🐭 HOW TO INTRODUCE RATS 🐭 | Rat care

[@Emiology]

Hi Guys! I know many of you were waiting on this video, and a few of you were asking me how the introductions between Rolo and the two babies went! I got very lucky and had no problems at all with the introductions! Some people aren't as lucky and can sometimes have a harder time with introductions! I thought whilst the experience was recent I would make this video to let you know of some of the methods out there that you can use if you're thinking about adding some more rats to your family and your current rats! If you are, then I wish you the best of luck!! 💓💓 - Emi

[@wredmonds]

Hi how old were your baby rats then because I’m getting three five week old rats and I have three 6 month old rats currently would it be ok to introduce when they are five weeks old or should I wait till six weeks ? Thankyou

[@raewaii]

I got lucky, I didn’t have to do any of this. I put my new rat in the tub with other two rats.. no fighting or biting just grooming each other. Put them all in the cage together later that day and it’s been butterflies and rainbows ever since.

[@tiarnaireland6018]

I did the same! Just lucky i guess

[@neatznotso7424]

Same! Both times I've done it it's been totally drama free. I was so scared after watching way too many KZbin videos :)

[@xxdoumaslove]

Same my rats get along nicely

[@lawrencehamilton7021]

Read your comment and did exactly that today and it worked, took like 20-30 minutes and they were okay with her

[@garfieldlover699]

god i wish this would’ve happened to me, i’m on the bathroom floor right now w the rats separated because one of the older ones bit one of the new babies :/

[@krystenseg]

I added a new 2 month old male rat to my 7 month old bonded male rats a few days ago and I was SO stressed out. I put them all on my bed while I supervised VERY carefully. Within a few minutes my older males both started grooming the baby. They have all been inseparable since that. I was VERY lucky that I was able to add my new boy to the “big boy cage” on the first night I had him and there have been zero issues. They all sleep in a giant huddle of rat face love

[@lulu7854]

How long did you quarantine them for? I’m getting 2 more rats for my existing rat as her sister died..

[@neatznotso7424]

@@lulu7854 that's what happened to our rats, her sister died suddenly which was horrible. It was probs about a month and we got another rat, so maybe it'll be different with two rats, but we were scared because of all the KZbin videos we had watched but they were fine straight away. It took a bit for them to bond but that was the biggest issue and they love each other alot now. We just got another baby and they were grooming her straight away and there's been zero issues. Maybe we've been lucky. How did you go?

[@mariamdream]

krystenseg wow that’s amazing !! Im about to introduce my male rat to two girls (spayed )this coming week so I hope it goes just as smoothly !!

[@kashregester3974]

Im so glad i read this I just got a new 4 week old baby for my q yo boy and he started grooming him. I thought it was a dominance thing soni got nervous but he was alone for a few months and was really excited when i got the baby today

[@user-uf9jx6mv6u]

And I oop- I’m in the same situation I’m so nervous if it goes wrong :/

[@smallpetchronicles3586]

Hahaha I was so caught off guard at the beginning with your rats in the back!! I was like “omg your stuffed animals ARE MOVING” 😂😭🙈

[@Drewfrog]

Hamster Chronicles that is fricken hilarious 😂

[@animalobsessed1]

I've seen the carrier method explained differently. Rather than reducing the severity of potential injuries, it is supposed to discourage them from fighting in the first place, because they feel it isn't worth the risk, since they know they won't be able to run away if things go bad.

[@Emiology]

That's an interesting way to look at it and makes sense too! Another benefit of them being in such a small space is that they have less area to defend and thus should end up working out their differences quicker than if they had space to run to separate spaces and become defensive

[@Nodonttalk29]

Her soft voice gets me every time.

[@Ratcrafts]

Adorable rat piles, so glad that the introductions have gone well and you now have a happy rattie group :)

[@lalasosa1562]

I love your videos

[@lalasosa1562]

Rattatea

[@petrinekjr8320]

I dont have rats, but I am here for an eduaction in pet rats and maybe a future group of ratties in our home 🐀🐀🐀 I was so happy when you commented on the hamster cage that it’s not suitable! We need to spread the word about the terrible cages for animals. Your knowledge gave you a new subscriber - Thank you 💎

[@Emiology]

+Trine K thank you for subscribing ❤️❤️

[@freshdumbledore8177]

I’d like to see videos about rats diets (and maybe food related illnesses?) And I’d like to see videos on a proper cuddling session hahaha They’re so cute :D

[@Gigabitties]

Fresh Dumbledore yess!! That would be adorable! I love it when they fall asleep while she pets them!

