The 3 Main Ways to Introduce Pet Rats (plus Pros and Cons of each method)

[@katherinesandford1322]

The one thing I'm scared of is that they are being friendly in the big cage and then you move them in the big cage and they have a fight while your not in the room

[@margalothegreat_hams]

I'd like to add that a good way to get them used to each other's scents before letting them interact is to put the cages next to each other and swap out items, or maybe mix their bedding a little. This just helps them get used to the presence of another rat, so that when they meet them face to whiskery face the other rat doesn't feel completely foreign :)

[@lilacheart_]

i love the carrier method is literally just trauma bonding your rats 😂 but it works!

[@ivettnemeth6218]

I will have to use the bath tub method as one of my older girl freaks out so much in the small carrier she just squeaks and won’t stop biting the cage - so stressed. It’s heartbreaking to watch.

[@irRATional_adoRATion]

really nice and straightforward tutorial! we can confirm that each of the methods actually works with specific rats! and, just in case (the most unlikely case) you don't know, let me tell you of another one trick to try with most complicated and elderly rats. is is called "an advocate". like us people, rats tend to like (and dislike) some specific fellows more than the others. so, when introducing an adult rat to pack of the younger ones, it is sometimes (in case of initial failure) best to try a tete-a-tete tactics. an adult would reject/be unbearably dominant to some, but there always will be the one it is more indulgent to. so, instead of introdcing one to all, we introduce one to the "favorite" one. the "advocate". and when the bond is established, integration with the rest of the pack will be much easrier in the presence of "an advocate", which would solve the conflicts and really helps to maintain a negotiative mood). this worked for us with one really cruel, bulky and mighty rat called Meaghan, she would mutilate and try to kill any other rat on sight - no warnings, no furballing, just pure blood lust. she spent two years in solitary confinement prior to making it to our little rattery. all of the efforts were of no use, and we already decided to leave her be. but suddenly, the abovementioned method gave fruit - and then we beheld a view of a gigantic (700g, for a female) Meaghan cuddling and being cuddled by whole our pack (which was no less than 15 specimen). and she were so happy to get a famliy and to get to believe in love. she always wanted more of this! such a huge leap for a rat soul. our sweet little big Meaghan.

[@Monkicos]

Late to the party but still curious. Where do you keep the new rats between introduction sessions? A different enclosure I would presume to avoid territorial behavior, but what would that enclosure be like? Would it be a full on second cage or would it just be a simple cage with minimal furniture?

[@spiritasmodeus158]

Great video! Im getting my 10th rat tonight, i need to introduce two young males for the first time, ive had males before but only in pairs of brothers that were already bonded

[@suzypenguin]

Fantastic, very helpful information! I was a first time rat mom and just introduced my two males (one was neutered) with neutral territory method which worked quickly. Then I bought a new critter nation double cage and put males below and my spayed females above. It was neutral since their scents weren’t yet on the cage. I let boys visit girls and then put them below and closed the opening between levels. Next morning I let boys visit girls again and they all got along. I was lucky things went so quickly.

[@heliossayshi]

OMG! Thank you so much for this I'm getting two new rats on the 21st of June, Also I love your vids

[@TheRatCrusader]

Despereaux & Hovis Rattie the 21st! Congrats 🎉! Tell me there names as soon as you get them!!! Ps Love your channel and rattie Adventures!!!

[@heatherlee7123]

How did it go?

[@Eternatease]

