Best intro method?

[elizabeth / daphnis]

Hi everyone! I adopted four handsome new boys and they are just so precious :) They were fine with my current rat in the bathtub and even snuggled with him but when I tried to put them in half the cage together they fought and seemed a little too aggressive so I separated them again. They live in separate halves of a double Critter Nation and sniff each other sometimes and like to sniff each other :)

Also, only two of them really fought much (not surprisingly my current boy and the more dominant one of the group I just got). I was also considering letting my new rat and the one he sniffs the most hang out together then slowly adding more of the rats.

Is there anything else I can do to try to get them to be friends like they were hanging out in the bathtub while in their cage? I was going to let them scamper around in it again later today after work. They were also fine in the carrier together so I can transport them together in that :) It was just when they were in half of the cage that they fought.

Here are some cute pictures of them being little snuggle boys in the tub :)

[LINDSAY PULMAN]

HI,
My first advice is that rattie boys need a little more time to bond to each other in a neutral space, than you are giving them. the bathtub is an easily cleaned neutral space, so it worked well there.
I would let them interact in the tub daily, for about 10 days or 2 weeks, so they get used to being together and socializing with each other, while they are still housed separately.
Then,I would scrub their whole new cage well, including all pans, sides, tops, shelves, and also scrub houses, toys and wash hammocks, so you eliminate all scent in the new set up.
then, after all that, I would use the whole space at once to put all four of them in the new set up, and make sure you have supplied separate sleeping boxes, separate hammocks, two food bowls and two water bottles, so that every rat has the opportunity to eat - drink - or rest, alone or with the companion of his choice.
It takes a ittle work and time, but it almost always works well.

Lindsay

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[Cindy Goehring]

Hi Lindsay! 

I’m just checking in to see how you are doing and how the PRLC is doing! 

We moved from Colorado to Wyoming about three years ago and we’re loving it. It’s so peaceful here, a true ag community, which has always been in my heart. 

My husband turned 80 last year but he’s doing really well. He has a lot of arthritis but still sits on his drum throne and plays drums from time to time! I’m 64 now and my body is groaning! 

How are you? How many ratties do you have now? Are you still in the same house?

Sending much love!

Cindy

[LINDSAY PULMAN]

Hi Cindy,

So nice to hear from you! I am glad you are happy and doing well in Wyoming.

 

I'm 77 now, and my body is groaning too, lol. I am down to 34 rats currently, but that is more than enough to keep me busy!

 

Recently I have taken in 2 boys from West VA University (Shenendoah and Blue), 2 girls from Bellefonte PA (Daphne Two and Velma) and 3 darling little boys from a big rescue involving a shelter in Medina County, Ohio (Logan, Blake and Quinn).

 

The farm is doing OK, I have the husband of a friend come mow it regularly. The driveway is hanging in there too, but will need graded and gravel before winter sets in. I needed to replace the roof on my house in Florida 6 months ago, then needed to replace the roof on this house a month ago (thank goodness the Florida house roof was paid for by insurance). It was scary making the decisions on the roof replacement without the help of my husband. I really miss his expertise!

 

The Club keeps me busy too, with friends who all have rats ( except one good friend who is a former rat person, and now has ferrets). 

 

I visited a really amazing art exhibition with one friend and her daughter, that had a huge display of old masters that have never been in Pittsburgh before. It was at The Frick Museum here in PGH, because the original Frick in New York City was having a major remodeling event, and they sent their most precious paintings to the Frick here. I got to see Rembrandt, Vermeer, lots of other old masters, for real ... the self portrait of Rembrandt was life size and so impressive! I remember studying all these old masters when I was in college, studying fine arts, at the Carnegie, many decades ago ... back in 1964.

 

Of course there are countless tasks on my "list of things to do" that someday I will get around to doing, lol.

 

Your husband sounds like he is doing well, still playing the drums, that's great!

 

 Do you have any animals now?

 

Love and hugs,

Lindsay

<:3     )~~~

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