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introducing a new rat

3K views 17 replies 8 participants last post by  rodentz 
#1 · (Edited)
i was questioning geting a new rat and adding it to my other 2 rats and was wondering if you think they would get along or fight?

i was planning on getting another girl rat.

would a degu get along with a rat and beable to be in the same cage? and eat the same foods and things?
 
#2 ·
Remember first to quarantine the new rat,then introduce them away from the previous rats cage [if thats where the addition is going to live]. I think it will work well.I'm going to eventually introduce 2 neutered males in with my females.
More rats = larger cage of course.
& As with many animals,there's a possibility it still won't work out,so be prepared for that also ;) .
 
#4 ·
put the rats on neutral turf, let them met each other over a course of a few days, and clean the cage to at least not have the heavy residential rat smell, i doubt you could have a degu with them, they are not young animals, and if you have never had degus before, then it would be even more risky, the degu may kill the rats...also degus and rats have two totally different diets, not a good idea
 
#5 ·
ok, i wont get a degu, they just look so cute that i pondered it. i havent had one before and probably wont for a while (need more space for my cages hehe) my large rat is very calm and im sure would get along with it but my little naked one is dominent over my large rat but i dont know if shed actually hurt it as long as it didnt try and get in her box alot, she can share a bed with my fat rat
 
#6 ·
Introductions with females usually go pretty easy. Especially if they're young, or the new comer is a baby. How old are your girls, and how old were you thinking you wanted to get a new one? They can still work out very well when they're older, it'll just take a little bit longer, depending on the rats.

A lot of people recommend doing initial introductions in a bath, but with my rats at least it freaked them out so much that they were much more likely to fight than when I tried it on my bed, where they'd all played before, so it really varies with different rats.
 
#8 ·
i think it's totally dependant on the rat's behaviour and temperment. You must remember that if you go buy another rat and it doesn't get along with the others you have to have a seperate cage and keep it in there (also while quarintine). SO you say you don't have alot of room, keep in mind this could be a perm. situation w/an extra cage :)
 
#9 ·
If you get a big enough cage you can also split it in half if something goes wrong.

Introduce them on your bed or couch or something. I wouldn't recommend the bathtub because like Nara said the bathtub is a scarey place for rats. My rats have had baths before and when I even take them into the bathroom they flip out.

There probably will be some humping once the alpha is established. What I did with mine was I used a hidey house that was too small for the bigger rats to get into. It'll help the baby not stress out as much because she has a place of her own.

I don't think there will be much problem, just be patient....and if there isn't any blood then don't worry too much.
 
#10 ·
they are probably a year to a year and a half and i was planning on getting another 3 or so month old like they were when i got them, i still need to make a new cage so im not going to get it right a way but when i do ill have their old cage for the new one to be, i was also thinking i could put the new one in the new cage and have alot of hides so when they all go into a cage together the new one has the upper hand on knowing where things are, but im not very worried i think my rats are well mannered and wouldnt mind a new buddy
 
#13 ·
Ahh...it looks like you have Francis the splinter rat and Nelly the shorty cow ROFL!!! Im retarded sometimes!! I thought hte second part was teh breed!!!
 
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