One thing about your presentation of the glove method: I think you skipped a step. In your video you put both rats in an enclosed space and also the cage door seems a bit small to intervene quickly. I would recommend trying the neutral territory combined with the glove, especially when you try to introduce multiple rats to one or more rats. I start with the glove method in a neutral territory, then I would put the rats in an empty cage tray (maybe with some food and bedding and water, and maybe even a litter tray if your resident rat(s) are used to using that) or maybe in a box turned over with the open end facing you (at the front). After that slowly add decorations in the next sessions, but nothing they can hide in, to prevent fights where you can't access the rats. For the glove method you may need lightning-fast reflexes. You should at first shield the younger rats from the bigger, older rat. Sometimes you can shield the older rat's head from interacting with the younger rats, especially in the first few sessions. It is said that introducing female rats is easier than introducing male rats. I would also wait until the young rats are a bit bigger (say 200 grams for a female and around 300 grams for a male) or at around 8 to 10 weeks old, depending on how much you trust your resident rat(s). With difficult rats it could help to place the cages close together before starting with introductions, maybe for more than a week or even two weeks, but not so close that they (or their tails) can be in contact. The 'neighbor cage method' could take as long as your introduction period, meaning until all rats are safe to live in the same cage together. What also helps to get the rats more familiar with each other's scent is to swap soiled bedding regularly or even to swap cages for an hour regularly. I only had 2 difficult introductions so far. I am currently in the middle of one with one 22 months old male rat and two 11 weeks old males. I may be biased because so far I have almost only had difficult introductions, also because of the big age differences between the older rat and the introductees. Introducing 2 rats that differed 6 weeks (one of the 2 brothers died because of a pet store selling me sick babies, so I had to get the remaining rat a new pal) was easy for me. They were okay from day one. And I had a fatal introduction where I was completely ignorant about rats and introductions and put a 5 weeks old female in the cage with 3 older females. I wasn't paying attention because I got a phone call, one of the females bit the young one in the head and it died within minutes. I didn't even have the baby for an hour. And she didn't even have a name yet. Sadly when I first had rats I had to learn everything by making (ignorant) mistakes and there wasn't as much information about rats online 10 to 15 years ago. I hope this helps everyone to introduce their rats safely.

[@corriew6849]

I’m sorry for replying to your comment 3 years later, but I really felt the need to thank you! I’ve got 2 female rats now, and on Saturday I’m getting one or two more females. I was given a lot of false information from a woman who claimed to be very knowledgeable about rats, she has 4 of her own. In a cage that’s barely big enough for 2. I’m glad I did research when I did because I was able to get my girls a super huge cage quickly. This cage could house 6 rats easy. Anyway, I’ve been watching and reading about how to properly introduce the girls, and this video combined with your comment, have been the most informative so far. I really appreciate it!

[@Eternatease]

Meanwhile I had a couple of difficult introductions. The one with the two young males to the way older male sadly failed twice. And he died before I could try again. Another one with two female shelter rats to a 5 months older female. I don't know why one of the two (one of my current three) was so terrified of almost any contact, beit other rats or humans. But I persisted an gave her a chance, and after a couple weeks (with a break to castrate both females to prevent tumours later on in life) she finally felt secure enough around the other rats. After one of the other shelter rats died I got two bucks a couple months later, and when they were big enough I introduced them to the two females. Sadly I had to put one of the oldest females to sleep early December 2021, and now I have three rats left. One almost 2.5 years old Siamese girl, and two 6 months old boys. A black silvermane and a Burmese mink silvermane. I have a link to my rat photos on my profile (DeviantArt). Take care 🐀🐀

[@mange2696]

What I did was get something that smells like the other rat since my oldest lived alone for four months. After a day or so, I'd let them run around the table together and keep a close eye on them. I dunno my year old loves other rats and even tried to take this baby mouse she found under the couch. Don't worry, we got rid of the baby mouse. She loves to meet new animals but my baby, the one we had just gotten, seemed to be more aggressive to my year old. She ended up relaxing after a few hours of the two cleaning each other and sleeping in a tank. They get along really well now.

[@8sthear8]

This will be helpful because one of my two rats passed yesterday (currently crying) and since it’s my birthday today my parents decided to get me two baby rattles so my 1 year old rat won’t be lonely.

[@xxl4639]

i was introducing my young rat to my older rat using the carrier method and the moment i put them together they start fighting, there was no blood drawn but the fight looked really scary that i had to break it up, what do i do, i cant seem to get them to get along.

[@hollielittle6087]

Try putting them on something like a bed or a table first and then put them in the carrier

[@SteCoretta]

Loved this video! Thank you so much. Very clear and helpful! ❤

[@guyscott24]

When you have two rats and one passes away, it’s best to find two baby rats to take it place. You may not want 3 rats, but remember that when the older rat passes the other two will have each other. Rats are very social. But it’s easiest to raise a baby than bring a potentially aggressive adult rat in the mix. I just went through this

[@graysonblossom9218]

I'm currently doing the first step right now and there doing pretty good there not really doing anything but there all pretty socialized from where I got them

[@CreekValleyCritters]

Excellent video, I learned lots :)

[@vanshelton2392]

So much rat cuteness!

[@charlottemoocow]

Thank you for this ☺️

[@stephaniewieczorek8420]

Hey! What mixing tub did you use for the final cage to fit in the critter nation?