[@MunchiesPlace]

I don't own a rat but i watched because i find them to be cute little buggers and that my dad once owned rats as a child and i like learning and sharing info about pets with my friends and community. At one point in my life i did get introduced to rats by friends but it's been years since i last handled a rat. The more info is out there for people to access, the better it is on new rat parents and their pets. So thanks for making this! I'll be sure to refer my friends to videos like this if someone in my circle ever considers getting a rat or introducing a new rat. :)

[@rosenrot234]

It was cute how one of the younguns sorta immediately went to sniff or lick your big rats face when they got put in the tub. Just looked like "HI BIG FRIEND" Dangit I miss my rats. Vids like this help when I miss them a lot.

[@katematthews7223]

Thanks for this video! I got a sweet female rats who I consider a rescue because she was alone in a tiny cage. I waited weeks for some babies to be ready from a breeder. The babies are finally ready and introductions will start soon

[@SmokeyDaRoach]

I was thinking of getting another girl for my two girls Bandit and Smokey, I introduced Smokey to Bandit by using the neutral space method and it worked really well. They did a bit of rough playing but I was there to supervise and no blood was shed so I figured it was good!

[@Emiology]

+Taco Cat that's good! 😊

[@yellow4648]

I had to replay the video because I wasn't paying attention to Imee I kept watching the rats!!! 😂😁🙂 Edit: Thanks for the HEART!!! 😉

[@samora3339]

🤩👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👎👎👎👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@Megan-sm6fx]

Lovely video as always! Haha, 1:42 cracked me up. Sneaky rat!

[@Emiology]

I should have them all in the background more often, it makes me laugh a lot when it comes to editing!

[@Lkady]

Loved watching this video..but if i may make a sidenote..the music was a bit loud in this vid so i had trouble listning to you at times..but keep on going you do an amazing job :D

[@blair94]

Thank you for this video, it was really helpful. I used a similar method to this and my rats are really happy and getting along. It’s great

[@MissSonicexH]

For me personally, the Neutral Space Method works best. However I always try to keep them stress free even if it means putting them somewhere they've previously been and are comfortable with. I've tried the bath method but the poor rats were just scared the whole time so I used the lounge instead. Depends on your rat of course, Rolo and the babies looked quite content! And then after a lot (A LOT) of playtime outside the cages, I wash the big cage to remove the previous scent and put them together. Works great, even for my cranky old man Pringles who had been known to be aggressive to other rats. Now he's best friends with little Star Lord and the two are always asleep on the hammock together!

[@JayMate-nd1zy]

When I first got rats I had 2 girls and my mentor told me their sister needed rehomed (she was very old and the other owner couldn’t handle all the healthcare stuff going along with her) so she said it would be good for me to learn how to care for older rats. And I had no idea you had to introduce rats at this time so it’s really a good thing that they already knew each other cause I just threw them in the cage together. They were all fine and got along but jeez looking back I’ve learned so much.

[@kathinkofer7809]

I had to separate my pair of rats for two days. Cause I put revolution on them and it was just to be safe just in case they groom one and other. I did have them out for play time together tho. But after two days they were boxing and my rats weren't sure of eachother. So I ended up putting them in there carrier. And they weren't fighting so i kept them in there for like 30 mins and they were fine. So in some cases the small space thing deff works.

[@bogeyworman6102]

My chubster and been alone for a few months since he and another bub (RIP) became very violent but I'm considering introducing some new babies for company. Very appreciative of this vid! Xx

[@aaliyahbirchway806]

thxs this really helped cuz im getting two rats at the end of July one is going to be brown(if there is a brown one) and the other one is going to be black and white(if there is one)

[@mrnoodlesthegreat]

When u mentioned the carrier method a rat head poked out from.behind the stuffed pink (I forgot the name)

[@unicorncraftinginc5169]

I am thinking about getting a 3rd rat and this video made me feel so much better

[@jae4ze]

they are adorable, and I hope this information helps me introduce my rats, never done it before

[@jessicakollar8871]

I died every time someone poked their head out from behind the stuffed animal. So much cute!!

