pscychopomp
Well-Known Member
2 1/2 weeks ago I got a new male, he's 10 weeks old now. He's been on his own during this time for quarantine purposes, and also intros will be needed as my other males are all full grown adults (1.5-2.5 years old). He's very skittish. I've been putting him in my sweater and he has come out and groomed himself on my shoulder a couple times, but other than that he's always tense. I've got his cage on top of the other cage and I've been leaving his door open so he gets used to coming out of his cage, he scampers and climbs all over the place now but it seems any movement or sound freaks him out and he freezes or runs to hide. He tries to get away if I pick him up, sometimes he'll squeak. The other day he was out and I heard a squeak, he had climbed down the side of the other cage and I thought one of the other boys bit him (he was near the on-again-off-again bully, Sid) but turns out he was the one that bit and had left a small gash on the side of Sid's nose which bled quite a bit.
Anyway I know that being alone can make rats more scared, so I'd like them to be together soon, also I figure it'll be easier the younger he is. Would it be ok to intro them while he is this way? Does it mean anything that he bit Sid like that? A few days before that happened I had him and Leon out on me (Leon is 27 months, sweet, gentle and senile, I figured he'd be the best one) and they were fine, I wanted to see if he'd relax with another rat around. Other intros I've done were with socialized rats, and the newbies showed no signs of aggression. I would obviously like to avoid anyone getting hurt, and I don't know if it would be good to put them in the tub when he's already that scared? The other rats are Sid at 17 months, used to pick fights sometimes but only when the others would go to the bottom of the cage (went after Leon the most), he's a lot better now though. Luther is 31 months and has HED (he can still do a shuffled walk and stand with support, his toes just curl in), just a sweet lazy old man now, he was the first and maintained alpha as I added more up until Sid who was the last (I had 2 other males that passed away in January). And lastly Leon is just dopey and in his own little world, also a big suck probably because Sid would beat him up. I don't think Luther and Leon will really care about the new guy, just not sure about Sid.
Anyway I know that being alone can make rats more scared, so I'd like them to be together soon, also I figure it'll be easier the younger he is. Would it be ok to intro them while he is this way? Does it mean anything that he bit Sid like that? A few days before that happened I had him and Leon out on me (Leon is 27 months, sweet, gentle and senile, I figured he'd be the best one) and they were fine, I wanted to see if he'd relax with another rat around. Other intros I've done were with socialized rats, and the newbies showed no signs of aggression. I would obviously like to avoid anyone getting hurt, and I don't know if it would be good to put them in the tub when he's already that scared? The other rats are Sid at 17 months, used to pick fights sometimes but only when the others would go to the bottom of the cage (went after Leon the most), he's a lot better now though. Luther is 31 months and has HED (he can still do a shuffled walk and stand with support, his toes just curl in), just a sweet lazy old man now, he was the first and maintained alpha as I added more up until Sid who was the last (I had 2 other males that passed away in January). And lastly Leon is just dopey and in his own little world, also a big suck probably because Sid would beat him up. I don't think Luther and Leon will really care about the new guy, just not sure about Sid.