[@michelleroy2444]

I’m trying to introduce my new rat to the other and the other started attacking the new one she bit her in the neck what should I do

[@hoolimom]

.....and from the 9th minute i finally recognise my 2 babies and young female rat who became recently alone... im going to try the carriermethod with best hopes but doubting and little , small and low expectations xx

[@cynthiacole9328]

Great video, and I will definitely use this information when it comes time to introduce my rats . 😄

[@skateywatey]

im super nervous. I have an albino female wistar rat who has been raised as a lab rat with no socialization... I am trying out this very calm adult dumbo rat with her, i'm praying that it works out!

[@johnorsomeone4609]

Did it work out? I’m trying to introduce rescued feeder rats (from the animal rescue league; I didn’t buy feeders myself to rescue) and I’m terrified. The closest vet is half an hour away and they’re so poorly socialized that I’m not sure I could even get them into the travel carrier. Also, I’ve never successfully introduced rats and I don’t trust myself to know the difference between a real fight amd the normal fighting that they do to establish dominance. Help!

[@skateywatey]

@@johnorsomeone4609 AHHH so yeah I loved her! Her name was pinky❤️she ended up loving my sweet dumbo rat i adopted (flower), and would cuddle and I think flower became somewhat of a mama figure. definitely tho pinky would try and be more dominant and she wasnt a fan of humans. i introduced them in the bathtub, a neutral area neither had been. they were good. never had any serious fights, i think its mainly a problem if its all the time and if there’s blood? I would fact check that tho!!

[@miki_mochi]

Is it common for your rats to bite you if you try to intervene in a fight? I'm assuming that's what the glove is for? But is it very likely to happen even if the rat has never bitten you before?

[@ShadowTheRat]

When an animal gets super amped up they loose a lot of their inhibitions. That’s why a normally nice dog might get overexcited or overstimulated by lets say another dog and bite their owner who is trying to block interaction. Same goes for rats - if they get too engrossed in getting to another rat and you block them then they can redirect onto you - and if they were intending to bite the other rat or super excited they might bite you instead. So to avoid that you have two options when dealing with a rat like that - either wear gloves, or make sure the situation never gets to the point of a rat being so overstimulated that they bite. I’d recommend the second actually as it’s much easier to do intros if both rats are in a calmer state. You can redirect with liquid treats slathered on each rat and if they start getting too excited use a noise to distract them and follow up with more liquid treats on each rat to encourage grooming. Overall having gloves is just a precaution and I’ve never needed to use them because if my rats are getting too upset during intros I immediately redirect. I have had s normally gentle rat lungs and almost bite me for smelling like a new rat she disliked (rats are very scent oriented and so they can bite you by accident this way as well) but thankfully she was still calm enough that she figured out I was there and so she stopped chomping down at the last second.

[@EchosAesthetics]

I wish I could do the carried method but we don't have the cages or carriers for it

[@erinbrunk4210]

I looked on craigslist and saw 2 rats in a cage about half the size of a critter keeper.

[@TaiChiKnees]

This was fantastic! Thank you so much! Have you had any experience with this business of putting scents on the rats like vanilla or some such?

[@annanewton1383]

When its time for them to actually live in the same cage together what if the main rat your introducting them too gets territorial over thier cage?

[@brandavir]

If using the neutral territory method, how long should the sessions go, and how much time off should I give them between sessions? I have one older rat about 17mo, and three new younger about 3mo. The younger ones all grew up together. Thanks

[@sarah-maudemichaud8235]

Its recommended to start at five minutes the first day, then 10min the next day, and add 5 min each day until u reach 30min without fight

[@starreyed1]

I know this is old, but adding to sarah's guidelines... Always try to quit while things are going well. It can be _really_ tempting to go "just a little longer" when it's going smoothly (speaking from experience). Better more frequent shorter, positive sessions than fewer bit longer ones that get snotty. Lastly, it's not always linear progression. 5 min, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30-::TA-DA!:: you're done. Expect to go back and forth time wise. Remember, you're moving at the speed of rat.

[@carolinecullison7193]

If my rats see my hand with a glove on it the freak out and bite me...

[@TuxedoBond]

Same here. I suppose they can't recognize our scent and find the glove (and fingers underneath) fun to chew on.

[@Ruheschrei]

I think they they Do smell you and want to get your hand out of the glove to play with them and pet them ☺️😁

[@Bee_Wagner_]

I’m going to use the carrier method I’m going to be using a diy cage for the small cage wish me luck

[@rosesways4158]

I would probably try a mix of the three. I have two boys and I am getting another pair or so.

