Intros - Together! Yeay!

[Asheka]

Starting intros with my boys! First session in the tub seemed to go very well. After a long time spent sniffing every inch of the tub and towel we put down they seemed to really not care about each other for a while. Then a lot of sniffing and puffing from the younger boys. Some stand offish poses from them too, and a few light kicks from Trouble, and a couple very slight tail wiggling from the 'less dominant' smeeze boy, but nothing to make me worry. Posting a few pics for progress and will do another tub session tomorrow evening!

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and my absolute fav pic of the night:

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[Ktina]

That last pic killed me! :heart: :heart: :heart:

 

[jorats]

Looks good!!!

 

[Asheka]

That last pic killed me! :heart: :heart: :heart:

:giggle: It took forever to get one like that too. As soon as my flash indicator lights up on my cam they stop doing cute things :lol:

Looks good!!!

:joy: I hope so!! The single CN is here and waiting to be built for when they're ready hehe

 

[Asheka]

Well, intros have been severely delayed between being insanely busy and now my friend's dog possibly has a URI so I haven't wanted to risk bringing them downstairs in case it's contagious. Tonight, I'm going to take a couple old towels and cover my bed and start again. Sheets are clean, so hopefully it won't cause any territorial fights since Trouble pees all over it LOL
Will have pics and maybe a vid if I can catch it!

 

[henry's_mum]

lookin great!
kisses to Trouby!

 

[Asheka]

Kisses back of course Lynds!!

Tonight went pretty well. Couple of tiny two second scuffles between Trouble and Hoggle, maybe one between him and Smeagol, and then Smeagol turned into a total wuss and would cry out if Trouble even tried to sniff him :roll: The only downside to having to use the bed right now is it's a lot larger than the tub so they avoid each other a lot...Might try a couple more sessions like this and then sit on the bed myself to take up some room...Not sure if that's a good idea though?

Anywhoo, here are a few pics from tonight!

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[mamarat]

They sure are cute.

 

[Asheka]

No pics this run as I was cleaning their cages at the same time, but no scuffles other than a couple of pin downs by Trouble....and of course some very unnecessary noise making by Smeagol (he's such a wuss! He "hid" in the bowl I had veggies in for them half the time! LOL) but the bed is way too big I'm finding. They can avoid each other the entire time if they really want to, so may move back to the tub soon as my friend's dog is no longer coughing, etc.

I do have one question of a behavior I noticed when Smeagol was in the bowl. Hoggle was practically leaning over him and every time Trouble would come near, Smeagol would wind his tail around...Not the shake I've seen from fear, but literally lifting the last half of his tail off the ground and moving it in almost a circle, very small, but a definite circle motion.....Is this just fear, or something else??

 

[jorats]

It could be anything really, fear, excitement, anxiety, playful..

 

[Asheka]

It could be anything really, fear, excitement, anxiety, playful..

hmmm So nothing to really worry over in this situation? They had a short time out together tonight (started nasty storming and lights were flickering so I ended it early) and I left my curtains down (I normally tie them up as they hang pretty much to my bed) and each smeeze hid behind one, but didn't freak out when Trouble came sniffing over, and he wasn't upset that I could tell. I'm assuming since they felt more protected with even a sheer something to hide behind, it made them a bit braver....Hoping that's a good sign?

 

[Asheka]

Well, another 45min session tonight. I'm extending them slowly from 30min to an hour right now...It seems the first 10min or so is usually spent sniffing everything in sight and ignoring each other for the most part.

Tonight's session seemed to go very well. Little bit of scuffling and Trouble flipped and pinned (I believe) Smeagol (they were half behind the curtains so I couldn't see the markings lol) and sniffed him head to toe, then basically just walked over top of him, sniffed Hoggle and walked away...I still don't like that the bed gives them ample room to ignore each other but it's still working out...I suppose it just might take a bit longer to be sure.

