wonderrodent
Well-Known Member
Last Sunday I drove up to my vet's house with my friend who was looking to adopt a friend for her ferret. Well, we left with a ferret - and I came back with my vet's rat, Morgan LeFay (about 16 months old). She had just lost her sister so I figured I would take her because and some point Sophie will need a friend anyway since Punzy is much older. And I can spend a lot more time with Morgan than my vet (since she is so busy with the rescue) and she wouldn't have to worry when taking in new rats (quarantine).
So, I let Morgan settle in for a few days, then I started exchanging my girls' and her blankets and then started the intro. First Morgan and Punzy (Punzy used to be the dominating one but she calmed down a lot since she got older): Punzy didn't do anything, not even puff up and started sniffing Morgan. Morgan puffed up immediately and attacked her. You could just see a big fur ball rolling around and lots of squeaking which actually came mostly from Morgan. Then Morgan would put her butt against Punzy's body (her face facing away) and one leg up, ready to kick. Punzy ran away to the door ("let me get out of here!"). I felt so bad for Punzy because she is starting to get hind-end degeneration.
Then I brought Sophie in. Sophie was all nice, not puffed up, not aggressive and just wanted to sniff Morgan. Same thing - Morgan started attacking Sophie. Lot's of squeaking. There was never any humping going on or sniffing on Morgan's part. Just immediate attack. Sophie ran for the door. So that wasn't so pretty.
The next few days I had both cages side by side so they could smell/see each other but no contact (I probably should have done before the first intro).
Yesterday, I tried another intro with Morgan and Sophie. Same thing. Sophie really sweet and nice and Morgan screamed bloody murder, puffed up fur and attacking Sophie. Sophie jumped on top of my shoulder and stayed there. She started wheezing and did the silent hiccups. I felt horrible!
This morning, I let Punzy and Sophie out and Morgan was inside her cage. Sophie started sniffing along the cage and puffed up Morgan would charge towards Sophie, trying to get her with her paws. Then something weird happened (at least I thought it was strange). Sophie squeezed between the wall and the cage, so her body was pressed against the cage and just stayed there, really calm, not puffed up. Although Morgan tried to get to her, Sophie was completely still. She even put her head against the cage wire. Morgan came up and started sniffing her nose. First I thought Sophie got stuck back there and couldn't get out but she wasn't. Sophie never tried to reach into the cage. Why would she do that if she had the option to run away and just stay the hell away from Morgan? Then I put Punzy and Sophie into their cage and let Morgan out. (The cage bars on their cage is bigger so half a head or a leg can fit in between).Morgan started crawling up their cage, reaching in with her paws, all puffed up - the usual. Sophie came up to the cage, again, no aggression (once in a while she would puff up her fur a little bit). Then Morgan did something strange. She was clinging on to the cage bars and froze. Sophie started sniffing her, Morgan wouldn't move and softly squeak.
So my question is if Morgan is just really scared and not so much about being the alpha. Is she overly dramatic? Her squeaking sounds like she is about to die. Although Punzy and Sophie are so calm, is it possible that they are not as innocent as I think?
I have done intros twice so far but this seems to be a whole new experience. It is somehow different. I can't explain why. It seems so much more violent.
Am I missing something here? Why is Morgan so aggressive (or scared) when Punzy and Sophie aren't even doing anything!
I know so many of you have tons of experience with intros. Does this sound familiar? I feel horrible because it seems like everybody involved is so stressed out (including me) . I just want Morgan to have new friends.
Does this sound like a hopeless situation? What's the next step? Do some of you have rats that live side by side and are fine but just can't live together in one cage?
I haven't done any intros since Sunday morning. I just let Morgan out of the cage for playtime and she climbs up P&S's cage to let her get used to the two and then I let P&S out when Morgan is back in in her cage and let them "explore" Morgan (they can touch each other a little through the cage bars but obviously they can't get into a fight). Good or not so good idea? Is this "unresolved business" if I don't let them solve it on neutral territory? Should I work on the intro in the bathroom again? If so, should I wait a few more days or should I just do it now every day?
