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Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / February 2005Rat introduction help!
Hey guys sorry I haven't been here in ages. I need some rat introduction help! Okay, I went and read this whole section about introducing rats. The new baby rat (I know I only have one baby but I had to save her from being snake food). She's been quarantined for 3 weeks and for the last 3 weeks I have been doing like the switching items and switching tanks just like it says. Yesterday, I thought I would introduce the baby rat (is 6 weeks now) to my other rats. So, I bathed them all and then put them in the bathtub. Lucy loves Spice (the baby rat). She ran over and started licking her face and gently grooming her (of course with lots of sniffing first). I guess Lucy always wanted to be a mommy. Then, my sisters rat which is with Lucy runs over and sniffs it and then seriously starts to attack the little baby. Then Lucy runs over and starts grabbing at Natalie! So I sprayed them all with water and Natalie hates water so she goes running off to the other end. Then Lucy starts licking the little baby again. I don't understand. Everytime I try, Natalie attacks the little baby. It seems Lucy really loves Spice and I let them play with eachother all the time. Spice following Lucy around, its so cute! I don't know what to do about Natalie. Lucy let Natalie in to her cage, so why can't Natalie do the same to Spice? Should I keep trying or are Natalie and Spice just not compatible? (I know on the page it says rough grooming and flipping onto the back but Natalie is really puffing up and going full out on this little baby ) > Hey guys sorry I haven't been here in ages. I need some rat > introduction help! [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > know on the page it says rough grooming and flipping onto the back but > Natalie is really puffing up and going full out on this little baby ) Natalie is feeling threatened by the baby. But that's ok. Is the baby's cage close to the Nat's cage? Keep those cages side by side. And I would continue intros. Eventually Natalie is going to accept Spice. It may just take more intros. Keep having Spice and Lucy play together, this is good for Spice. When you do try to put Spice in Natalie and Lucy's cage, make sure you clean that cage thoroughly. This way, Natalie won't feel like Spice is invading her space. Also, you mentioned tank, are you sure these tanks are big enough for three rats? What size tanks do you have? A wire cage is much more beneficial to rats. There are no air circulation in tanks.  SignatureJoanne Mom to 10 rats http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70 Oh, I didn't mean tanks. Spice is in a tank right now because Natalie didn't let her in the cage yet. I have a big cage like on the dapper rat that Natalie and Lucy share. There will be plenty of room for spice. Also, There has been some improvement!! They were in the bathtub and they didn't fight at all. Spice kept jumping on the back of Natalie and also the whole time she tried to get underneath of Natalie. What does that mean? > Oh, I didn't mean tanks. Spice is in a tank right now because Natalie > didn't let her in the cage yet. I have a big cage like on the dapper [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > also the whole time she tried to get underneath of Natalie. What does > that mean? Spice is 6 weeks old right? And you have her in quarantine for 3 weeks, that means she was very young when you adopted her. But many people do home baby rats at 3 weeks which is far too young. Spice may be looking to suckle on Natalie, and this may bother her or not. Hopefully the maternal instinct will kick in. It's good that there has not been any fighting in the bathtub!! SignatureJoanne Mom to 10 rats http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70 Yes, I know. I told my sister that too and we watched her and gave her very good things full of nutrition. It was either we took her or she was going to a snake and I just couldn't let that happen! My heart couldn't let that little baby go to the snakes!:( They are getting better!! I'm still doing in the bathtub and they are grooming eachother. I'll try in my room later on in the week. > Yes, I know. I told my sister that too and we watched her and gave her > very good things full of nutrition. It was either we took her or she > was going to a snake and I just couldn't let that happen! My heart > couldn't let that little baby go to the snakes!:( > They are getting better!! I'm still doing in the bathtub and they are > grooming eachother. I'll try in my room later on in the week. This is good news, if they are grooming each other, they will most likely get along now!!! SignatureJoanne Mom to 10 rats http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70 |
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