Saskia Hoogesteyn
Member
Hello!!
I am in a pickle and since I do not have that much experience with rats, I thought I'd ask for help from more experienced owners.
FIRST RAT: FEMALE HAIRLESS = SALLY
SECOND RAT: FEMALE WHITE AND TAN = SUGAR (RIP)
NEW BABIES:
BERKSHIRE = FLUFFY
WHITE/BLACK = OREO
In 2018, I got a hairless rat, it was kind of an impulse buy at a reptile expo (she was a feeder rat) and I knew nothing about rats. As soon as I got home I did a bunch of research, got her the largest cage (Critter Nation, double cage), the best foods and immediately started looking for a mate and found a girl kind of near me who bred rats and had a new littler. Sally was about 2 months old, a couple of weeks later, the new baby was ready to be weaned and I had to take a short trip, so, I talked to the breeder and she agreed to board SALLY for a few days and introduce her to baby SUGAR. About a week later I came back from my trip and picked up my pair. They got along great, in 2 years I never saw a fight, they never hurt each other.
When Sugar was getting close to 2 years of age, she developed a breast tumor, I took her to the vet and the doctor told me that she would advise against surgery because of her age and because it would most likely grow again, and told me to let her live for as long as she seemed comfortable.
When the tumor started growing we feared Sugar would not live much longer and decided it was better to find another girl, so Sally would not be left all alone, we went to a Ratterie and they attempted to introduce new rats to our pair but SUGAR would not like any of them, she would go after them, in the end, after trying with several candidates, the breeder told us it was better to just leave them alone, because it appeared that Sugar was very protective of Sally and was unlikely going to accept someone new.
Some months later, the tumor had grown bigger than Sugar herself, it was hard for her to walk, and we finally made the decision to help her rest, you would not believe how large and heavy the tumor was, but she was eating eagerly and playing until the end, that is why we put it off for so long, she truly was the sweetest. This past Saturday we brought her to the vet and she was humanely put to sleep.
The next day (Sunday) we went to the same ratterie again, now that Sally was alone, to try and find a new friend/s for her. She tolerated one baby (FLUFFY), but would attack the rest, the lady tried introducing several babies so maybe Sally would "chose" who she wanted to be with. In the end, we came home with 2 babies (FLUFFY and OREO) (both one-month-old siblings). When we got home, we thoroughly cleaned the cage, put new fleece, we even got a couple of new hides and a new hammock, we changed the furnishing of the cage, and put all 3 rats in exactly at the same time. Sally immediately went after OREO, the baby squeaked and I removed Sally quickly, because it was not a mild attack, she went for the back of the neck within seconds. I split the cage in 2, put the babies on top and Sally in the bottom part so they could smell each other, the following day (Monday), we tried again, and it was the same result, Sally attacked that particular baby OREO (with FLUFFY she seems fine). We separated again, and yesterday (Tuesday) tried one more time... it was the same....
Is it even possible (because the lady in the ratterie tried with no less than 7 candidates and only with FLUFFY she was fine) that a rat just wants to be left alone??? I am fearful of introducing them together now, Sally is a fully grown rat, the babies are one month old, she could kill them in a heartbeat.
I know this post is long, but I wanted to provide details. I emailed the breeder but she proposed I brought them back, give it a couple of weeks and try again, but even in just a few days, both I and my kids have become fond of the babies and would hate to surrender them, I want to try and make it work, but I do not want to put the babies in danger.
Sally is super sweet, as was Sugar, they loved each other, groomed each other, would eat together, sleep together. Can Sally be sad about Sugar not being there?? Did I move on too quickly?? Should I have waited longer? I thought it would be torture for Sally to be alone, so, we went to get new babies the very next day, was this a mistake? Do they need time to mourn? They are separated now, the babies on the top part and Sally in the bottom part of the cage.
Thank you for any advice!!!
I am in a pickle and since I do not have that much experience with rats, I thought I'd ask for help from more experienced owners.
FIRST RAT: FEMALE HAIRLESS = SALLY
SECOND RAT: FEMALE WHITE AND TAN = SUGAR (RIP)
NEW BABIES:
BERKSHIRE = FLUFFY
WHITE/BLACK = OREO
In 2018, I got a hairless rat, it was kind of an impulse buy at a reptile expo (she was a feeder rat) and I knew nothing about rats. As soon as I got home I did a bunch of research, got her the largest cage (Critter Nation, double cage), the best foods and immediately started looking for a mate and found a girl kind of near me who bred rats and had a new littler. Sally was about 2 months old, a couple of weeks later, the new baby was ready to be weaned and I had to take a short trip, so, I talked to the breeder and she agreed to board SALLY for a few days and introduce her to baby SUGAR. About a week later I came back from my trip and picked up my pair. They got along great, in 2 years I never saw a fight, they never hurt each other.
When Sugar was getting close to 2 years of age, she developed a breast tumor, I took her to the vet and the doctor told me that she would advise against surgery because of her age and because it would most likely grow again, and told me to let her live for as long as she seemed comfortable.
When the tumor started growing we feared Sugar would not live much longer and decided it was better to find another girl, so Sally would not be left all alone, we went to a Ratterie and they attempted to introduce new rats to our pair but SUGAR would not like any of them, she would go after them, in the end, after trying with several candidates, the breeder told us it was better to just leave them alone, because it appeared that Sugar was very protective of Sally and was unlikely going to accept someone new.
Some months later, the tumor had grown bigger than Sugar herself, it was hard for her to walk, and we finally made the decision to help her rest, you would not believe how large and heavy the tumor was, but she was eating eagerly and playing until the end, that is why we put it off for so long, she truly was the sweetest. This past Saturday we brought her to the vet and she was humanely put to sleep.
The next day (Sunday) we went to the same ratterie again, now that Sally was alone, to try and find a new friend/s for her. She tolerated one baby (FLUFFY), but would attack the rest, the lady tried introducing several babies so maybe Sally would "chose" who she wanted to be with. In the end, we came home with 2 babies (FLUFFY and OREO) (both one-month-old siblings). When we got home, we thoroughly cleaned the cage, put new fleece, we even got a couple of new hides and a new hammock, we changed the furnishing of the cage, and put all 3 rats in exactly at the same time. Sally immediately went after OREO, the baby squeaked and I removed Sally quickly, because it was not a mild attack, she went for the back of the neck within seconds. I split the cage in 2, put the babies on top and Sally in the bottom part so they could smell each other, the following day (Monday), we tried again, and it was the same result, Sally attacked that particular baby OREO (with FLUFFY she seems fine). We separated again, and yesterday (Tuesday) tried one more time... it was the same....
Is it even possible (because the lady in the ratterie tried with no less than 7 candidates and only with FLUFFY she was fine) that a rat just wants to be left alone??? I am fearful of introducing them together now, Sally is a fully grown rat, the babies are one month old, she could kill them in a heartbeat.
I know this post is long, but I wanted to provide details. I emailed the breeder but she proposed I brought them back, give it a couple of weeks and try again, but even in just a few days, both I and my kids have become fond of the babies and would hate to surrender them, I want to try and make it work, but I do not want to put the babies in danger.
Sally is super sweet, as was Sugar, they loved each other, groomed each other, would eat together, sleep together. Can Sally be sad about Sugar not being there?? Did I move on too quickly?? Should I have waited longer? I thought it would be torture for Sally to be alone, so, we went to get new babies the very next day, was this a mistake? Do they need time to mourn? They are separated now, the babies on the top part and Sally in the bottom part of the cage.
Thank you for any advice!!!
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