Intros - Starting Cage Swapping!

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You can do anything to stop them. I clap, yell hey, get the dog involved. My dogs has been involved in more intros than a lot of people LOL

You should also switch out stuff from the cages if you cannot switch cages. I switch out litter boxes, hammocks and food bowls when I am doing intros. He looks like he needs to adjust to other rats, not so much he wants to put them on the menu so that is good.
 
Well, I'm happy to hear that lol
Do you think I should shrink the play area for the next few rounds, so there's less room for the new boys to run from them? Or would that cause more issues?
hmmm Well, they both have bowls for peas and things so I could swap them back and forth, food bowls, and blanket scraps, etc. Might start some swapping items after work tonight as I just did full cage clean outs one day one of intros. I did toss a couple TP tubes from the big boys cage to the new boys for them to get use to them a bit more hopefully.
 
You could make it smaller if you feel that they are avoiding each other too much but if they move around all over, then I'd leave it the way it is.
 
Hmmm I'll leave it full size one more session and see the initial reactions I think. I'll probably start swapping small things tomorrow as well. (my back has randomly cramped up so one day break for them unfortunately)
 
Well, I'm glad I gave them another day with the large size. Today's session seems to have gone A LOT better. Less fighting, less scared poops, and movement around the entire space for the most part. I had to 'pin' Smeagol near the end of the video as he was being relentless in chasing poor Tanookie and that seemed to sort of calm him down, I think??

I swapped a few blanket 'scraps', dishes, and some toys and I believe they are quite angry with me :giggle: but I hope it helps so tomorrow's session maybe goes even smoother, and so by the time the right cage add-on makes it's way here (have to wait til payday to afford all the shipping and crap) they will be ready for a full DCN for everyone :praying:

[BBvideo 450,375:2kl8h08s]http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=214484315347288[/BBvideo:2kl8h08s]
 
Obviously the crinkle bottle doesn't do a thing for Smeagol. I think what you should do is put your hand over him and press him gently towards the floor each time he's being a bully. At 7:00 you did it but hold your hand down on him longer. I think he'll get the message.
BUT! overall, Smeagol is a good boy. He's just a bully, not even a mean bully just an annoying bully.
 
haha Yea, the first time I crinkled the bottle made him jump. I felt bad, not sure if the video caught it, but I tossed in a TP tube to distract and it hit Smeagol right on the head. I got a glare for it I'm pretty sure "giggle:

Okay, I will try and "pin" him for more of it....are there any specific things I can ignore, like you mentioned on FB with him just walking under them, etc. Everything scares them right now, so I can't always tell when he's bullying or just saying hello in rat LOL

I should have the next three days off after tonight. Would multiple sessions a "day" (night for me lol) be beneficial, or more stressing?
 
Okay, sounds good! Yea, I was doing them when I got home from work in the mornings but can extend them. This weekend I'll try and fit a couple per night in at least :joy:
 
Have a friend over for my night off, so we were talking back and forth during it a lot, but sounds like we are gaining progress? Of course the only real scuffle happened after I turned the camera off. I really need to set up my real camera and find my tri-pod to film better and not want to smash my phone when uploading it LOL

I think I'll leave the enclosure it's full size, but maybe start adding toys and things? Any advice is greatly appreciated!!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=215014158627637
 
With puffy peter, I wouldnt give houses or stuff yet because it will give him something to own. You need some food out. Cheerios, soy milk, ensure, yogurt anything to keep them occupied so the can inadvertently become friends. I give my males anything i can find to keep them busy since they are the most attitude filled intros. A good time to hold him down would of been at the beginning when he started to chase the black rat. It isnt just the fights that he needs pinning but when he starts his hot pursuit of the rats. I prefer to stop it before than let it get to a fight.

Does he only have problems with that one rat?
 
I was standing on the opposite side when he started chasing, so the intention was to start pinning him as he started but I couldn't move quite fast enough, hence why I wanna find my tri-pod for recording, so I can move around more freely during. He seems to have the most issues with Tanookie and Gir. Remi runs pretty quickly so hasn't had much interaction with him before today. I did have peas and cheerios the first session and they were completely ignored. Next session, probably this morning after my friend goes home, I will do up some peas and grab some cheerios. I did up some banana "ice cream" this morning (just frozen bananas, little plain almond milk, and a bit of vanilla extract blended), would this be safe to give them some as a treat?

