OceanEyes117
Well-Known Member
So it is intro time and I am having trouble. :wallbang: I have started the intro process and it isn't going well, I think... I have a girl, Luna, and a neutered boy, Delta, and am introing a 4ish month old girl Bella to them. Luna is about a year and a half and Delta is probably about the same.
I started by putting their cages in the same room for a few days. After about 4 or 5 days of that I started switching hammocks every 1-2 days. Everyone was curious about the new smells but there was no puffing or anything and after a good sniff each time they went about their business. After a few swaps I started cage swapping. My spare cage that Bella had been in is a bit small so I didn't want to keep my two in there for too long at any one time, so about every day to day and a half I would cage swap. Everything seemed to be going fine so after about a week of cage swaps, I did the first face to face intro on Monday night in the shower.
It didn't seem to go too well. There was lots of puffing and squeaking and no blood but more then one rat ball. The first time Luna wasn't really letting Bella dominate her (Bella was trying) but she wasn't really stopping her either. Delta is a pushover and both Luna and Bella dominated him but spent most of the time going back and forth. Last night, I tried again. I thought putting Delta and Bella in first would be a good way to start cause Delta is chill and I thought he and Bella would be fine, Bella would relax and then add in Luna after that. WRONG! :doh: Delta immediately started dominating Bella, pinning her and puffed. She was squeaking and super puffed and sidling and kickboxing. She wouldn't relax and just let him. Finally after they started to roll around and screaming bloody murder, I pulled Delta out and gave Bella a few minutes to relax and then brought Luna in. Again, Luna would let Bella groom her briefly, but not pin her. Then they started basically playing thumb war. They would both be standing, and someone would try to be on top, Luna would pin Bella. Bella would squirm and try to get out, not just relax and let her and then go back to up. finally after a huge rat ball and screaming I took Luna out.
Sorry this is so long, but I figured the more info you know, the better advice you can give. Should I do more cage swaps? Keep going with nightly meets? Anyone want to come intro for me? :tantrum: I hate this!
I started by putting their cages in the same room for a few days. After about 4 or 5 days of that I started switching hammocks every 1-2 days. Everyone was curious about the new smells but there was no puffing or anything and after a good sniff each time they went about their business. After a few swaps I started cage swapping. My spare cage that Bella had been in is a bit small so I didn't want to keep my two in there for too long at any one time, so about every day to day and a half I would cage swap. Everything seemed to be going fine so after about a week of cage swaps, I did the first face to face intro on Monday night in the shower.
It didn't seem to go too well. There was lots of puffing and squeaking and no blood but more then one rat ball. The first time Luna wasn't really letting Bella dominate her (Bella was trying) but she wasn't really stopping her either. Delta is a pushover and both Luna and Bella dominated him but spent most of the time going back and forth. Last night, I tried again. I thought putting Delta and Bella in first would be a good way to start cause Delta is chill and I thought he and Bella would be fine, Bella would relax and then add in Luna after that. WRONG! :doh: Delta immediately started dominating Bella, pinning her and puffed. She was squeaking and super puffed and sidling and kickboxing. She wouldn't relax and just let him. Finally after they started to roll around and screaming bloody murder, I pulled Delta out and gave Bella a few minutes to relax and then brought Luna in. Again, Luna would let Bella groom her briefly, but not pin her. Then they started basically playing thumb war. They would both be standing, and someone would try to be on top, Luna would pin Bella. Bella would squirm and try to get out, not just relax and let her and then go back to up. finally after a huge rat ball and screaming I took Luna out.
Sorry this is so long, but I figured the more info you know, the better advice you can give. Should I do more cage swaps? Keep going with nightly meets? Anyone want to come intro for me? :tantrum: I hate this!
