rat aggressive rat?

[Petunia]

Sadly I am down to just four rats now, all girls.
My Clair left me this morning.

The four girls I have left, are living in two different cages, because while Tilly and Clair were sick and with other stuff going on, I've not had the time or been able to, physically, do intro's.

Anyway, there's Paige and Evie, the two newest additions, both PEW girls, one is just about 10 weeks old now, I guess? born Nov 22, and her mom, Paige is around maybe 5-6 mos or so (actual age unknown)

Cooke and Hope are the girls I've had since Sept, they are roughly a year old.

Cookie seems very interested in getting to meet the new girls. The new girls seem to be interested in meeting her.
that's all good right?

But Hope only wants to attack them!

I put Cookie and Hope and the baby girl Evie in the tub, because Evie is bolder than her mom (Mom is still a bit on the shy and nervous side)

Put some fat free cool whip on a plate and Cookie immediately went for that, but Hope attacked the Evie and bit her side (I didn't even realize this at first, I didn't think that she'd had time to bite her)

Hope always goes right for any other rat in attack mode. She doesn't warn them, she doesn't threaten them, she just runs over and jumps on them.
(Clair was the same way, except that she puffed up first- Hope doesn't puff up)

I honestly don't see this girl accepting any other rat other than Cookie, whom she's lived with all her life.
Neither Cookie nor Hope have ever seen another rat before, and they spent the first year of their life in a very small cage and they were put together inside a large hamster ball for out time!
on the floor with cats around.

I really dont want to have two cages for each pair of rats but I'm at a loss on what to do about Hope

I keep thinking I should get a neutered male but right now, financially that is totally out of the question, I am so deep in debt with vet bills

but what else can I do?
would spaying Hope at this late stage help any?

I don't know what's wrong with her, but I almost think she's got some neurological problem.

she kind of bullies Cookie, but doesnt' hurt her, she power grooms her a lot though.

oy! I thought it was supposed to be easy to intro girls!!
:gaah:

 

[jorats]

I wouldn't throw in a neutered male at this point. Better to get things settled first.
When Hope jumped and bit Evie, was there blood? What did Evie do? what did Hope do?

 

[Petunia]

After Hope jumped on Evie, I took her off of her, but because I didn't see any blood and it happened so fast, and Evie was not acting "hurt" (like rats ever do- :roll: )
I let go of Hope and she went right back after her-
so I took Hope out of the tub and put her in the carrier and watched Cookie and Evie.

Cookie ignored Evie to eat the cool whip. Evie seemed ok til I put my hand down near her, then she stood up as if ready to box

that was when I saw the blood- she's got a good gash on her side!!

So I put everyone back in their cages.

When back in their cages, Hope pinned Cookie and power groomed her roughly, then she went to the cage bars and did that thing that looks like a bull getting ready to charge, and Cookie did the same thing. They wanted out of the cage but I didn't know if that was a good idea, so I left them to calm down.

Evie was pretty shook up, anytime her Mom Paige came near her to sniff her, she stood up on her back legs ready to box- and she did the same thing with my hand.

I don't think I should try this again, I am clearly doing something wrong, although I have no idea what.

I really do not think that Hope is ever going to accept any other rats- she acts very much like Clair did, and Clair never accepted anyone but Tilly, and her other long time cage mates who have already gone ahead to the Bridge.

 

[jorats]

You could try again in a month or two. With some rats, timing is everything.