Oh, and I forgot to ask when I posted the video. I have noticed the last two times when I am putting everyone back that Hoggle, who rarely moves from the one corner, is covered in pee on his belly, like he's peed on himself. Is this fear? Territory?
 
In have boys that stay in a corner the entie intro. It is just ho they cope with the new area. None of y ts that did that were an issue in intros.
 
hmmm Okay. Hoggle has always been the more nervous and shy of the too. I was exhausted by the time my friend left and (after stupid landlord showing up and waking me up) I slept in so I am waiting til everyone wakes up some for another session later on tonight.
 
my phone hates me and randomly leaves out letters LOL

Just dont for get to give them food. It might help change the mood.
 
I agree with hopefloats, if there are still scuffles, no toys or hidey holes yet.
And for sure add some food in the centre of the enclosure so they gather there to eat together.
How long was your session this time? Your video is 16 minutes, there was a scuffle after that, you didn't end it there did you? Try to end on a good note. So if say there's a scuffle, after they separate, everyone gets a treat and then you can end it. Always make sure that their last memory of being together is yummy.
 
Okay. Oh, and no, they were out at least another 10min or so after I stopped recording and I normally end it when they've stopped interacting for the most part for a period of time. This morning I stopped recording after about 30min and waited until everyone was just kinda doing their own things. (maybe about 10min after I stopped recording)

I will apologize in advance for all the links, but I forgot when I rigged up my camera to my TV to get as much of the space in as possible, that it only records in 3min clips for some stupid reason. I have it like duct taped and fun stuff to get the angle I needed, so will possibly try and google if I can change that setting before tearing it down :lol:

The food seemed to help a lot further into the session. Will be sure to keep at least some peas and cheerios in the middle. I noticed the first time I used a bowl and it was ignored until near the end, and then became a "mine" object instead of treats, so I want to keep to things that won't ruin my floor with them sitting on it lol Will have to find some more though to keep some variety and all. I scooped up the nummies and put some in each of their treat bowls (though more peas and less spaghetti to the smeeze boys lol) which I hope is sort of helpful, letting them know they've been good in a way?

It seems Hoggle and the three don't have much issues if they're just chilling, I hope that's at least a good thing, so maybe Smeagol will follow suit soon.

Okay, here are the links:

[BBvideo 450,375:jpqe5uvc]http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=215412891921097[/BBvideo:jpqe5uvc]

[BBvideo 450,375:jpqe5uvc]http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=215415061920880[/BBvideo:jpqe5uvc]

[BBvideo 450,375:jpqe5uvc]http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=215420598586993[/BBvideo:jpqe5uvc]

[BBvideo 450,375:jpqe5uvc]http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=215421868586866[/BBvideo:jpqe5uvc]

[BBvideo 450,375:jpqe5uvc]http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=215423128586740[/BBvideo:jpqe5uvc]

[BBvideo 450,375:jpqe5uvc]http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=215424048586648[/BBvideo:jpqe5uvc]

[BBvideo 450,375:jpqe5uvc]http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=215425918586461[/BBvideo:jpqe5uvc]

[BBvideo 450,375:jpqe5uvc]http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=215427368586316[/BBvideo:jpqe5uvc]

[BBvideo 450,375:jpqe5uvc]http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=215428878586165[/BBvideo:jpqe5uvc]

[BBvideo 450,375:jpqe5uvc]http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=215430085252711[/BBvideo:jpqe5uvc]
 
I have my fearless rats that will attack food no matter what part of the intro they are in. I have some rats who will never touch it, most of my rats will let it sit there till they get more comfortable then they will eat it. I watched a few videos and it looked good but I didnt watch them all.


It is those little moments that they eat together, pass each other with out a fight and smell their smell around them is what makes the difference in intros. That is the moments that make the intros work. I am huge on scaring my rat during intros. If they dont like the dog, i put her at the table, if they dont like noise I will use noise. You have to find what works for them.

Some intros you just keep going slow and sooner or later they will stop huffing. Romeo is was so puffy in intros lol he did just like your guy, puffed up for days in the cage after move in as well but I still moved forward. He even beat up eli who is 3 times his size but they are not living together happily..

I keep my intros going as long as they can stand it. Lately I have preferred longer intros over short ones they start to adjust after a bit of time. You can switch it up too if you have a table try them on a table top, or a front porch or anything.
 
I checked three of the videos, the first, a middle and the last one. It's looking really good. Another day or two like that, and I'd add toys.
 

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