[@sallison6013]

Thank you.. I have been watching a lot of videos on how to do introductions. I am a newbie to rats. I have 3 now. All unneutered. Freddie is having testosterone problems and if very territorial with me. I am having him fixed at end of this month. He is around one. The other two males, Beaver and Princeton are about 5 to 6 months old. They are Way bigger than him.. hehe dunno? But I want this to succeed. Your video has given me ideas and some confidence. Thank you 😊

[@donttrustmeg9799]

I'm back to see Rolo. I love Rolo! R.I.P. Rolo loved for ever! ♥️

[@brittpayton1658]

At 0:10 you can see a rat on the stuff animal in the background

[@nickierainbow]

Started the process of introducing #5 and #6 to my boy mischief. The babies are climbing all over the older ones, licking them and popcorning everywhere... my big boys are just there like ´´huh? Lets take a nap guys, come on.´´ Theyre so chill and gentle, I think in a week or two they can be housed together, since ive seen no dominance at all so far, everything seemed peaceful. Previous intros with the older ones went just as smoothly. My double critter nation is slowly filling up 😏

[@rioprice9513]

Loved this x Rolo looks very happy having new friends cx

[@samora3339]

Love. It

[@naginoriette7857]

I’d love a video about bedding related respiratory issues, I think my boy is sensitive to my detergent but I don’t know because he’s only been home 2 weeks, I’m still trying to get the hang of this rat mom thing! First time rat mom

[@jadevt1939]

What do you do if straight off the bat the new rat bites yours quite badly with a good amount of blood showing? This was in the bath less than 20 min in. My rat was allowing himself to be pinned when the new rat bit him.

[@loobyharrison4119]

Been binge watching your channel! I'm getting some rats in July so just researching about them and there care needs x

[@minxyfox1264]

I’m worried about introducing my older rat to two new young rats as his brother died a couple weeks ago. He is currently being great for mange at the moment so where just researching introduction ways I have to put the new rats in a hamster cage while being introduced as a other cage isn’t rlly an option for me at the moment

[@lintahs8991]

First of all: Thanks a lot for this informative video. I will be introducing my 2 rats to 2 new friends soon and am therefore very scared that something bad might happen. I had problems with an overly aggressive rat before and seeing rats be scared of another cage mate just breaks my heart. I've been following your introduction for the past days and am now hopeful that everything will be fine.

[@Emiology]

+Lintah S I hope it all goes okay for you! ❤️

[@outdoorsluke]

Hi would just like to say your rats are adorable i am currently putting my 5 boys through the same method i just used a large box instead lol verry affective 12 hours in and not even a scuffle although before i made sure i was wearing the same clothes when handeling the 2 different groups so their scents would be on me

[@anapinheiro7433]

Watched this video cause I adopted a new baby rat and wanted to introduce her to my 3 other adult females. Left her in a separate cage for the first day, but put it side by side of the main cage with the other girls so they could smell each other. Today (the second day) I took all of them out of their cages and put them on my bed (neutral space, but a space they’re used to) and the second I put the new one there, the adults started grooming her. I was expecting it to take some days but they just accepted the baby right away. After some time, I put them all back in the main cage with the baby. They were smelling each other and the baby was exploring everything, but 0 fights so far (I’m monitoring them. Started introducing them in the morning and it’s night right now). They are even sleeping together. I got super lucky and I have very good girls

[@frosta7206]

I’m currently reintroducing rats 4 boys who are the sons of the older boy they are being introduced They are getting along wonderfully thank you

[@-linx]

I put my newer baby rat in with my larger rat in my smallest cage after multiple successes in neutral spaces and they didnt fight at all for about 8 hours but in the first fight babies ear is injured but now big rat really hates her and wont stop trying to attack her through the cages (violently)

[@alisha_36]

My boys where a few months 4-6 when I introduced them to there new younger 2 brothers that where 1 month old and took to each other straight away and cuddled up and groomed each other

[@jendavis7614]

I got two new 2-month-old bonded boys (Freddie and Rami) to introduce to my 2.5-year old boy (Louis). The breeder said to keep the new babies in quarantine for two weeks. They have about a week to go. When I put their cage in the room with Louis, how close do the cages need to be? Just far enough so that tails can't be grabbed by the other rat(s)? And then how long until I let them finally meet in the bathtub? 24 hrs of them being able to smell each other through the cages? Thank you for your amazing and helpful videos and info! So grateful!

