Any guidance on introducing new rat

[phoenix.madley]

I currently have a 21 week old rat who is socialised, and am introducing one that is around 7-8 weeks old now to my older rat. i pushed the cages together, over a series of days and let my older rat smell the young ones cage. As time went on i introduced my bigger rat to the smaller cage. To swap scents. The rats do the whole squeaking and flipping. But no biting or blood. My larger rat goes to sleep in the hammock and the little ratty attempts to go and sleep with him. But my larger rattie will just push the smaller one away. We are two days into letting them spend time together. But i dont leave the, together, i let them spend about 20 mins with each other. I have a new cage coming that will be new to my bigger rat and both of them will go in their in the next few days. However it seems in their wrestling match my little ones eye was scratched. It not red or sore, but has he has an abrasion a pimple on his pupil, and its to the vets tomorrow. I hope the new cage will also act as neutral territory or both. My older rat doesnt really attack the smaller one. Its more the smaller rat follows the older one and tries to snuggle with him...and the older rat will then push the little one aside and flip him over. Or pushes him away with his paw...Even though i have kept rats in the past i had two females. These are 2 males. My larger rat is well socialized the smaller rat im working on. Will the wrestling and flipping settle down. And will they both eventually take to each other?

phoenix

 

[LatteTheRat]

Cpngratulations on your new rat! Yes, the wrestling will settle down, but not stop. This is because they will be playing. When they wrestle does it look aggressive? If not and it looks playful then I'd recommend putting them together sooner because rats need socialization with other rats and need to be with them. If they are being playful then go ahead and put them both in the cage that has the most scent of the younger rat. If they start to actually fight then seperate them. If there is any blood or serious bites then go back to the top.

 

[SQ]

Congrats on your ratties. It is good that you got a friend for your rattie since rats need to live with at least one other same sex rattie.
Welcome to the forum. Please see our Reference Thread for important information https://www.ratshackforum.com/threads/reference-thread-read-only.35894/

Please see the info in the Reference Thread on the established gradual intro steps (also here https://www.ratshackforum.com/threads/introducing-new-rats.34842/#post-491257) and joinrats.com for videos, info and examples. The videos will help you tell the difference between playing and more serious behaviour. Babies play with one another but it sounds like you are introing a young baby with a much larger older teen. It is suggested that people get 2 babies so that they have one another to play with and so they do not irritate older ratties - it would be a good idea to go back and get one of the baby's brothers to live with him. Also intros take time if done properly and the baby should have another baby to live with - the baby is missing his mama and siblings.

Rats need to be at least 8 weeks old (10 weeks is safer) before physically introing them to rats over 12 weeks old. Babies also need to be old enough to defend themselves.
Young rats do not smell like rats and can be mistaken for prey and killed.
Intros are done in neutral territory several times, then if it has been going well intros are done several times in familiar territory, before they can be put together in the same neutral large cage and watched for 12 hours or longer.

Please read the two links above and then ask questions.
I would strongly suggest you read the material in both links before doing any more intros since it does not sound like the intros are being done in a neutral area, and it sounds like the baby may be a bit too young.
Good luck

 

[phoenix.madley]

Congrats on your ratties. It is good that you got a friend for your rattie since rats need to live with at least one other same sex rattie.
Welcome to the forum. Please see our Reference Thread for important information https://www.ratshackforum.com/threads/reference-thread-read-only.35894/

Please see the info in the Reference Thread on the established gradual intro steps (also here https://www.ratshackforum.com/threads/introducing-new-rats.34842/#post-491257) and joinrats.com for videos, info and examples. The videos will help you tell the difference between playing and more serious behaviour. Babies play with one another but it sounds like you are introing a young baby with a much larger older teen. It is suggested that people get 2 babies so that they have one another to play with and so they do not irritate older ratties - it would be a good idea to go back and get one of the baby's brothers to live with him. Also intros take time if done properly and the baby should have another baby to live with - the baby is missing his mama and siblings.

Rats need to be at least 8 weeks old (10 weeks is safer) before physically introing them to rats over 12 weeks old. Babies also need to be old enough to defend themselves.
Young rats do not smell like rats and can be mistaken for prey and killed.
Intros are done in neutral territory several times, then if it has been going well intros are done several times in familiar territory, before they can be put together in the same neutral large cage and watched for 12 hours or longer.

Please read the two links above and then ask questions.
I would strongly suggest you read the material in both links before doing any more intros since it does not sound like the intros are being done in a neutral area, and it sounds like the baby may be a bit too young.
Good luck

Cpngratulations on your new rat! Yes, the wrestling will settle down, but not stop. This is because they will be playing. When they wrestle does it look aggressive? If not and it looks playful then I'd recommend putting them together sooner because rats need socialization with other rats and need to be with them. If they are being playful then go ahead and put them both in the cage that has the most scent of the younger rat. If they start to actually fight then seperate them. If there is any blood or serious bites then go back to the top.

I got a bigger cage and kitted it out. A savic royal. I can seperate the 2 cages so the teen rat has the top and the younger one the bottom. They have been smelling each other through the bars. i let them explore each other for 20 mins, then repeated. it was the first day they spent together with access to each other again. Lots of squeaking, and flipping, no blood or serious hurt. My bigger rattie nips the little one. But mainly he does not really bother with him. Unless the little one gets into his bed. The other one doesnt really bother the older rat, but the older one usually he chases the younger one away. They seem to keep to their spaces in the cage the younger one the bottom and the older one the top. But there is no prevention into entering into each others cage.

 

[Dena]

Also, if you haven't already, check out www.joinrats.com for some good info on socializing.

 

[SQ]

It really does not sound safe to me …. given the other information you posted I a very concerned
Please read the two links I provided above because intros really need to be done properly

 

[Fidget]

You could try giving both a 1/4 piece of froot loop or something else tasty every time the little one tries to snuggle up with the big one, hopefully the big one will start to associate the little one's closeness with pleasure..

 

[phoenix.madley]

You could try giving both a 1/4 piece of froot loop or something else tasty every time the little one tries to snuggle up with the big one, hopefully the big one will start to associate the little one's closeness with pleasure..

Yess they bonding now. Grooming each other and sleeping together.. Xx

 

[Rat2020]

I have an older rat that is alone. His brother died a few months back.

We got three brothers now that are young.

I put them together for some interaction and it was good. Even the older alone rat was quite accepting to them. He still wanted his alone time and became the alpha.

So may I suggest. Once you've safely(if able) allowed all the rats to interact and they have sorted out who is alpha. Seperate them again and allow them to live as they were before you introduced them. You will have two different cages now. But you can also introduce them again and again over time it will just be hanging out for them, versus full on live in New rat friends.

Good for you for trying. But don't force it.