Your advice is much appreciated! Sorry this is such a long post! I am just so scared and frustrated :sad3:
So, I let Morgan settle in for a few days, then I started exchanging my girls' and her blankets and then started the intro. First Morgan and Punzy (Punzy used to be the dominating one but she calmed down a lot since she got older): Punzy didn't do anything, not even puff up and started sniffing Morgan. Morgan puffed up immediately and attacked her. You could just see a big fur ball rolling around and lots of squeaking which actually came mostly from Morgan. Then Morgan would put her butt against Punzy's body (her face facing away) and one leg up, ready to kick. Punzy ran away to the door ("let me get out of here!"). I felt so bad for Punzy because she is starting to get hind-end degeneration.
Then I brought Sophie in. Sophie was all nice, not puffed up, not aggressive and just wanted to sniff Morgan. Same thing - Morgan started attacking Sophie. Lot's of squeaking. There was never any humping going on or sniffing on Morgan's part. Just immediate attack. Sophie ran for the door. So that wasn't so pretty.
The next few days I had both cages side by side so they could smell/see each other but no contact (I probably should have done before the first intro).
Yesterday, I tried another intro with Morgan and Sophie. Same thing. Sophie really sweet and nice and Morgan screamed bloody murder, puffed up fur and attacking Sophie. Sophie jumped on top of my shoulder and stayed there. She started wheezing and did the silent hiccups. I felt horrible!
This morning, I let Punzy and Sophie out and Morgan was inside her cage. Sophie started sniffing along the cage and puffed up Morgan would charge towards Sophie, trying to get her with her paws. Then something weird happened (at least I thought it was strange). Sophie squeezed between the wall and the cage, so her body was pressed against the cage and just stayed there, really calm, not puffed up. Although Morgan tried to get to her, Sophie was completely still. She even put her head against the cage wire. Morgan came up and started sniffing her nose. First I thought Sophie got stuck back there and couldn't get out but she wasn't. Sophie never tried to reach into the cage. Why would she do that if she had the option to run away and just stay the hell away from Morgan? Then I put Punzy and Sophie into their cage and let Morgan out. (The cage bars on their cage is bigger so half a head or a leg can fit in between).Morgan started crawling up their cage, reaching in with her paws, all puffed up - the usual. Sophie came up to the cage, again, no aggression (once in a while she would puff up her fur a little bit). Then Morgan did something strange. She was clinging on to the cage bars and froze. Sophie started sniffing her, Morgan wouldn't move and softly squeak.
So my question is if Morgan is just really scared and not so much about being the alpha. Is she overly dramatic? Her squeaking sounds like she is about to die. Although Punzy and Sophie are so calm, is it possible that they are not as innocent as I think?
I have done intros twice so far but this seems to be a whole new experience. It is somehow different. I can't explain why. It seems so much more violent.
Am I missing something here? Why is Morgan so aggressive (or scared) when Punzy and Sophie aren't even doing anything!
I know so many of you have tons of experience with intros. Does this sound familiar? I feel horrible because it seems like everybody involved is so stressed out (including me) . I just want Morgan to have new friends.
Does this sound like a hopeless situation? What's the next step? Do some of you have rats that live side by side and are fine but just can't live together in one cage?
I haven't done any intros since Sunday morning. I just let Morgan out of the cage for playtime and she climbs up P&S's cage to let her get used to the two and then I let P&S out when Morgan is back in in her cage and let them "explore" Morgan (they can touch each other a little through the cage bars but obviously they can't get into a fight). Good or not so good idea? Is this "unresolved business" if I don't let them solve it on neutral territory? Should I work on the intro in the bathroom again? If so, should I wait a few more days or should I just do it now every day?
Your advice is much appreciated! Sorry this is such a long post! I am just so scared and frustrated :sad3:
