Help! My old guy is SEVERELY picking on my new baby!

[hellonwheelz3]

After two of my old guys passed away, I went to the local pet store and picked up two 'small' male rats to house with my other two old guys. Well it has been three days and my old boy, Colt, has been SEVERELY picking on just one of the babies but leaving the other one alone. The other old guy, Mac, has been defending his young friends. Colt actually bit us for the first time since we've had him. He is a dumbo, which I heard are very docile. I'm at a loss of what to do. We heard that the store will take the hurt baby back and treat him if he's sick but he isn't. We have already separated Colt from the rest of the group and will be putting Mac in with him for company. Any suggestions?

 

[victoria]

Did you do a proper introduction? It sounds like you should take the young two out of the cage and keep doing intros until they are ready to live together peacefully. Leave the older boy with Colt, he needs company too.

 

[mamarat]

Have you done proper intros before putting them together? They should have met on neutral grounds first then gradually on familiar ground for about a week or so.

 

[Maple]

How old are the babies? You want to be sure they are big enough to be put in with full grown males.

 

[jorats]

Hi, as you can see, we'll need more details. We need ages, if you've done intro steps which should have taken a week or more to do especially with males. Also, how big is the cage?
We can definitely help you. It does sound like it's just a bit of squabbling and nothing serious unless Colt attacks and makes the baby bleed. Please tell us more.

 

[Moon]

He is a dumbo, which I heard are very docile.

There isn't really any correlation between ear set and temperament, though we've certainly heard this before. I think when they first showed up in the pet market they were, but not so much now. When Siamese rats first became popular they were apparently aggressive but with more inter-breeding, that's gone now. It more has to do with the temperament of the line of whoever is supplying in your area.