I'm so new to all this and I'm paranoid of moving them in together too soon. I know I'm not taking the exact "routine" steps, so wondering people's opinions on how to take it? There's been no overt fights, definitely no blood shed or anything worrying but they are still stand off-ish and I believe still deciding pecking order really, and Smeagol is still "wagging" his tail when he seems nervous...So, how long should I let it go like this before changing it up...and how should I change it up? Do you think maybe bringing a dirty blanket from each of their cages for scent would maybe help at all in deciding where to go next?

Any thoughts and opinions are greatly appreciated! I've never done this before so don't want to rush them, but hate seeing Trouble alone while waiting...

 

[Asheka]

Well, I've had a couple of extremely lazy days the past two days so have had all three boys out for probably close to two hours each day together. Seems it starts the same way of them sniffing everything in sight and ignoring each other, then realizing they're all on the bed with me (I've been laying on the bed with them, seems to help as it makes the over-all area smaller and seems to make Smeagol and Hoggle a little more comfortable) and Trouble usually sniffs at the boys, no pinning the last couple times, but some hind leg stands with the smeezes making very unnecessary noise :giggle: and nothing more usually...
Yesterday was a good forwards jump for Trouble and Smeagol though. Hoggle remains the more skittish one now. I had been laying on my side anf Trouble jumped up on me for his usual 'rub down' and Smeagol kind of appeared out of no where right beside him - and I mean like attached to his side beside him - and I pet both of them with one hand for roughly a minute or so before Smeagol seemed anxious and jumped back down with hsi brother.

I am thinking that if each session goes like this, or better, this entire week that maybe this weekend we could set up the single CN and see how it goes. Any thoughts would be immensely appreciated though!!

 

[jorats]

I'm going to move this to the behaviour section. In the Rat Chat and Pics, it moves too fast and I miss the intro questions.

It sounds like it's going great. All the intros can't follow a strict set of steps, there's always some give and take with compromising and creativeness. You are doing great and have a good plan in place.

 

[Asheka]

I'm going to move this to the behaviour section. In the Rat Chat and Pics, it moves too fast and I miss the intro questions.

It sounds like it's going great. All the intros can't follow a strict set of steps, there's always some give and take with compromising and creativeness. You are doing great and have a good plan in place.

I wondered where it went for a minute LOL

Thanks! I'm just wondering if there's anything I could add to the mix, like maybe some of their 'dirty' blankets on the bed for more scent? Would that help at all?
Trouble has brightened up even more, if possible, lately so I'm hoping things will continue so they can live together soon. Any suggestions would be appreciated :mrgreen:

 

[jorats]

Do you mean adding it during intros or in the other's cages? I find that putting it in the other cages only creates stress.
Are you now on familiar ground or neutral?

 

[Asheka]

I meant adding it to the intro area. Right now we're on familar I'd say. On my bed because my roommates dog had a possible URI so I wasn't taking them out of my room while she was getting over it. They seem to be less puffy on the bed, and since I'm usually laying down with them while they're out, it brings Smeagol and Hoggle out of "hiding" more often. They still seem to cry out whenever he gets near them though if there's been any sort of a tuffle, although they seem to act that way between themselves once in a while too. Trouble only pees on the bed now if they seem to be bothered by him...No more pinning last couple sessions, so not sure if I should advance forwards or not. I'm just worried about stressing him out since he's so much older than them.

 

[jorats]

You could add it to the bed, and also maybe a box or house from the cage... see how that goes.

 

[Asheka]

You could add it to the bed, and also maybe a box or house from the cage... see how that goes.

Sounds good. Fleece needs to be changed so I'll probably add that in tonight and see how they react. Might try and take a vid of when they get into contact to post up...There's not much puffing anymore, but the smeeze boys seem to make a lot of noise when Trouble gets close, even if he's not touching them.
I watched your vids with the bullying and I think Trouble's bullying a little bit. He hasn't peed right on the boys that I've seen yet, but will come face to face with them, spin around to face away, pee, and then trot off...and has been "bull-dozing" past once in a while when they are in the same spots....Should I 'dominate' him when he does this?

 

[jorats]

You could dominate or just let them work it out... It sounds all pretty mellow with your boys, and that's good.