temblabamomo
Senior Member
I know intros can sometimes take a time, especially the boys sometimes, especially intact boys. Generally I don't rush things, and I'm pretty patient about the whole process.
Quinn came to stay with us a week ago today. He's between 1 - 2 yrs, intact, sweet but shy. The past 8 months were spent in a 10 gal aquarium with no toys and no buddies in a 5th grade science glass room. I don't think it was a lot of fun for the poor little guy.
On Monday I took him in to see Dr. P for a general wellness exam, and ask her opinion about continued quarantine. Despite the tank, he seems to be in pretty good health. But over the weekend, he wasn't at all curious about exploring, he would simply sit very quietly and tensely in my lap. Friday, Sat and Sun went like this, I tried to stimulate him with food and toys, he simply sat and would eventually go to sleep. Hence the vet visit Monday; I was wondering if there was something wrong with him.
Dr. P said she thought it would be alright to forego normal quarantine and go ahead and let him meet one of my nicer boys, maybe it would get him acting a bit livelier. Otherwise she would start checking to see if he had a heart issue or something.
Obie is definitely not one of my nicer boys, but he was single before he came to me, and has remained single since. I feel awful because this is partly my fault, intros with him and my others keep going badly despite all of the wonderful advice I've received, and first financial problems postponed his neuter, and most recently a URI has Dr. P putting it off. He's into week 4 of antibiotics now and is right as rain, but Dr. P wants to finish out the meds before considering it.
On a whim/hunch/gut instinct feeling, I brought Obie out to the rec room sofa, aka the big scary neutral zone, and then brought little Quinners out. And I don't get it, because in my limited experience, intact guys who weren't raised together usually try to eat each other's faces off.
Quinn and Obie have been fine with one another since day 1. Both of them were obviously curious about the other, and Obie has tried a bit to assert his dominance (pinning Quinn and power grooming him), but they're completely friendly with one another, even the power grooming isn't bad. Quinn sort of snapped out of his trance like state and has been a lively inquisitive little fellow ever since. The two of them have been enjoying free time roaming around my room together, and have been sharing Obie's cage when I or my mother is home to keep and eye on them. Mom is home today and keeping and eye on them, I went home during my lunch break and they were snuggled together in the hammock.
Should I let them be, or slow things down? I'm concerned this whole thing went down too fast, from having their first date on Monday, to Quinn sleeping over Tuesday and Wednesday, and moving in entirely on Thursday. I'm not one to question a good thing when it happens, but in the back of my head I'm convinced this is too good to be true. My first ever rats were brothers who remained intact and also had the occasional little quarrel, but nothing I wouldn't normally expect from siblings. Quinn and Obie behave exactly the same. Both of them seem much happier than they were a week ago. So, leave them be? They're really almost too cute to separate again.
Quinn came to stay with us a week ago today. He's between 1 - 2 yrs, intact, sweet but shy. The past 8 months were spent in a 10 gal aquarium with no toys and no buddies in a 5th grade science glass room. I don't think it was a lot of fun for the poor little guy.
On Monday I took him in to see Dr. P for a general wellness exam, and ask her opinion about continued quarantine. Despite the tank, he seems to be in pretty good health. But over the weekend, he wasn't at all curious about exploring, he would simply sit very quietly and tensely in my lap. Friday, Sat and Sun went like this, I tried to stimulate him with food and toys, he simply sat and would eventually go to sleep. Hence the vet visit Monday; I was wondering if there was something wrong with him.
Dr. P said she thought it would be alright to forego normal quarantine and go ahead and let him meet one of my nicer boys, maybe it would get him acting a bit livelier. Otherwise she would start checking to see if he had a heart issue or something.
Obie is definitely not one of my nicer boys, but he was single before he came to me, and has remained single since. I feel awful because this is partly my fault, intros with him and my others keep going badly despite all of the wonderful advice I've received, and first financial problems postponed his neuter, and most recently a URI has Dr. P putting it off. He's into week 4 of antibiotics now and is right as rain, but Dr. P wants to finish out the meds before considering it.
On a whim/hunch/gut instinct feeling, I brought Obie out to the rec room sofa, aka the big scary neutral zone, and then brought little Quinners out. And I don't get it, because in my limited experience, intact guys who weren't raised together usually try to eat each other's faces off.
Quinn and Obie have been fine with one another since day 1. Both of them were obviously curious about the other, and Obie has tried a bit to assert his dominance (pinning Quinn and power grooming him), but they're completely friendly with one another, even the power grooming isn't bad. Quinn sort of snapped out of his trance like state and has been a lively inquisitive little fellow ever since. The two of them have been enjoying free time roaming around my room together, and have been sharing Obie's cage when I or my mother is home to keep and eye on them. Mom is home today and keeping and eye on them, I went home during my lunch break and they were snuggled together in the hammock.
Should I let them be, or slow things down? I'm concerned this whole thing went down too fast, from having their first date on Monday, to Quinn sleeping over Tuesday and Wednesday, and moving in entirely on Thursday. I'm not one to question a good thing when it happens, but in the back of my head I'm convinced this is too good to be true. My first ever rats were brothers who remained intact and also had the occasional little quarrel, but nothing I wouldn't normally expect from siblings. Quinn and Obie behave exactly the same. Both of them seem much happier than they were a week ago. So, leave them be? They're really almost too cute to separate again.
My Sam/Dean took on Stewart like he was always with them, they nearly tore Cas apart. 
