Aggression or Excitement?

[hannahallie101]

So, like I’ve previously mentioned I’m trying to integrate my older rat who’s live alone majority of her life in with a younger pair of babies I was recently given. I’m waiting a few more weeks so the babies reach an appropriate age but currently I have the cages side by side a few inches apart. The rats will sit in the corner and sniff each other and the babies show signs of interest and currosity but I’m having a hard time reading my older rat. She’ll push her fleece away with her two back legs, chew the bars of her cage and sniff the air furiously. Is she excited and or being aggressive? I’ve left a large piece of fleece that was in the babies cage for a week in my older girl’s cage and she’s all over it. She likes to burrow and sleep in it because of the babies scent. She herself is very social and enjoys being out of the cage with me but the babies are still quite jumpy and nervous. I’ve had them for about five days now and they didn’t come from the best conditions. If anyone has any insight on her behaviour please then me know

 

[Luna&Ralph]

It actually sounds to me like she’s excited to meet them. I had a boy who used to hang off the side of the cage and chew the bars anytime he wanted to get out (which was all the time). It took me a while to figure it out but he wasn’t the slightlest bit aggressive and was just a super social guy. Sniffing also shows her curiousity, so I would say that these are really good signs! They say that female to female intro are one of the easiest, so I’m hoping that it goes well for you and your girls!

 

[hannahallie101]

It actually sounds to me like she’s excited to meet them. I had a boy who used to hang off the side of the cage and chew the bars anytime he wanted to get out (which was all the time). It took me a while to figure it out but he wasn’t the slightlest bit aggressive and was just a super social guy. Sniffing also shows her curiousity, so I would say that these are really good signs! They say that female to female intro are one of the easiest, so I’m hoping that it goes well for you and your girls!

Thanks, that makes me happy to hear!

 

[SQ]

She sounds fine ....... and some rats are very aggressive about their cages but are fine when gradually introed to others.

Great that you are waiting until the babies are older before starting physical intros. babies need to be at least 8 weeks old - 10 weeks old is safer.
Good luck with the intros


(For info on intros seehttps://www.ratshackforum.com/threads/the-established-gradual-introduction-steps-used-when-putting-new-rats-together.32368/ and joinrats.com)

 

[jorats]

Very normal behaviour. She's a lucky girl getting new friends soon.