Introducing 2 female rats?

Question

I adopted a rat and just bought another rat so she'd have a companion. We've gone through the quarantine and everything and introduced them in the bathtub a few times and everything was great. We put them in the cage together for good this morning and the old one was fighting with the new one a little but they seemed ok. Nothing different than what we'd read. We went out tonight and they were sleeping together when we left but we came home and they were on different sides of the cage and the younger one has a cute on her shoulder blade. Its bloody and the older one has blood on her from it. I've separated them again but now I'm worried. What should I do? I feel awful!

Answer 1

If the bleeding isn't profuse then she probably didn't hit a vein and there is no further care needed for the cut. I would not worry too much as they are establishing order. Females do not need to be familiar with each other to be introduced, neither do males. What's helps best is introducing a younger rat to an older one, or getting 3.

Answer 2

You did good quarantining and introducing in the bathtub, but did you do short intros in the cage first, or did you just put them in? Did you clean everything in the cage to get rid of the first girl's scent? Don't feel too bad, this sort of thing happens. It takes time. Just do the steps again, this time take more time on each step. And when you put them together, try dabbing vanilla or something on each of them to make them smell the same.

There's much more to it, but here's a great guide to introductions.

http://ratforum.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=3...

Good luck with your girls, and don't lose hope!

Answer 3

Dont feel bad, you didnt know.

Well your female rat was probabley doing jus

fint without a friend. Seeing how she has yu and ure partener.

Rats tend to get jelouse of another younger rat. I would keep them seperated and do not punish ure older one for the bite on the younger ones shoulder blade, she was jus doing what she felt was right in her opinion.

jus give it time, but dont trust them in a cage together for a long period of time id yu know for a FACT that they get alnog perfectly wit NO disbutes.. then with time obviously they;ll get in a little cerfuffle, but its normal. Jus give it time !

Answer 4

Buy a new cage for the other rat. The only way two females will get along is if they're sisters or if YOU BUY TWO FEMALES ON THE SAME DAY. If you don't buy them on the same day the older will have marked territory and will fight.

P.S. When you buy two females make sure they are under 3 months old.