Moving young ones in with the rest...Not going great

[Jems71]

I have decided today is the day to move the young ones in with the rest of the crew but I am having 2nd thoughts after some observations...
I have 3 young girls born around christmas (Twizle, Skittle, and Taffy) making them 5months now, the rest of my crew just turned 1yr this past cpl months, with the exception of my old nekkie girl Diamond she is just turning 2yrs and the last of my old girls...she is tiny (smaller than the young ones) and not so fiesty anymore...
We moved my daughter into her new bedroom a couple weeks ago and have been letting all the rats out to free range pretty much daily, intros have been going as normal......I have two bullies in my colony Blossom and Midna they have been seeking out the young ones and pinning them and showing dominance...the last few intros I have left the tunnel out so everyone can come and go from the big cage...the young ones love going in there...midna and blossom sometimes go in and show the young ones who is boss and occassionaly chase them out...I do expect this...there has been some squeeks and squeals...got a few screamers but no blood or anything too bad...
My concern is my old girl...when I shut the doors and kept everyone in today Midna and Blossom started bullying everyone! not just the new girls...My old girl Diamond seems to try to avoid them but sometimes she just cannot...
Should I worry about her? I mean I do not want to remove her of course its her house, but I cannot wait forever, I need to move these new ones in someday...so just watch and see what happens?
I am sure I am just over worried...and all will be fine...I think this happens everytime you move kids in together...I am not worried about the rest of the crew just my sweet old Diamond...who has recently lost her sister Lucy and old friend Zoey...Any thoughts?

 

[jorats]

Is Diamond sick at all? If she's healthy, she can handle it. She may not like it but they should settle it soon enough.

 

[Jems71]

I do not think she is ill...we had a resp illness go through a few weeks ago she has a cpl days left of the meds I think Wednesday is the last day (4 weeks of meds). She appears fine as does everyone else. She is active and eating no more sneezing or hiccups.
they have been in there all afternoon (4hrs) and everyone is fine. I think one of the young girls is in sleeping with Diamond in the house, might be Twizzle aka Twillie, she is milder of the young bunch.
The other more dominant of the young bunch Skittle is out boxing and pinning Midna right now...but no screaming no one is hurt...its all good so far.
:joy:

 

[jorats]

Sounds like it's all going to work out.
Btw the older girls are doing their jobs by pinning the young ones, they must teach them their place.

 

[Jems71]

My poor old girl Diamond is a little scratched up right now more than usual, but she seems fine no major gashes or anything...
And its the one of the young trio I think Skittle thats pinning everyone...
Its really hard to tell the 3 young girls apart... all 3 are smeezer babies its their bums that tell me who is who...Skittle has white butt no marking, Taffy has a medium tan color butt and the last girl Twizzel has dark butt and due to the resp has a slight head tilt...vet thinks ear infection with the resp infection that went thru the group but even after 4weeks of abs the tilt is still there not as bad...she is going back to vet end of week...abs done Wednesday...she is so young to have PT being only 5months.
Anyway there is a lot of screaming and pinning and appears its Skittle one of the new young kids thats the trouble maker...taking over the cage...she even has my big boyz a bit frazzled...poor guys are lovers not fighters! :giggle:

 

[jorats]

Ah that little brat. Too bad the older rats don't set her straight. She'll probably stop on her own once she sees no one is challenging her.

 

[Jems71]

Sooooo I came home tonight to a few gashes and a little blood...
Taffy (one of the new young girls) has a gash on her hind foot it looks ok I will keep an eye on it but its obviously bugging her cause she was holding it up while she was eating...
Cookie has a cheek cut little blood but nothing too bad...
Diamond's face is very scratched up but nothing bloody or bad...
So I watched them to see who was bugging who...
looks like Cookie is on a hunt any of the new young ones come near her she gets puffy and crazy...and chases them in an aggressive way.
Skittle is getting all puffy and pushing the others into corners with the sideways shuffle, sort of backing them in with her butt.
Blossom who is usually the boss attacked my hand when I reached into the cage...
and even my laid back Boy Peanut is not right... he like begged me to be taken out of the cage to be cuddled...and tried to hide in my shirt when I put him back...poor guy.
So I am not really sure what to do...will they work it out? I have been doing intros for weeks and out of the cage all was going ok...some pinning and stuff but nothing too much...HELP!

 

[jorats]

Have they moved in together? Or is this still during intros?

 

[Jems71]

Moved in on Sunday things were not too bad 'til today...I have had the 3 young ones since March and have been doing intros out of the cage for weeks...so sunday they moved in...now I am rethinking it...

 

[jorats]

It's been too long, don't back out now. The rats are working hard at establishing who's the boss. Hold out a bit longer. Get yourself a "time out" cage for the naughty ones.

 

[Jems71]

I just had two of my older rats pass away a few weeks ago too...so I guess its a tough time for all trying to figure out who is who and what job...I will hang in there...the blood was minimal no one badly hurt will have to keep and eye on Taffy's foot but I think it will be fine...

I am wondering if I should speed up intros and move in the new girl we took in a few days ago ASAP she is all alone and if they are all still working it out now whats one more to work out she is very submissive when out with them now doesn't fight back when pinned and groomed just takes it...what do you think?

 

[jorats]

Yep, the sooner the better to get the new one in there.

 

[Jems71]

Thanks Jo! I think we will move her in tomorrow evening or Saturday. She is lonely poor "Little Dummy" thats what the kids have been calling her Dumbolina or Little Dummy... :giggle:

 

[jorats]

lol... That's quite the name.

 

[SQ]

poor little girl ..
Hey!!! we haven't seen any pictures of her yet!

 

[Jems71]

I will get pics this weekend...I promise I have been meaning to for a cpl months with the young smeeze trio... they have been here since March... but everytime I try I remember camera needs new batteries and everytime I am out I forget to pick them up! :emb: putting a reminder in my smart phone to help me be smarter and I will pick some up on my lunch!
I have to I got another new baby and I am home and settled for a while now there is no reason not to...
I hope I am home and settled for a while now...there has been talk of a 4-6week trip to India! NOOOOOO please don't ask me!!!!! I will likely decline if I am asked but...it would be an opportunity of a life time.