is uncomfortable as he is a big boy and my hand goes to sleep).

Anyway i know this is a long post but i was just wondering if he has become too bonded to me to enjoy playing with other rats (he still sometimes plays with me despite his age). The two new ones sometimes try to cuddle up to him, but he will just get up and move.
 
I think he has been on his own so long that he is unsure how to really relate to other rats. I think it is great that you got a couple of boys to try and keep him company. He is really bonded to you because you have been his world for over a year. I would let him spend time with whomever he chooses. He may warm up to the boys after a while, or he may not.
We got a puppy for my dog when she was 3 1/2. Any time he approached her, she would bark at him or get up and move away from him. She had spent all her time with humans and was starting to avoid other dogs. It took a while, but now she loves him. It was the best thing we could have done for her.
 
Yes, it worries me a bit. I have had rats continuously since January 2007 and this is the first one that has had any time alone. I think he sees me as a larger rat (he loves to trim my fingernails with his teeth), and while I enjoy our bond, I would like him to be a bit more sociable with the young boys, though they are extremely energetic at this age, so maybe he just finds them too excitable for him.
 
Poor boy ..... I am sure that he will do better once he becomes used to them
but it is likely that he will always prefer your company

........... I have rescued many rats who were alone for long periods of time and those who had been alone since they were young were not sure how to interact with other rats .. but they did develop friendships and were much happier with other rats
For example, Christmas, a lone adult male who loved people but was afraid of other rats and would try to kill them, loved the babies I introed him with and although he needed his space, he was much happier once introed in with them

I am glad that Phoenix is ignoring the baby boys, but 6 weeks is really too young to be physically introing them
I would caution you to wait until the babies are at least 8 weeks old
This info may be useful http://www.ratshackforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32368

Looking forward to lots of pics of your boys )
 
I think Phoenix is trying to adjust to aging and the new boys. It sounds like he seeks you out so he can get some rest and your companionship. But in the end, it's really wonderful that he's got those two baby boys to "talk" with and hear them and be near them even if he ignores them.
 
We got our Clark when he was about 9 months old and he had been separated from his brother after a "tussle" by his previous owner. Clark is a character and really has no idea he's a rat. Last July (2014) we got 4 baby boys that look like mini Clark's and eventually intro'd them together. Clark still doesn't like them much and you can tell he's just tolerating them. He still prefers to be with just me and my husband over his "rat" buddies.

Then there is Stewart, he too was living alone do to a previous owner. We are trying to get him buddies, but he is terrified of other rats and as soon as he has an encounter with one that creates any conflict he turns into a statue and refuses to move or will run and hide under something. He is better with the girls, but boy rats terrify him.

I'm sure Phoenix will be fine and will play with them if and when he wants too. They are a bit young though and shouldn't be with an adult rat until 10 weeks. Enjoy Phoenix he sound precious....
 
thank you for your words. Phoenix was supposed to be my last rat (it just huts too much when they die).
Before the new ones, he was quite happy to be held and patted, and you could pat him for ages and he would be content, but as soon as you stopped patting him, he would get up and move away. Now the young ones are here, he actually seems to have gotten closer, what with sleeping next to me all the time, night or day (not saying he sleeps all the time, just that when he does it is now next to me). He even tries to sleep on my arm, when i am typing on the keyboard (actually he doesn't try, he succeeds). I wonder sometimes if he sees how the two young ones sleep pile together and he thinks "oh, cool, he can do that with me" lol
 
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