[@Emiology]

Don’t put their cages together, it will just frustrate them being able to see each other but not being able to get to each other, as soon as their quarantine is up you can put them in the room but not too close and then start intros in the tub whenever you are ready and have enough time to watch them ☺️

[@GingerKitsu]

7:43 that little head popping up!!

[@FaerieFays]

Another thing most use together with introducing is rubbing some coconut oil on their rats so they all smell the same~

[@cheerfullyplayinghouse3855]

So is it ok to only get two rats and if one dies to just get another one?

[@lillth9292]

I'm getting 2 babies soon this video helped a ton!

[@SebastianTemlett]

Thanks, Emi! What is your timeline with intros. From getting the new rats to them being in their final cage - how long is that process? I know there should be a 14 day quarantine first, and then would you move straight to the carrier method? Or would you use a cage by cage method first? About to get two new rats (8 weeks) and will need to introduce them to my two girls (8 months), and I want to do it as correctly and smoothly as possible. :)

[@FaerieFays]

I personally don't agree with the carrier method, but I'm happy it worked out well for you either way! ^^ Myself I just put them one on one in the bathtub/bathroom for a around 5 to 10 minutes, And I'd do this multiple times a day for how many days necessary until I noticed that they didn't have any problems at all, and then put them all together and watched how that went. With rats with more of a age gap I usually rubbed some coconut oil on their backs and butts as this drive out their personal smell and made the, all smell the same (and made them lick eachother haha). Just letting you guys know in case anyone likes to know other methods~ also love these rattie vids ^^

[@Emiology]

Thank you! I know a lot of people don't like the carrier method, i think it's more common / used in the UK than other places. I think if I was introducing adults I'd be tempted to try a similar method to what you used, or if I already had two separate groups I wanted to introduce without the concern of having a lone rat on his own for any longer than he already had been 🙂

[@FaerieFays]

Imee's World Hm Thats actually pretty interesting that Its used over there more often, wouldnt have expected to have that change with country Haha. And No problem~ Im really happy it went Well and I'll look forward to seeing more of these cuties ^^ And by the way, I think most people dislike the carrier method as it can seem a bit rushed but as you said it really depends on the person as they usually know best what will and won't work for their ratties~

[@Emiology]

I think for some people / rats, the whole process / gradual increase in cage size can sometimes take about a week, but then from what I gathered when I was reading up on it in some cases it's believed to be better to 'rush' it by using the carrier method to get the stress of new rats over with quicker if you have a particular rat thats old etc 🙂 I definitely saw the benefits of using the neutral space method first though! They pretty much sorted out any issues between them in this stage and then spent the whole of the carrier method sleeping together so i think I got pretty lucky!

[@FaerieFays]

Imee's World You certainly are lucky to have Some rats with such amazing personalities (at least from what I can see) and oh my just a pile of them cuddled up together is the cutest thing~ Sadly don't have my rats anymore (passed away) but I'm slowly preparing myself to finally get back to keeping rats (didn't have the funds to get new ones for a while) I just miss having those cute whiskers greet me whenever I was in eyesight ^^ But again, I wish you so much good luck with these cuties, and I'll be following along for sure!

[@laurenw4660]

i'm in the UK also and the carrier method is definitely the most common one used here, mostly because it has quite a high success rate. I've tried numerous methods with introductions in the past and found that i end up having to resort to the carrier method as even though it might seem cruel, it forces them to interact and establish their hierarchy quickly (a lot of the time more nervous rats will actively avoid any contact and can cause more issues in the long run) and greatly lowers the risk of injury as they can't run away. As Imee mentioned though, every rat is different so it's not always guaranteed to work depending on your rats personalities but so far I've had 100% success rate using it, even with my most difficult alpha who would puff up at even the slightest whiff of stranger rats :'D

[@dariennehodges2509]

This was actually so helpful! Getting two new rats soon to introduce to my current two so this is great for what I’m going to do! Thank you so much!

[@Hello-wf9yd]

I might be getting two 8 month boys that I will have to introduce to my 4 month old boys I already have and this was very helpful thank you!

[@buttons3570]

Oh... While I was cleaning my cage, my dad plopped my new rat in the other cage and I started to freak out, but... Nothing bad happened.

[@Emiology]

That's lucky!

