Wednesday
New Member
Hello! First-time rat owner here. I've had cats, dogs, fish, and guinea pigs, but this is my first time with rats. We got 2 boys that were labeled as 6-8 weeks old when we got them. So, now they are approximately 12 weeks old. We got one rex and one hairless (not for their appearance or fur, but just because they were the ones that were calmest when being held).
While I did research rat care before I got them, I did not think to research hairless rats individually and have since learned that they have shorter lifespans. He is not completely hairless. You can see a little bit of fuzz on his cheeks and legs, as well as a very light covering on most of his body (hopefully you can see on the picture).
So, my question is, since he could potentially only live for one year while the other lives twice as long (hopefully longer for both!), should I get another rat now so that they are used to each other? My concerns are:
1. Will the new one get picked on since he will likely be a little younger and smaller?
2. Will the new one pick on the hairless one since he is different?
3. If I leave the population at our current 2 rats, will it be harder or easier to introduce a new rat to the remaining one after the hairless one crosses the rainbow bridge?
I am so sad to be thinking about all this now. I didn't know there were issues with the hairless ones other than that they were extra adorable and you may faint from extreme cuteness overload. I am using bathmats for cage flooring and changing it out daily. I'm washing the mats with unscented, dye-free detergent so that the poor little guy's skin doesn't get irritated. I have various old hats and things that I put in there for bedding and warmth. I originally had carefresh on the bottom of the cage, but I read that it can dry out their skin, so I haven't used it again.
So, what do you think about a third rat? Does anyone have experience with this issue? Should I do it now while they are young or will that just make things more tense since they are still new to us themselves? Thanks in advance!
While I did research rat care before I got them, I did not think to research hairless rats individually and have since learned that they have shorter lifespans. He is not completely hairless. You can see a little bit of fuzz on his cheeks and legs, as well as a very light covering on most of his body (hopefully you can see on the picture).
So, my question is, since he could potentially only live for one year while the other lives twice as long (hopefully longer for both!), should I get another rat now so that they are used to each other? My concerns are:
1. Will the new one get picked on since he will likely be a little younger and smaller?
2. Will the new one pick on the hairless one since he is different?
3. If I leave the population at our current 2 rats, will it be harder or easier to introduce a new rat to the remaining one after the hairless one crosses the rainbow bridge?
I am so sad to be thinking about all this now. I didn't know there were issues with the hairless ones other than that they were extra adorable and you may faint from extreme cuteness overload. I am using bathmats for cage flooring and changing it out daily. I'm washing the mats with unscented, dye-free detergent so that the poor little guy's skin doesn't get irritated. I have various old hats and things that I put in there for bedding and warmth. I originally had carefresh on the bottom of the cage, but I read that it can dry out their skin, so I haven't used it again.
So, what do you think about a third rat? Does anyone have experience with this issue? Should I do it now while they are young or will that just make things more tense since they are still new to us themselves? Thanks in advance!
I have two 1.5 year old female rats and have recently bought two 1yr old female rats and would like to introduce them to eachother and get them living together. Any advice please? I have tried swapping things in both their cages, having all of them in a neutral space.
