Rat and Piggie together......

[Skratikans]

Dont forget, you had 2 MALE RATS!!! Males will have ranks and as they get older, their hormones may get the best of them. I would NEVER EVER consider a male rat with my mouse. However, my FEMALE rat was a week old along with the mouse. Both were raised at the same time. They are together now for a year. The male mouse is neutered and very little temperment occurs if any. There is no rough handling of the mouse by the rat because their is another female rat that is a great companion for the other rat.

Rats have different personalities just like any cat or dog would. Some dogs should not be paired with cats, but their are always exceptions- it just depends on the character of the animal. Plus, lets not forget that the piggie is a rather large animal and is of relatively similar size with the rat, so its not as if the rat would completely overpower the piggie.

[Vanilla_Rat]

Oh I know how male rats could have bad temperments, but none of the males I ever had did and the dumbos still don't.If you never read my post, I said I intorduced the rats to the mice at a young age!Not as adults, now that my babies are adults, I would never risk letting them play with the mice.This was when they were young and didn't have the instinct really, or at least didn't know they are supposed to not like mice.

However I would NEVER risk having mice and rats LIVE together, even females rats and even if they seemed to get along.You never know what could happen.The rats could turn on the mouse anytime and if your not there, it could be too late.It is very risky to let mice and rats live or even just play together.

As for guinea pigs and rats, not a good idea either.Both animals have different diets and the rat is a predator and could turn on a guinea pig, just as it could turn on a mouse!

[Skratikans]

As a matter of fact, I have read your post. Keeping males, whether rats are mice, is very different from keeping females. My male mice would sometimes fight with each other and squable even though they were father and son. But females seem to be less tricky. For me and a lot of rat breeders I have spoken with, seem to have discovered that indeed you can house mice and rats together- but you must be careful of how you do it.

I have a campbell dwarf hamster living with a pack of mice (living together for a year and a half) and I also have a male mouse, two female rats and another campbell hamster living together (for a year now).

So just from the many pets and animals I have raised together and the odd relationships they have with each other (my hamster and mouse sometimes like to get it on!), I am convinced that this can be done.

But I definately dont think that this kind of housing arangement can be done with just any kind of rat. I think that call is for the owner to make.

[Vanilla_Rat]

Yeah...I know that 2 male mice will fight and often they will fight to the death.In one site, RMCA...everyone says DO NOT HOUSE MORE THEN 1 MALE TOGETHER...however I must say I have successfully housed several male mice together with only a few problems and often I didn't even have problems, but they still said don't do it.Either way I can and know that male mice do sometimes get along when raised up together as I have done it.

Rats are abit different then mice though.Male rats seem to get on better with their own sex then say 2 male mice.And yes, some male rats can become aggressive when they produce too much testostarone, but I never had the problem.

I would love to see pics of your mice and hams together and the mice and rats together.If it works for you, I it CAN be done.But still I would never risk letting them live together.I have some ratlets and when they are 4 weeks old and just weaned I wanna introduce them to mice.

[Skratikans]

Can't wait to see your baby rats. As soon as I can, I will def. post the pics of my lil family. But when I first introduced everyone, I must say, I was quite worried, but they did all the introductions for me. They just became inseparable.

I have three male mice living together with females, all my males are neutered, that along with plenty of room seems to do the trick with keeping male mice together. I have recently been taking one of my male mice to the vet, and as a result I need to reintroduce him all over again!

[Fubie]

Gettign back on topic, I specificlly read something about housing rats and guineas together. Rat's usually target things smaller then themselves..because well, they aren't super predators and it'd be stupid to try to eat something bigger then you.
The only thing it said against this pairing is that a rat might bully guinea. Well, since rats are smarter then guinea pigs they might feel the need to express their superiorty ^^
What I don't get is, a guinea is built more solidly with a stronger jaw, and has less weakpoints, and is pretteh territorial, why does everyone think it'd be the rat to do the damage?

[Skratikans]

I dont know, but one def way to find out would be to pair the couple, and if they were supposedly getting along in the first place.....then perhaps the same thing may happen in the cage...who can be certain...but one way to find out!

[Fubie]

You know, there's a show where they simulate two animals fighting, they calcuate their ablitites and strengths and such and make a virtual fight to see who would win.
It's annoying though, it's always obvious who's going to win, a shark against a croc, c'mon

[Vanilla_Rat]

Quote: Originally Posted by Fubie You know, there's a show where they simulate two animals fighting, they calcuate their ablitites and strengths and such and make a virtual fight to see who would win. It's annoying though, it's always obvious who's going to win, a shark against a croc, c'mon

I have seen that show, alot of times it is quite stupid as you obviously know what animal is stronger! Like one episode had an elk and a walrus!

[Fubie]

And a grizzley bear and a wolf!

[Meeces]

I'm afraid I'm strongly against mixed species living together. Even if on some rare occasions it is just about possible I really don't get why you'd want to!