[@carolinecullison7193]

Lol "'here have this"

[@user-uf9jx6mv6u]

One of my rats has a Tumor so I was wondering if it would stress her out or hurt her to introduce her and her friend to 2 younger rats?

[@graceclover8697]

Do you recommend litter training rats before letting them free roam on beds and carpet?

[@styxwill]

I just got some very young rats in because my older rats friend died :( this video helped me a lot thank you!

[@jasminepittman9075]

You are a good mom and friend to your rats.

[@hazelkelly4214]

⚠️⚠️⚠️😭😭 Someone please HELP I got two new rats around three days ago and when I got them some was sneezing quite a lot. I brought them home they are both female and they have been with each other most of their lives But we one of them has red goo around their nose and their nose waters they are sneezing a lot and sometimes I can hear her breathing heavily. My other rat also has a runny nose and sometimes sneezes but not as much as my other one. I’m getting really worried and I don’t know what to do so please help!!

[@Faith-vb6ed]

How are they doing now? Its normal for them to sneeze when you bring them home due to environmental changes in the atmosphere but it should only last a week or so though, but but I’m not sure about the red goo😬. If one is sick maybe you should separate them for a couple weeks and supervise the one that has the “red goo “ around it’s eyes so it doesn’t give any illness to the healthy rat?

[@hazelkelly4214]

Bella C they are doing much better one of them doesn’t seem to be sick at all but the other one still sneezes at least once a day but I don’t see anyone of the goo or any discomfort so they are doing very well thanks for the help🙏

[@zm6780]

I don't even own rats but Iove ur videos 😊♥️

[@AvidboMerrion]

ive got rats after watching your videos, thank you for all your advice

[@tate1651]

I love your videos! I'm gonna be using this to introduce another baby rat with my two babies! So excited. Idk if this is regular but one of my babies is really quiet. He doesnt want to come out of the cage at all, he doesnt like to play much or interact, he does a little with his brother, they're actually brothers, but not much other than that. Hes very shy and almost in his own world. I was wondering if that means anything? They're basically polar opposites and idk if one is acting normally and one isnt or if it's just their personalities

[@Emiology]

That’s probably just his personality! 😌

[@tate1651]

@@Emiology alright thanks!

[@elizabethallen5329]

My parents just got me a little rat and its just her. I know they do better in pairs, but its been 4 days. Is it okay to get another rat now?

[@Emiology]

You need to get another rat asap

[@omccauther1]

I really hope you replay. So how many times a week should I do this also how long do we do this until they can go in the same cage?

[@bazzbruh]

Your voice is so so so soothing. But like all the typical voices are jsut Americans . I’m Aussie btw :)

[@octaviusheilung3853]

So i decided to introduce my two smaller boys to eachother and as soon as i put them in the neutral space ( i only had a plastic tub) Whiskey and Ares started popcorning and playing together, like they already knew eachother? I got them from the same place and they are about the same age

[@summers2007]

I just got two 16 week old rats and I'm nervous to introduce them to my aggressive 1yr old. Is there any safe way that would help the process along? I feel like these would just stress out the babies and anger the older one. My 1yr old puffs up and starts breathing heavily when he gets a whiff of either of them. It's super stressful.

[@francescagalfre9265]

One year later, How did it go?

[@pinkinkdots3942]

I got two rats back in September and my neighbors cat got inside while we were out and killed one of them. I had my other with me in the car. I'm looking for a way to introduce rats together but don't have more than one cages but I do have a plastic tub I have used for reptiles. I'm not exactly sure what I'll do but I'll definitely get my other rat from the place I got my two and try to find one of similar age

[@JackieDonnelly-s3t]

i had a pair and my one girl sadly passed this morning, leaving her biological daughter behind alone. i’m so nervous to add a new friend for her i don’t want her being stressed or getting hurt, how long should i wait to add a new cage mate? does she need time to grieve her mom first?

