Terrible going intros :( Help for my nakie boy?

[TheRatQueen]

So, I'm trying to get Smeagol-Watson-Boswell together. I've done intros before...but this is going terrrrible!!!

And Smeagol is a hairless and is starting to look as if he has a cutting problem and needs to be admitted!

I put them in the tub...they look around and within 30 seconds they are rolling and going at it, tooth and nail. And they're approx 13 weeks old! Ugh.

I need naked rat armor.

Is there any special advice someone can give for introducing my poor hairless with the other guys so he's not mutilated or sadly is this just par for the course?

Thanks so much.

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

Sounds like a rat ball to me and if it's happening only 30 seconds in then someone might need a neuter.

 

[jorats]

13 weeks old? Are you sure? They shouldn't be fighting. All of them are the same age?
Ok, time to rethink this... small table top or small area with you at the ready to separate.

 

[TheRatQueen]

They are pretty teeny. I know Smeagol is no more than 13 weeks. The other 2 we got them from a shelter but they are the exact same size as Smeagol.

 

[hopefloats]

post pictures on here.

If they are fighting now, you might as well prepare for a neuter

 

[TheRatQueen]

Here at the two from the shelter

Smeagol

Blurry...but this is all three of them:

The hairless and the mink-ish one are the ones that go at it.

 

[hopefloats]

They look a bit older than the hairless. Maybe a bit bigger. so they are probably a bit older than 4 months, not much.. which is when the attitude can start with boys. I had a bunch, all at once, kick in at 4-5 months old. Finley was meaner earlier, he was neutered at around 12 weeks old but that was hearsay LOL i didnt see it till recently how mean he was.

Any idea how much they weigh?

 

[hopefloats]

that mink boy just reminds me of my boys at 6 months...

 

[TheRatQueen]

I can weigh them tonight when I get home. I usually don't weigh until they get older since they gain so fast when they're little.

 

[TheRatQueen]

I think they're a lot smaller than the pictures put them off to be. Their butts to neck are as long as the palm of my hand, not even.

 

[TheRatQueen]

Actually, I had the BF wake em up and weigh them so I wouldn't forget.

Smeagol: 300grams
Watson: 300grams
Boswell: 280grams

 

[hopefloats]

My 4 month old boys weigh as much as my 6 months old. They are all around 450g.. Not big boys either. I think my 6 month olds are small for their age. The rexzilla boys have been mean for a long time now, i think they are actually almost 7.


They may be around that age then..... I had some bite out of fear and never again. I had some that would bite forever till i had them neutered.

have you tried switching beds out? let them get used to their smell? so boys can be really territorial to other rats they dont know, you might have to do that for a few days before meetings.

 

[jorats]

What do they do exactly? Does anyone get cut up during the rat ball? Any screaming? When the two are in the rat ball, what is the third guy doing? Freaking out? frozen in fear or doesn't care?
They look a little older, maybe 4 or 5 months but hard to tell really without being able to compare with something.

 

[TheRatQueen]

The hairless does get cut up. A couple of half bite marks and little cat scratches. A bit of squeaking, no hissing the third guy cowers in the corner as far away as he can. Is there anything I can compare them to or take pictures with to help with anything?

 

[hopefloats]

is smeagol a runner? screamer?

 

[TheRatQueen]

It depends on who gets who first. Smeagol usually takes a little then runs. It happens in 2 seconds before I can grab them. They last 10 mins before and now it gets shorter and shorter. I'm going to try food next time to see if that helps.

 

[hopefloats]

have you switched cages out? rotate them into each other cages. who is usually the one chasing the rats?

Hairless will get scratched. I think rats with hair think they can bit harder not seeing how their skin is bare.



This is finley, now he was never abused, but his back sure looks it. He has a few ugly gashes, and he scared horribly, these were marks from templeton my big jerk, and toby who just like to bite and pull on rats lol

He is full grown, and only about 450 such a small boy.... but a jerk, he starts a lot of the fights LOL and i had him neutered at like 12 weeks old.

If you are doing intro in the tub and they are being cocky, put some water in there, i bet they will act right then.

I do my intro's on the table, when they start getting to serious i shake it. Why it startles them and they forget they were about to cause a felony on the new rat. I dont recommend doing that to all. but I have a few rats, that are total pitas to intro.

 

[TheRatQueen]

Okay thanks for the tips. I'm not sure if I'm going to try them tonight or not. Smeagol has a nice gash on his arm. I'm scared he's going to get too hurt Damn I'm a paranoid mum.

I haven't switched cages yet. And it seems as if they kind of both go at eachother at the same time oddly enough. If not, usually Watson...or if Smeagol sees him from behind sometimes he'll just hump em and walk away.

 

[hopefloats]

I have a group I an introing now I am doing the cage switching...some rats are really not fans of new rats. If smeagol is humping then mink will set him straight lol I have had a few humpers and there is always a humper here and one who will show him how to act. He is excited which is why he is humping..if he gets more use to their smell it should slow down and stop.

 

[Fidget]

Poor Smeagol! How about making an overwhelming playground of your bed with all the interesting stuff you can find (hidey-houses (only ones you can pick up and get to the kids easy), paper bags, baskets, plush toys, ornaments, whatever (anything interesting that is preferably new to all of them)
Put them all there at once and sit close or right in the middle. Hopefully they'll be too busy and curious to do more than pass by each other on the way to check out something else. If a tiff happens break it up immediately by putting each somewhere apart from the other.. If & when they start getting bored and focus on Smeagol, end the session til the next day.
Next session move all the stuff around to different places and add anything new you can.
As sessions go on when they meet somewhere, leave them together just a little longer and just stop any fights rather than taking them away from each other's sight, pat both and offer treats to them, if they'll sit close and eat it's a good start. Just distract them with treats or attention rather than separate them if at all possible.
The idea is to throw them into a new environment (we know they are cautious and survival depends on knowing their environment) so that they will be more concerned with checking it out for their own safety (self-preservation) to worry about Smeagol. Hopefully after a week or so of sessions they will see each other as familiar and non-threatening..