Little_Vixen
Senior Member
First time I did intros, we used vanilla down their backs and it went okay, minimal puffing, they did some pea fishing and Flux peed on Goliath enough that he was almost soaked and needed a bath.
The second and third intros that I tried, I tried without vanilla because some people said that "they'll find out each others scent eventually anyway" and that it was lying and other comments. Both times resulted in injury.
I'm gonna go out on a limb and use the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" saying here. When they start intros again, I will be doing the swipe of vanilla extract down their back, but what else can I do to give them a better start at an intro.
They are used to each others scent again as I moved Flux into his new cage and his new cage is next to Goliath's so Flux doesn't puff up very bad anymore if I pet Goliath and then pet him in his cage. That first day he was MEGA PUFF. Seriously, I knew I should have named him marshmello. >.>
Anyway, when we get into a new place (send me some good thoughts that we're in a new place and not at his mothers for a month please), we will have a PROPER working tub that I will probably feel safe to do intros in.
My best friend was looking for me and suggested putting a tiny bit of water in the bottom of the tub because apparently a lot of people have suggested it when she googled it. She hasn't had rats for a few years and her boys had to be permanently separated cause she never got a neuter and there's no guarantee that would have worked with them.
Give them both a bath, give them a swipe of vanilla down their back and put them in the tub with a yummy thing they can't resist somewhere in the middle of it with NO hides or play things until at least 2nd intro, right?
I'm planning on getting Flux his neuter and that could really turn things around for them, but I wanna write this info down and keep it in a "My rat care" folder. With a list of all their favorite must-have foods.
When to separate, what should I look for?
-Puffing
-Hissing
-Boxing stance
Anything else?
The second and third intros that I tried, I tried without vanilla because some people said that "they'll find out each others scent eventually anyway" and that it was lying and other comments. Both times resulted in injury.
I'm gonna go out on a limb and use the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" saying here. When they start intros again, I will be doing the swipe of vanilla extract down their back, but what else can I do to give them a better start at an intro.
They are used to each others scent again as I moved Flux into his new cage and his new cage is next to Goliath's so Flux doesn't puff up very bad anymore if I pet Goliath and then pet him in his cage. That first day he was MEGA PUFF. Seriously, I knew I should have named him marshmello. >.>
Anyway, when we get into a new place (send me some good thoughts that we're in a new place and not at his mothers for a month please), we will have a PROPER working tub that I will probably feel safe to do intros in.
My best friend was looking for me and suggested putting a tiny bit of water in the bottom of the tub because apparently a lot of people have suggested it when she googled it. She hasn't had rats for a few years and her boys had to be permanently separated cause she never got a neuter and there's no guarantee that would have worked with them.
Give them both a bath, give them a swipe of vanilla down their back and put them in the tub with a yummy thing they can't resist somewhere in the middle of it with NO hides or play things until at least 2nd intro, right?
I'm planning on getting Flux his neuter and that could really turn things around for them, but I wanna write this info down and keep it in a "My rat care" folder. With a list of all their favorite must-have foods.
When to separate, what should I look for?
-Puffing
-Hissing
-Boxing stance
Anything else?