[@spaceraider3425]

for me we got 2 new rats because they needed a home ASAP so wee took them in. my mum didn't have enough money for a new cage so we kept them in the bath over night the next morning we out my other to rats on a bed with the new ones . we did this for about 5 hours so they could get to know each other and we could see iif there was any fighting and here we are today 4 beautiful baby's together as a family xx

[@Emiology]

+nicole aaliyah I'm glad it worked out okay! ❤️

[@kashregester3974]

Im getting another baby rat tmr!!! Its from the same litter as my baby rat bean ima name him jelly so itll be jelly, belly, and bean Ive had some trouble with the baby so i think that if i get 1 of his brothers he'll calm down and feel more comfortable with me and my 1 1/2yo im getting them cuz my big rat will probably die by 2021😢😭

[@LoyalLuna]

Instead of a small hamster cage, could a plastic, lidless storage bin work? Looking for more budget friendly options 😁

[@Emiology]

You need something they can stay in while you’re not watching so it will need a lid, ideally you want more ventilation that a bin can can provide

[@LoyalLuna]

@@Emiology thanks so much! Does it need to be a full size cage?

[@bellecosgrove8070]

i love your big rex rats

[@TheRisingIcarus]

If you already had older rats but got very young rats, could you keep them in seperate cages (or on seperate levels of a DCN) or would it be too stressful for them?

[@lindseykathleen1996]

Honestly thanks for this because I had a litter of rats a year ago and I kept 1 , had to give mom away because she was a psycho to me. And the dad passed not too long ago. The 1 I kept was solitary for a long time. He didn't like other rats. Now I rescued 2 more and 1 is very big and very intimidating to him so the big guy will try to groom him and the other will just scream. Also the 1 I had originally has 1 bottom tooth and I have no idea how the other got knocked out

[@juliakemper6706]

hi so i have a young pair of dwarf boys and i’m planning on getting another younger (normal sized) boy, is it ok if i leave the new rat alone in a quarantine cage for a couple weeks?? or will it make introductions/taming harder?

[@spiritblackpaw8435]

I got my rats on Christmas eve, they are rescues and were already bonded when I got them at four weeks old. Even though both are female, they have completely different personalities. Jaden is what you'd normally expect from a female rat, but Sweet Pea is so timid and startles fairly easily. If I let them out for free room time I can't be in the same room because they'll insist on climbing me.

[@bunnybaby975]

What does the climbing on you mean for rats? My boy jumps and climbs me lol he rather do this than explore during play time

[@spiritblackpaw8435]

@@bunnybaby975 It could be a number of reasons, mine eventually grew out of it and would explore, but they still liked to climb me. Rats are pack animals, and you are they're pack, so climbing you puts them close to you. Could also be separation anxiety, but I'd only worry about that if he never wants to do anything else. Wherever the play area is just sit and let him do whatever (unless that puts him in danger of course), he should eventually start exploring and being on you less. Just be prepared for a rat to climb you if you stand up lol.

[@pnalepa5ify]

How many days does this introduction method take? And do you keep them separate at night in different rooms and do a new step each day?

[@Emiology]

It really depends how difficult your rats are being. And no never separate them unless they're fighting and injuring each other, if you do that you'll have to start again. For me it took two days to do so I made sure to do it at the weekend when I was home, and I just slept with the small cage next to me in case there was any trouble. But for some people it can take anywhere from a day to a week, but in the end stages where they're in a bigger cage or a cage with not many items some people leave this stage a bit longer but by this point I wasn't worried about having to watch them all the time

[@sinandcyanide7505]

I'm brand new to this and my daughter put the new rat right in with the other one. I was going to clean the cage first but now I see that's not enough. I've also realized that the behaviors weren't as aggressive as it looked. Will it be harder to introduce them now after initially having them in the cage together? It was less than 5 minutes before I realized it was wrong and started watching videos. Should I wait a day before I try again in a different space? They're both females around 4 weeks old.

[@Emiology]

How did they react when you put them in together? With babies that young you don’t really need to introduce them you can just put them straight in together and they do need same age company ASAP 🙂

[@Dragongirl5]

Wot if they fight and get hurt ? My boys started fighting when they got to the hamster stage as soon as night time came and one got hurt. Ive put them back into there separate cages was that the right thing to do ?

