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LatteTheRat

New Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Messages
4
Location
california
We just got a new girl! Her name is Cookies & Cream Decaf, Cookie for short. Intros are going perfect! Cookie is super young maybe 2 weeks idk for sure because shes a feeder rat rescue, and Latte is about 2 months. I took the neutral territory method and there already in the cage with an igloo and a hammock ( Latte isn't a hammock rat though) and there's been no fights, basically just force grooming from Latte and a little from Cookie. I'll send pics when I can!
 
Oh nevermind, heard the first speaks from Cookie. I didn't see it, but I think Cookie was peeing and Latte got mad at her and pinned her. When I came over to make sure everything was alright, Cookie was on her side and Latte was sniffing Cookie's down there.
 
I think as long as latte is still a baby (if she's two months, then that makes her 8 weeks old) they should be fine. As long as there's no hair flying, or blood. Squeaks are normal, but I'd still keep a close eye on them. If cookie is only 2 weeks, she'd be REALLY small, and would need you to supplement her with organic soy infant formula. You can mix it with baby rice cereal. Pics would be helpful. Without the extra supplement, she will be malnourished, and possibly die. She shouldn't be away from mom at that young of an age. She'd need supplementation for at least 2-3 weeks. But a can of powdered formula should last at least that long for one baby rat.

Congratulations on the new baby! Can't wait to see pics! I'm glad latte now has a friend!
 
Yea sounds good I got Latte at about the same age as Cookie and the new girl might of been older maybe more like 3 weeks idk with these feeder rat systems. I supplimented Latte with meat baby food and pieces of chicken and peas, along with her Mazuri lab blocks. ill have to buy some baby food soon though for Cookie. Latte was being pretty nasty so I sectioned the cage off, Cookie on the top and Latte on the bottom and I Latte up with Cookie under my supervision and they did pretty well. This is my first time introducing rats and it's pretty nerve racking!
 
Heres some pics!
 

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If she's really that young, it's actually better to supplement her with the formula, not meat baby foods. She needs the vitamins and nutrients that are in the formula, since it's closer to what she'd have been getting from mom. You can definitely still give her the lab blocks though. But she wouldn't have been weaned from mom until 5-6 weeks old. It's not the same as maybe with a young puppy or kitten, where it really doesn't hurt to supplement with a protein product, since their diet actually consists of mostly protein. Rats diets are not filled with that much protein.
 
But she is a cutie. From what the pics look like, she seems to be about closer to 3 weeks than two. At two weeks, they have barely begun to open their eyes, and have super stubby legs. :D
 
Thank you! I put them together late last night and there were no fights. They have the entire cage available to both of them now and there both like sisters now <3 This morning Cookie let me hold her and so she cuddled up with me while I let Latte have floor time.
 
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