Introducing boys

hopefloats · Oct 16, 2010

I have 2 boys who are 5 months old. I also have two babies who are 9 weeks old. I know right now they are way to small to meet the big boys but I am wondering at what age is it OK to start the introductions? I have done little time out together to see how my older boys would act and they did well, I was mainly watching for major signs of aggression.

I have intro'd my girls but I am totally dreading the intro with the boys. I did fine with them I was not this nervous at all. I think it is because I know how strong the boys are, and i see the babies as being so tiny. i know in a month they will be larger, and two months even larger. Is it much harder to intro boys to other males? Or am I just paranoid because of the obvious size difference right now

handmeafish · Oct 17, 2010

9 weeks is when i did my intros, and they went really well. I started by keeping the cages together, switching the liners, then short out times watching for any aggression. By around 12 weeks they were in the same cage full time...
And I introed them to a rat who was about a year.

Just take things really slowly, and don't leave them unsupervised until ur sure they will be ok.

jorats · Oct 17, 2010

I usually wait for the babies to be about 2 months old so you'd be at the right time now.
Males to males intros are trickier but not when one of the group is under 4 months of age. Take the right steps and keep your eyes open at all times. Watch the rats' body language it will guide you.

hopefloats · Oct 19, 2010

Awesome. I have started little intro's on the table, neither are use to it. I have been debating moving switching the liners next in a few days. On the table I dont see any aggression at all. They are not use to it and spend their time trying to climb on my shoulders. I figure a couple times a day, maybe I will switch the beds out to each cage that the boys sleep in later and see if that helps. The babies are not a problem so far, I am just scared of the big boys. I put them together and they cuddled up in a basket i had on the table, they were ok so hopefully if i keep doing this then in a few weeks i can feel safe with full time intros.

we had them in totally separate cages, but now they are in a double FN, big boys on top, little boys on bottom. So they are closer, I was hoping they would adjust to their smell being so close together.

I have an understanding of what the male aggression looks like, I don't see any hissing, puffing up or anything. I dont see them over rubbing on them either. Our one boy stomps his front feet at the dog and hisses lol so I am guessing that might be his thing. Anything else i am missing?

MissGuardian · Oct 19, 2010

I introed my current males to my first boy when my oldest he was almost two years old(his brother died), and my current males was about 8 weeks old.. They could live together permanently within five days(I had a very nice boy).. I could probably have moved them in earlier, but it was my first intro.

Best of luck

hopefloats · Oct 19, 2010

We were lucky like that with Luna, our oldest girl, but somehow I dont think i will be this lucky with the boys. I am hoping though lol

jorats · Oct 19, 2010

You can switch their liners or you could even switch the cages, put the older boys at the bottom one day, and at the top the next without changing much in the cage. But at this point, the young boys don't smell like regular male rats so it's easier for them to get along.

hopefloats · Oct 19, 2010

I did almost that tonight. I put them out on the table again, it goes great on there no issues at all. While they were out i switched liners, and beds snuggle boxes, well cardboard box and tissue boxes that they love, even litter box, over kill on the last one right? LOL. The babies are tiny and can fit out of the bars of the Double FN that they live in so as of yet, i cannot put the babies on top though.