[@learningtostudy6741]

Your rats are so cute! ❤️

[@mrnoodlesthegreat]

Ever since bijuu I think broke her toe in between the small crack on the cage corner (she squeaked so much) now everytimeci hear alot of squeaking a check on then ti find them play fighting xD

[@dreadosaur]

So... I have two rats, Gin and Tonic. They're both adults and they've been together since they were born. Tonic grew up to be much bigger than Gin (he almost weighs double of him, but not overweight). They were a little sick just some weeks after I got them, nothing too bad just sneezing, so they got medicine for it. Tonic quickly got healthy again but Gin never really did... I've been to the vet because of that a lot of times but nothing seems to help him. He's just sneezing all the time.. Right before Christmas Gin started to sneeze blood (it really is blood and nothing else, the vet confirmed it was blood). He's not doing it all the time just when he has to sneeze a lot at once blood will come out. The vet gave him medicine again and he is still on a treatment. Even his x ray was perfectly fine. He didn't even lose weight.. So everything seems to be perfectly fine except for the sneezing, the vet also said his lungs were perfectly fine. By now we know how to help him when blood is coming but Tonic seems to be a little overwhelmed. So often he tries to really agressively clean Gins nose, which Gin doesn't like at all. Also Tonic seemed to get more agressive in general with his poor brother... He sometimes bites him or doesn't let him eat. We hear Gin squeak in the cage so often because Tonic is after him. Even when they're running around the apartment Tonic won't let Gin alone. He always follows him trying to get him and drag him somewhere. It's really not nice and I don't know how I can help both of them. They've been such a good team in the beginning and they still are. They still cuddle but Tonic often gets way too territorial even though they haven't changed their territorium since I got them. We thought about getting two other rats, maybe a bigger one too so Tonic is not the only big boy. I don't know.... What do you think I should do?

[@Emiology]

+Annka Stcfu A bigger dynamic / group can often work better for some rats, although there is the risk of introductions being hard if Tonic is particularly aggressive, and there's the chance that he might just turn his aggression to the new rats. The reason gin might not be getting better in this case may be the stress of being pestered by his brother isn't giving him a chance to heal. I've heard of cases like yours although much more severe, even between brothers, where one rat has a lot more testosterone and aggression and the owners have chosen to neuter them and it's made a lot of difference and improvement in their behaviour, so that might be something worth asking your vet for more information about 😊

[@dreadosaur]

Thank you so much for your quick response! :) I build a house where only Gin fits in, because Tonic is too big for the door... I hope Gin can find some rest and peace in there. I also thought about neutering Tonic but I guess I'm gonna talk to my vet again about that. Btw. your little Sprout looks just like Tonic looked when he was still a baby ♥♥

[@Emiology]

Haha bless him! Get him out by himself often and give him cuddles from me in the mean time!

[@dreadosaur]

I will!

[@dreadosaur]

Imee's World unfortunately Gin passed away today... Tonic is now all alone and keeps looking for him. How long would you recommend to wait until I should get him new friends?

[@kathleenoneil4848]

after you introduce them do you put them in the same cage? for only 2 babies that brand new and you have no other rats?

[@Emiology]

If you're getting 2 babies that are coming from the same place and you don't have other rats, theres no need to introduce them. If it's 2 babies that have never met before that are around 8 weeks old you can just put them together straight away they're too young to have any serious fights

[@kathleenoneil4848]

@@Emiology Ok thank you so much i'm getting 2 new baby girls for the first time in the week of 6/14 !

[@susanholtz4374]

So my wife and I currently have two rats and I'm thinking about getting her another one. Both of our current rats are males. Would you recommend getting two rats or one? Ive never introduced rats to each other before and I want to make sure I'm doing it the safest way possible.

[@arieheim5001]

So I'm introducing a young adult rat to two slightly older rats. However, I have to work most days for about 8 hours at a time so I won't be able to look at them 24/7 as this process is occurring. Do you think I can still use the carrier method if I'm only watching them in the mornings and the late evenings?

[@victoriawilson2527]

how long should it be before they are allowed enclosed spaces ?

[@blanchybaby]

PLEASE REPLY Do you have any ideas on how I can make my rat friendlier towards his brother. They do have lots of good times but Mulberry will chase and bite Nettles. He pins him down and Nettles squeaks loudly. Mulberry will let Nettles pin him sometimes but it’s always Nettles covered in bite marks and never Mulberry.

[@alisha_36]

It sounds that don't actually get on. When rats play they shouldn't leave bite marks on each other. But in some cases with male rats it can be hormones that in away confuses the rat and can become agressive. Female rats I have found myself that they are more aggressive and can be to one another. I'm not an expert on rats I'm going from my experience and what I know and have red. Do you ever see blood?

[@HunterSeabreeze]

I have a quick question. We adopted 2 boys on the 16th and we are going to get another one (from the same place and the same cage). We'll be doing a quarantine for two weeks. But do we still need to do a huge introduction if they've lived with each other before?

