Alright my favorite rat experts :) only when difficult :) ha

[jorats]

Once those with the attitudes calm down, then you do the move in.

 

[hopefloats]

Day 7--- all of the rats appear to get along except dopey. Had to post this video, it is so funny seeing him like that. Dopey is only this way because templeton did bite him once, and he kinda slapped his head, LOL he was not even bit as much as Toby was. Toby gives in if templeton walks by, dopey seems to refuse.


This one shows him in his T-rex stance, he looks like he has really short arms LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2qzSJgEHTM

This one just shows how he act pretty much the whole time. He goes in a stance pretty much any time one walks by him

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJa2O5evzGI

They all run from him. If he starts acting like that, they generally walk away.


what are the odds that dopey is becoming alpha? I have noticed, templeton dont even stand up to him.

 

[hopefloats]

So I figured with dog training, you make them relax in the situation they fear, so here is attempt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsF4lbDcnaI

He relaxed a little templeton walked up on him and he didnt rear up so I will work on this for the night. I am even putting the babies on his back, so he can get used to them walking on him.

 

[hopefloats]

Day 8-this is so incredibly frustrating. 5 of my 6 males get along fine. Dopey is becoming a problem child. He doesnt bite, but he does a lot of this putting his hands up like he is guarding himself. No one, not even Toby can walk by him when he is out with them. I don't know if it is just to much for him. He has a box to lay in, and he is on guard the whole time.

He just put his paws on Templeton, and Templeton scrunched up like he thought he was gong to bite him. They are even trying to hide him. So since I know for a fact they do this to my dog when they want her to disappear, they are not liking dopey. He is the unstable one. I keep calming him down, trying to comfort him. Making him relax, but he is a bundle of nerves. It amazes me, he was only bite twice. but that put him so far back. I am unsure what approach to take with him at this point. He was terrified of us when we brought him home. now he is terrified of the other rats, Toby included if they are on that table. he is fine with him in his cage though.

I dont think it is any aggression, you can tell he is scared. I just worry templeton will try to put him in check and dopeys fear will cause him to react in a bad way.

maybe with him I need to start from scratch, 10 mins here, then slowly increase it. Right now I have him out of the bunch he has his own box on my desk the boys are limited to the other table right now.

any tips? has anyone dealt with a terrified rat in intros?

 

[jorats]

I watched the videos and I wouldn't say he's scared. There's no question when you have a scared rat, they scream and run, hide and even leap in the air. So Dopey is not so bad. He's concerned with the boys but I wouldn't say scared.Dopey freezes most likely because he doesn't want to be bit. It's kind of stopping to allow the bigger boy to check him over and move on. I have had loads of rats like Dopey, I don't see that as an issue, just them needed to "get over it" which they usually do after some time.

 

[hopefloats]

If he is out on the table and not in a box, he has his moments of running away. He keeps his mouth kinda open, like he is ready to bit if he had to. I have been giving them extra time out, when they do sleep together I dont move them, but he literally trembles, you can feel his whole body trembling.

It is frustrating, the ones that were the problem stopped, now he is going worse than them, he doesnt even appear to be slowing down at all.

 

[jorats]

It really seems to me that he may be this way because he us away from his home/cage. A lot of rats react this way during their out time if they don't have access to their cage. I wouldn't put much worry into it.
How long have you been doing these intros now?

 

[hopefloats]

This is the 8th day of actual meetings. I just really hate how he doesn't seem to let up at all, he is constant ball of nerve. He is ok if they are not around, it is when they are there he freaks.

 

[jorats]

Ya but that's normal and may change as the intros progress. Once he get used to going away from the cage and going to the table, he'll probably relax.

 

[hopefloats]

I sure hope so LOL but you have not steered me wrong yet! I think i am just tired of intros LOL I figured out i have been doing intros for months. since Luna died in September, none stop since then. A little more time and I will not have any more new rats to intro.

They stay out most of the day together and you dont see any bite from any of them. They were probably out for 3 hours or more today at one time.


I guess Today I just need to fight off the frustration and see what I have accomplished. I am down to one cage for each sex, and down to one set of girls and two sets of boys, which can stay out together for the most part LOL.

 

[jorats]

3 hours... geez, I would scrub down the cage and let them explore it together. I bet you Dopey will be happy about that.
But you really need that cage scrubbed down good, leaving no scent at all.

 

[hopefloats]

Yeah they can stay out a long time, it is just dopey that is the problem.... The others really dont act like they care. I know I have been trying to decide when I can try, but I will probably wait till Monday, homework and my finance will be back in town so I wont have any free time till then. I just hate to have dopey become worst LOL but I guess there is only one way to find out.

 

[jorats]

Pick a day when you will be home all day to watch them. Dopey's behaviour is common and they usually snap out of it after living together for a while.

 

[hopefloats]

Day 9
I hope so, he is so paranoid. He is sitting here on constant guard. Templeton just got bite by him. Templeton hasn't bit anyone in a few days. well now I have to take that back lol he just did the stomp on Toby's head LOL

So i guess we are still the same, minor attitudes....

 

[jorats]

It is minor... intros are progressing well.

 

[hopefloats]

Dopey has become the hump-o-matic :cheeky: Dopey was in a good mood, playing with toby, I had both of them out on their own. So I figured I would bring one of the haired boys out. So I brought out Templeton. Well dopey really went to town on him, I was a bit concerned about breaking it up because Templeton was feeling violated and you could tell LOL. So i gave it a few minutes and brought loki out since he has had the least amount of attitude during all of this, well Mr. Dopey violated him as well.

Now he is content and cleaning himself, looks quite proud and out of his shell, while my haired boys are kinda freaked out over the whole ordeal.


I know pika did a lot of humping to our other girls, but it quit after a few days, I am just unsure what brought this on with dopey.

so what does this new twist add to the bunch? LOL Never a dull moment around here let me tell you.

 

[jorats]

Awww... so Dopey is not scared at all. He's pissed. He wants to be alpha but needs to wait his move. The humping the boys... he's dominating them. Funny that Templeton allowed it. This is getting interesting...

 

[hopefloats]

Day 10 -So then that would explain why he keeps putting his head under Toby, I thought all along that he was doing it out of fear, but he was doing it again last night, but he looked like when Toby did it to Templeton. I never seen him that brave. he was actually walking up on the haired boys. They just squeaked and their fur puffed up. I left them alone for a second lol but when they turned around on him, i stopped it.

The haired boys wont bite him, they nip just slightly. they stay away from him though. I have dopey out now, I think he feels better if he comes out first then I will bring the haired rats out. Hopefully it goes ok.

 

[jorats]

The reason he feels better when you take him out first is because he can claim the place. I always take out my dominant boys last... so they realize that the others can "own it" too.

 

[hopefloats]

lol well until he started his little humping I didnt know, I figured he would adjust to the area then bring the haired out slowly. I figured it was just to much for him. he is not as brave today, i have the four older boys out. it is funny they still sleep in pairs, it is like they are still divided, Once I see that great divide is gone, I will try moving them in. I have been giving them extra time out to hang out together. they are just being difficult.