I am thinking fo getting a new pet rat but already have two adults, can this stop me?

Question

I have 2 adult male ratties that are about a year old. what sort of age rat can i get? will they fight? Any tips for introducing them?

Answer 1

Go for it get another buddy for them! here is a GREAT site that tells you step by step how to introduce a new rat: http://ratguide.com/care/behavior/introd...

I would also suggest taking the new rat to the vet to make sure he isn't sick and doesn't have anything that could harm your boys.

Answer 2

If you do it correctly you should be able to introduce a pair of youg brothers 6 weeks on, IT MUST be a pair so they play and mither each other not the Narky oldies, I have never had a problem introducing babies to my oldies, just when I tried with a single, I currently have eight males living together in one cage my most was 10 all different ages, and all added over time, I had one aggressive boy who was a bully, he had to live on his own, he was neutered and with work and carefulness he was reintroduced to the others and lives with them harmoniously now, I have no fighting they are all friends, YOU can't have harmony in a cage thats too small, also add a few beds, so that they each have their own place when they don't want company.........good luck

Answer 3

I wouldnt get another rat. I did this with one of mine - I thought she'd be lonely so I got her a female friend. They were fine for a couple of weeks and then fought so much I had to separate them! You've got 2 to keep each other company so leave it at that is my advice.

Answer 4

I think the main problem with rats is that they can be very territorial! The vet advised me to put my rats in a foreign place, where they weren't territorial, like a bath to introduce them and put toys in it to keep them occupied.  

Answer 5

Each rat is different but I can tell you how I introduced my new rats. I had one male(got him as a pinky just 2days old) and his litter mate, but the litter mate died. When he was 3 months old I got him a friend. I decided to get a younger rat. Got a 6 week old male. Kept the new rat in the aquarium for a week to make sure he wasn't sick. Then I first introduced them in a bathtub to make sure my older boy wouldn't kill the baby. They sniffed eachother out and all was fine so I put them in the big cage together. Then I was asked to rescue these two males that were cream colored fancy rats about two months later. I did the same with them, they were only 5weeks old when I got them but I did the same quarantine and introduction.

I think if you get a younger male they should get along well. But do introduce them at a neutral place first. Oh, and clean out the cage really well before you move them all together, so there's no one's scent anywhere. Also, I make sure all my boys each have their own hide box. They all sleep together mostly but sometimes they like to go in their own place if they're eating a special treat or something.

Answer 6

Trick for introducing new rats - have their cage cleaned so there's no trace of old scents.

Then it's bathtime (and I got this from a vet): wash your rats in warm water with some baby shampoo. Not much, and be very careful you don't get it in their eyes.

I found out my rats adored swimming, and also, the point of this is, is that all the rats smell the same. There are no different odors, and that turns their instincts to...."Well, he smells the same as me, so he's okay."

I thought this was bogus until a new rat I'd introduced with my two females and was fighting them, I gave them this treatment and they were absolutely fine after it.

Strange how smell works sometimes....