Please help me figure out what to do.

[R.I.P. Sabrina]

I got a new rat not too long ago, because my first rat needed a friend. And I did the whole process of cleaning the cage, bathing them, introducing them on neutral ground...

And they were doing GREAT! Hardly any fighting, no blood when they did fight. They slept together and ate together and played together. But I went to put the new rat in the cage today, and he attacked my old rat. (new rat = Switch and old rat = Trent. Forgot to add names.)

So I contacted the rat rescue I had gotten Switch from and he said he would gladly take him back if I could get out there....

Well I have no car, and its a 45 minute car ride....No way I can walk with a rat.

And I called the only two pet stores I could think of that CARE about their animals.

One told me he would be sold as pet food, and the other said call their sister store, who told me to call when the manager was in tomorrow morning.

I trust the second pet store. I've been there. They don't sell feeder rats, all are to be sold as pets. They make you buy them in pairs unless you have a rat at home, they sell healthy things and you can request them to order something you want to buy. They were understanding over the phone and willing to help, only problem is the first of the two sister stores didn't have any extra cages due to the 40 baby rats they had just saved. The second one...well that's why I'm calling tomorrow.


So...do I go ahead with this pet store? Try and re-introduce them again???

I only have one cage that's good for rats, and I have currently divided it like so--I took two levels and put them in the middle, so the rats cannot get to each other. They both have their own food and water, their own hiding places and their own potty area. Problem is...they can't live together so now they are both depressed...but at least not fighting. Please help!

 

[Cigar]

The point of rescuing is to support rescues and I'm sure you'll end up on someone's black list [so that you won't be able to adopt from the rescue or others affiliated with them].. so I'd say no, bad idea. Don't bring him to the pet store.

How long have you been introducing them? It sounds like you've gone too fast and need to slow it down a bit. It can take more than just a week or two, I've seen some intros take months. It's ideal to have 2 seperate cages to transfer a t-shirt or hammock that's been used in one rats cage to the other so they can get used to smells. They also need to meet in several different places.. Here's a good post you can start by reading: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=406&hilit=how+to+intro

 

[Chelipepper]

introductions can be very scary -on all sides .. the thing to remember is they do take time .. sounds like your guys at least -usually- like each other so u have options other than bringing one back or keeping them seperate permanently .. Remember Trent has seen that cage as his home for a long time and altho he may be marginally ok with Switch because he likes him and wants to have a friend, when u are putting Switch into the cage after hes been out again, its like a rat coming into this territory for Trent. Id suggest keeping introduction times short and building up -start with having them play together for 30 mins and then 45, etc .. make sure that the new guys always put into the cage first and that when u do put them back into their neutral sides of the cage, that each side has some bedding or a toy of the other ratties put in with the opposite rat. Watch for the tell-tale signs that they are getting ready to not play nice .. puffing up, walking sideways toward the other rat..but remember that urinating on the other rat and stand up boxing is usually just getting the pecking order straight .. if it gets rough, call time out right away. the last suggestion i have is -neutering. Sometimes nothings gonna help unless u get the testerone levels down. Whatever u decide to do, i wish u luck .. hugs

 

[DadRat]

Intros take time. It took us a few months to get our boys together.

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

Please don't give up so fast you probably just need to spend more time on each step. Male intros can be difficult but they just need lots of patience and lots of time. It might be easier to help you if you explained exactly how you are going about the intros and the boys reactions.

 

[xxchelle]

It took Sketchi (another forum member) about three months to intro one rat to her pair of boys.

Cigar gave you some very good advice, try reading through that thread, and switching hammocks, etc. etc.

 

[handmeafish]

Keep trying! if it started out so well, I'm sure that they will be fine after a few more weeks.

 

[Moon]

Just take more time, if they did well on neutral ground that's AWESOME and an amazing first sign. But you need to do lots of intros before you go in cage.