After a week of neutral ground intros, the rats are usually ready for familiar ground intros. That’s if all went well previously.
So today was familiar ground. I needed to calm myself first as it’s always nerve wracking. So many things can go so wrong and real fast that a calm energy is really what you need and what you want your rats to feel and get from this intro. I have 3 little souls I need to look out for. Young Meeko, being pretty much hairless could get hurt very fast. he’s young and scared. Young macho Doc who is unaware of the damage big bucks can do to little arrogant weasels. (no offence weasels) And finally Rory. He pretty much worries too much and feels he needs to control a situation when he really doesn’t. Thank god Chu was on Rory duty again today.
Now, I don’t recommend any cages during familiar ground intros. A cage is a source of hostility, stress and frustration. It is claimable territory which already belongs to someone. But in my case, I’m very attuned to my rats and their body language and I am fast at stopping anything before it starts. Best thing though, after a week of neutral ground is a week of familiar ground without the cage.
Today, I opened both cages, Rory’s cage and Gera’s cage. I armed myself with multigrain Cheerios and away we go.
Interestingly, Max is alpha. I thought it was Rory but it really isn’t. Max is a good one too. Little Doc was walking about all macho and flaunting his junk (only intact boy in the crowd) when Max comes out and sets him straight. Doc makes a run for it and no longer seeks gonad adoration. He decides to play with the girls instead. Even Max was fine when Doc would come past or even little Meeko. Max is turning out to be a fantastic big manrat. Things were fine in the beginning as they always are especially when food is available. Food distracts the rats from each other. I guess their stomach needs are stronger than hormones. lol But don’t kid yourself, this is not always the case. I’m lucky I have no aggression in any of these rats. 40 minutes into the intro and Rory has had enough. He decides to pick on sweet Gera. Which is lucky for Rory cause Gera is pure love. Chu sensing Rory’s stress runs to him and makes him flip her instead. Meanwhile, Rory is trying to catch up with Gera with a Chu on his tail. Chu flips didn’t seem to help Rory at all so I decided to cover him with both my hands, all his body length and press his head down to the floor. After a couple of seconds he immediately released his tension and was ready for play. Rory looks at you in such a way, like he’s trying to understand you all the while he knows you can see deep through him. He’s definitely got a deep soul. I decided to end it soon after. Gera had had enough of the stalking and needed time out fast. He runs into his spot in his cage only to find Doc had claimed it. This did not go well. Doc takes a grab out of Gera’s side, not ever breaking skin cause he’s really all talk no action and Gera whimpering. That’s when I said everyone go home. Which is too bad because for some, they are just starting to have fun like Meeko and Rory but my nerve were getting shot and I needed a coffee badly. So everyone went home, all safe, all sound and happy.
Tomorrow should go a little worse as day 2s usually are but then it’s all downhill from there.
I have survived initial familiar ground intro with cage and no animals were harmed during the process.
We are happy campers. 