[@Emiology]

I’d still go through the same introduction process but it may just take a lot less time 😌

[@HunterSeabreeze]

@@Emiology thank you for replying so quickly. We adopted the boys from a very horrible rescue (we even called the city on her) so we're going back to rescue one more and give them the best life they could ever ask for! Wish us luck!

[@LittlePaws18120]

Great video and thanks for the link. It was very helpful.

[@siandurnell7344]

Hi I'm.thinking of trying this method for my first lot of into I currently have 3 17 week old female and I'd say Nancy who is the greedy guts of the group is the most dominant. My 2 new babies are 7 weeks old so do you think I'm OK to give this a try? X

[@Emiology]

I’d wait until they’re 8 weeks old and at least 180/200g 😊

[@mrnoodlesthegreat]

Sprout is ADORABLE

[@priscillaspets]

i have a girl rat who’s about 7 months of age and i got her a buddy who’s way smaller than her (also female). Should i wait until the other one gets her size to attempt these? 😁

[@Emiology]

The youngest really needs to have same age company it’s important for their development. But you want to wait until they’re at least around 180g for females

[@priscillaspets]

@@Emiology oh gosh.. 😬i feel really bad now. i had a single rat who i rescued because she was being kept in a 5 gallon fish tank, I got her a buddy to try and help her 🥲do you think it will be possible to bond them? or? what do you recommend me doing ): thank you so much for the reply

[@Emiology]

@@priscillaspets It may be more difficult if she's not had company for 7 months, it may take her a little longer to get used to having other rats around. For that reason as well I recommend getting another baby rat for the youngest one, that way you avoid having 2 lone rats while you try to work things out :)

[@Drewfrog]

I have a rat who is alone and I’m obviously getting a friend who will be a baby they are also getting a new cage that they both have never been in as it’s new would that be considered a neutral environment?

[@ohdear279]

I have two rats with an age difference of about 6 months, if my older girl goes (she's two), should I try to convince my mom to let me get more rats (which I really highly doubt she'll let me do) , or what would you recommend?

[@noturaverage5846]

I got me some chunky boys recently and rat 1 will be grooming rat 2, but rat 2 will squeak sometimes and i'm not sure if it's hurting him or not. Other than that they seem to get along just fine so I'm not sure if its okay or not. Any advice? (also, they do have names- just for convince I didn't use them lol)

[@dirtygarfieldb0ng123]

Hi Emi! I have a rat that I made a big mistake with her by putting her alone, I now don’t really know what to do cause what if she fights the other one? Will that happen?

[@louisaesquivel6592]

How do you k ow who the alpha rat is in a larger group? I have 7 females that are about 4 month and I am going to be getting 3 babys. I will have a quadruple (or double 2 story critter nation set up side by side) is this enough space?

[@pjplummer1634]

Emiology I'm getting ready to introduce my 2 4 month old female rats to 2 new 1 1/2 month old females I dont see many vids about thos any advice? I have a dominant female and she isn't aggressive I'm just nervous cause i tried introducing with prior rats I have owned and it hasn't gone well can you do a video or message me with advice?

[@lindseymcquillan5329]

My babies are about 8 weeks old and my older rats are a year old, can I introduce them??

[@Emiology]

As long as they're a good weight 😊

[@jasminepittman9075]

I love your channel it is awesome.

[@ryahwhitehorne5339]

How will I Know whenever they are good with each other

[@MyPerfectMischief]

Ryah Whitehorne a good thing to look for is if they’re consistently sleeping together. Sometimes someone might want to be alone and will sleep by themselves, but most of the time they’ll sleep together.

[@amandablair4881]

Hi Emi. Edit: being told to be successful I need to have them in one enclosure. I have a bono Fido 168*93*62. Bar spacing 1.8cm. Would this be okay for 6 males. Thank you for your video. If you plan on bringing in new boys (we have 3 boys 6mths) but they will have separate enclosures in the same room but want them to free roam together do we still follow this process.

[@Emiology]

Unless they’re living together as a group it’s too risky and stressful to free roam together. You’ll have to make sure they can’t get to or see each other through the bars

[@amandablair4881]

@@Emiology hi yes thank you was just told this. In my original post I have added the dimensions of our enclosure. Would it be bigger enough for 6 boys? Thanks again