Details of my current and past situations first, question in last paragraph.
I have two intact male rats about a year and a half old. I adopted a third rat, who had been living with the brothers of my boys that is the same age. They passed and he as alone so now he's mine. I want so badly to integrate him into my group but I have had horrible luck with intros in the past. I like to believe that it was Luffy(One of my rats that passed) that caused the issues. He was just an overall grumpy rat, towards me and to his cage mate Simon. He would never get along with Quincy because he is also quite feisty but his brother and he rarely squabble and to me he is a sweetheart.
Okay, got my new rat set up in a cage right next to my boys. I've had them that way for a week or so. I thought they were doing okay, but the other day I noticed Quincy(one of my resident rats) pushing towards the front of the cage. To me, it seemed like aggression, although he didn't fluff himself and I didn't hear any huffing. I haven't noticed anything else. All rats seem to hang out close to each other. Quincy and Cass sleep towards the front of the cage close to Klaus's cage and Klaus chews at the bars of his cage as if he wants to get to Quince and Cass, but I have seen no aggression from him.
I guess the question is, because I'm terrified, what do I do next? I had originally planned to bathe everyone and place them in the bathtub for an initial intro, introducing Klaus to Cass, and then adding Quincy in when I knew they were okay. But, is there any other steps I can take to assure I'm moving as slowly as possible and to raise my success rate?
I have two intact male rats about a year and a half old. I adopted a third rat, who had been living with the brothers of my boys that is the same age. They passed and he as alone so now he's mine. I want so badly to integrate him into my group but I have had horrible luck with intros in the past. I like to believe that it was Luffy(One of my rats that passed) that caused the issues. He was just an overall grumpy rat, towards me and to his cage mate Simon. He would never get along with Quincy because he is also quite feisty but his brother and he rarely squabble and to me he is a sweetheart.
Okay, got my new rat set up in a cage right next to my boys. I've had them that way for a week or so. I thought they were doing okay, but the other day I noticed Quincy(one of my resident rats) pushing towards the front of the cage. To me, it seemed like aggression, although he didn't fluff himself and I didn't hear any huffing. I haven't noticed anything else. All rats seem to hang out close to each other. Quincy and Cass sleep towards the front of the cage close to Klaus's cage and Klaus chews at the bars of his cage as if he wants to get to Quince and Cass, but I have seen no aggression from him.
I guess the question is, because I'm terrified, what do I do next? I had originally planned to bathe everyone and place them in the bathtub for an initial intro, introducing Klaus to Cass, and then adding Quincy in when I knew they were okay. But, is there any other steps I can take to assure I'm moving as slowly as possible and to raise my success rate?
