update on intros

[ratmomx5]

Today I introduced my boys Finley and Darwin to Harvey. They are all 8 weeks old and Finn and Darwin are brothers. They were doing great which honestly surprised me a little. When I left for work Finlely and Harvey were playing and Finn who is still skittish of me since he is rather new was coming to the cage door when I opened it since he saw me petting Harvey and was playing with him. Darwin is still skittish and wasn't following Harvey around like Finley was but there were no fights, stand offs or chattering of any kind. When I left for work everything was going well still so fingers crossed they will still be doing good when I get home. Should be easy to see if anything happened to Darwin since he is a hairless and Finn since he is a russian blue variegated but not so much on Harvey who is an agouti self rattie and he is smaller than the other two even if he is the same age. raying:

 

[SQ]

glad everything went well.

Since the boys are all 8 weeks old, they are babies and view new rats as playmates.
When all rats are under 12 weeks old, they can be just put together

 

[ratmomx5]

Today things are still going well. Finn is taking wonderfully to Harvey and vise versa but Darwin has excluded himself sometimes he comes by the other two but not very often. Harvey (who is a major spaz) was running back and forth between me and Finley going crazy eventually when he started calming down Finn came to check things out but Darwin looked interested but never joined them. When I got home Harvey and Finn were sleeping together but Darwin was alone I was feeding them and they all were trying to figure out what was going on and Harvey even went and started grooming Darwin which I believe is a good sign. Hopefully Darwin will come around. Today I will take some pictures of everyone.

 

[jorats]

Sounds like things are going really good which is to be expected when they are only 8 weeks old.

 

[ratmomx5]

I was rather scared about it because with my first group I had 4 boys and decided to rescue a new boy when he was about 8 weeks old he was extremely friendly to people but when we tried to introduce he attacked my 4 older (much bigger) boys and ripped the alphas (who was 3lbs!) in half. I couldn't even have them in the same room because if the young one could even see the other rats he would attack the side of his cage trying to get to them. So I was very nervous with my little boys and didn't want to go through that again. I am still waiting to introduce my older two boys who are almost 7 months old to my 3 little guys in fear that might happen again. but fingers crossed in a few weeks when they are a little bigger that things will go well.

 

[jorats]

That sounded like a rat with real aggression which is not really common. Stay positive!

 

[glitchiq]

Good luck! I'm sending well-wishes to you and your rattie boys! Also, I have a German Shepherd/Lab mix too! I saw Cassie in your signature and couldn't help but notice; we have a Shannon :lol: