Ugh, I can't do this. I hate intros. hate hate hate.

[Lourice]

So I finally tried intros again today, 2 months after their neuters, and it didn't really work...

I did it on the bathroom floor (i have 2 adult males btw), and it went okay at first but they still got so puffy and they fought twice. no blood, just some screeching.

Louis mounted Maurice at one point and help him down and Maurice was scared but okay, and then Louis got off, went beside Maurice and they scrapped again.

I don't know what to do. I don't feel like this is going well.

I had to stop after like 5 minutes because Maurice was scared frozen and he wouldn't move no matter how much i tried to calm him down, so I took them back to their cages.

i feel so hopeless :'( i don't know what to do to make them get along.

 

[jorats]

What you should try now is to have each boy on your lap. Don't allow Louis to mount Maurice. Hold them together and give them super yummy treats. Do this several times a day before anymore intros on the floor. Let me know how that goes and we'll go from there.

btw, I don't think it's going bad, there were no cuts or gashes. No blood is a good sign.

 

[jorats]

lol I just read you're subject line, I followed the thread through a link.
I just want to say that you are not alone. Dozens and dozens of people hate doing intros and are very uncomfortable with it. But we are here to help and guide you through it.

 

[RattusNorvegicus]

It doesn't sound too bad at all. I've only went through one tough intro and the key is patience.

Even if the intro was for 5 minutes a day due to stress, it still helped. I think what really helped was the bath tub intros. I layed a towel down, a water bowl and some cheerios. I then sat by the tub for a long time each day. Since they all were scared and uncomfortable and there was no where to hide, they ended up clumping together miserably napping. Eventually they got to a point where I knew they weren't going to kill each other (I intro'd a group of 4 to a group of 3, but the problem girls were only 3 of them) and only were going to settle the pecking order. They live so happily together now. The enemies became best friends.

Just keep trying. :hugs:

 

[Lourice]

Thanks you guys <3 you've made me feel so much better. Honest to god I've gotten so much help from this website. My rats and I thank you.