Intros. Thumper to Simba, Timon & Pumbaa ADVICE PLEASE

[amanda1472]

Hello! The babies are 6 weeks old today and so I thought (after I asked Jorats) to start intros with them and Thumper. They where not in there along, I was nervous since he is much bigger than them. But i thought it went well. He did get a little puffy at the end of the video, that's why I picked him up (not sure if I should have done that or not). But since there is a while before they are big enough for the FN I knew I could take intros slow.

Here is a video, any advice is appreciated:

[BBvideo:28ca7srx]http://youtu.be/5Mbv1aN9LWM[/BBvideo:28ca7srx]

 

[dspch911]

To me they look too small to be with him. I'd wait until they are bigger, but let the experts speak first.

 

[Rachael]

I would also wait until they were a bit bigger, he's a really big boy and they're still really tiny.

 

[Rilence]

I'd wait another week or 2, perhaps they still don't smell like rats yet.

 

[amanda1472]

Jorats did say it should be fine, so hopefully she sees the video/thread soon. I just felt bad for poor Thumper being all alone for the last 3 weeks.

 

[SarahA]

Poor Thumper looks a little bombarded by the 3 babies zooming about him, no wonder me try to climb your leg.
Hopefully the babies will be big enough for Thumper to have some friends for Christmas.

 

[Rachael]

Jorats did say it should be fine, so hopefully she sees the video/thread soon. I just felt bad for poor Thumper being all alone for the last 3 weeks.

I've been in that situation before, I've had to wait before introductions and I always feel bad. Just make sure that he has extra attention if you do decide to wait.

Obviously it is up to you what you do anyway.

 

[jorats]

Obviously, someone new to rats should definitely wait until the babies are at least 8 weeks old but amanda1472 is very experienced and is right on the big guy. Circumstances in this case allows for an early intro. He's docile and very lonely. I'd say that intro went very well. I like how you are right on him each time you felt it might go awry but looks like the big guy is accepting the new babies pretty well.
BTW... I love your tub!!!!!!

 

[hopefloats]

He dont look like a mean boy and boys are bigger than females at most ages anyway. He is so chubby LOL i think the babies could out run him in a split second. I would wait to do a move in till they are at least eight weeks old since there is a big size difference.

 

[hopefloats]

And that is a nice tub. I hate tub intros I quit them a long time ago. Bending over just kills me for that long of a period. I love table top intros but they are harder with babies since babies have fear that outweighs their thought process so they will jump from any height.

 

[jorats]

I would wait to do a move in till they are at least eight weeks old since there is a big size difference.

Definitely, no move in until the babes are 2 months old.

 

[amanda1472]

Of course. I actually plan on waiting till they are big enough to live in the FN with out escaping (even with the mesh) so so probably 2-2.5 months old.

And ya, Thumper is a chubby one now. :giggle: But at least he isnt gaining any more weight :dance:

I will keep updating with videos in till they are fully introed, though it will be a while before they move in.

 

[amanda1472]

Day 2:
Ignore my pj pants :giggle:
[BBvideo:3ds1mmhw]http://youtu.be/UG3zMjS7hQ4[/BBvideo:3ds1mmhw]

I think its going well (though Pumbaa kept crawling up my pant leg), and if you watched, I stopped filming because Niles was barking (he wanted to play with the rats XD). And for the bathtub, thanks my parents decided on a bigger bathroom vs a walk-in closet. Though no one uses the bathtub.

 

[jorats]

He doesn't seem to mind them at all. And the little guys don't feel threatened by him either meaning, he's not sending any bad signals. Good intro!
OMG, you dog, sounds exactly like my mom's Boomer. lol

 

[dspch911]

They are just so cutie.... they almost look like grown mice next to him!! I wish I could do intros that go so well - no one looks upset, they just don't seem to care..

 

[amanda1472]

Day 3, Going good. But Thumper has a bit of an upset tummy, so he wasn't 100% himself. Babies seem to like him XD
[BBvideo:30h7uwy3]http://youtu.be/JiUrklcRMoo[/BBvideo:30h7uwy3]

 

[jorats]

Thumper shall now be known as Big Daddy. lol
Do you have him on meds? His congestion seems to be getting worse.

 

[amanda1472]

Lol :giggle: He's being very good to the babies.

And right now he's just gets humidified every day for 15 min or so and he has an albuterol puffer I use when he gets worst (like he did today).

 

[jorats]

Have you tried Benedryl? It might help with his nasal congestion. And it might be worth getting him on Baytril now that he's going through intros. Intros are stressful and this can bring on a myco flare up.

 

[amanda1472]

I have not tried Benedryl. But I can start him back on Baytril as soon as possible.