[@dawnozone4506]

I have been trying to introduce a new rat, Junebug, who is now about 7-9 weeks old I think to three adults: Jasper, Jinx, and Goblin. Goblin is a neutered male and I don’t know his age as he was full grown when we got him, and Jasper and Jinx are both about 1 year old. Goblin is amazing with Junebug and spends most of his time in her tank so that she’s not alone, but Jasper and Jinx are having issues. I think they are getting better but then something happens. Jasper is good with Junebug in a neutral territory, but does not get along at all with her in Jaspers free roaming area or her cage. They are doing well so I had been trying to get them together in Jaspers areas but she always attacks. I’ve tried letting them work out the dominance issues but Jasper just keeps going and I have to separate them. Jinx tends to ignore Junebug and will sniff her a little in the neutral area, but when it comes to the cage Jinx gets territorial. I should mention we try to get them in the cage after it’s been cleaned. Because they aren’t making progress in the neutral territory I tried putting them in Junebugs cage which was working, but Junebug tries to play with them to the point where they get annoyed and attack her. Jasper has also just attacked her in Junebugs cage. I have been putting Junebugs bedding in the main cage but I don’t think it’s doing anything. Should I just try to leave them in the neutral territory for even longer periods of time together? Because I’ve been using a big cardboard box but Jasper and Jinx hate it and can jump out of it. Should I just keep putting them back in there? I don’t know what to do and I’ve only had a problem like this once before where a male rat was alone after his buddies passed away because he was younger than them, and he would never accept any new rats. I don’t want this to happen for Jasper and Junebug. I do have a double critter nation that I could take apart if this doesn’t work and have them separate, but that is last resort. I have been working with them for a few weeks now. They have interactions everyday but maybe they need to be more frequent as sometimes I can only do it once a day as I wait for Jasper to wake up and want to come out of the cage. Please give me advice

[@dawnozone4506]

I should add that Jasper is not only power grooming but also biting, which is when I separate them. I try to let them work it out but I’m worried Junebug could get hurt since she’s so much smaller than Jasper.

[@dawnozone4506]

Jasper Jinx and Junebug are all females if it wasn’t clear in my comment.

[@talithabrooke6460]

Amazing video, thank you!

[@EquitySolutionRayRaz]

I guess I should of watched this first , but I was very lucky throwing a new ween into the mix after having them for a month I didn’t want to wait and got a new one quickly and just put her in , guess they were still not so comfortable together and just being established, I made a divided cage so the rats can smell new rats before going together with holes small enough they can’t get through but they can interact , divided but together , hope this is okay they seem to be getting along and will share things with each other lol

[@parthxus]

I have a rat I’ve had for 3 weeks. He’s unsocialized and I’ve been recommended to get him a friend. I want them to get along and to the bathtub method but I’m scared to pick up the rat I have now as he’s scared and nervous. I am also scared if this one is scared of me, it won’t work. What should I do?

[@tylergarcia6335]

I have a young, timid, single rat as well (ill be getting his cage mates this weekend). I asked the breeder about how to make the one I have more comfortable, this is what she said, "I am a very hands on owner, I grab them when I want them out, I love on them despite them looking at me like I'm the worst thing and I basically don't give them a choice in life. In my opinion, this leads to outgoing and confidant rats because I am outgoing and confidant in the way I handle them." I started out by giving him space and letting him come to me when he was ready, and it helped to let him know that I'm not something he needs to be afraid of. But then he stopped progressing, so I started to handle him more confidently and its been working! You kind of have to push them a bit to show them there's nothing to be afraid of. Just remember that it's okay to handle them when they're not comfortable, but don't push yourself when you're not comfortable.

[@portiacasper3362]

Thanks so much this helps a LOTT

[@cecilialagrutta9579]

Do I put vanilla on their tails?

[@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.

[@ShadowTheRat]

The easiest would be introducing a pair of babies aging 6-12 weeks (since you have males though you'd want to wait until the babies are 8-10 weeks or ~200 grams so that they can stand up for themselves). If you only want one additional rat then you'd want them to be similar in age to your males - that intro would possibly be a bit harder since adult rats act more territorial over strange rats over 12 weeks, but it should still work out as long as you go at your rats pace. But if you plan on continuing to keep rats I'd definitely recommend a pair of male babies and I'd recommend first trying a neutral intro because I think that's easiest when starting out, and depending on how that goes you can modify it from there.

[@adrianalugo1195]

Are these methods able to a female and male rats? :( I have a baby male rat (Ban) and an adult female rat (Suga). Suga is just curious because of the new member but Ban is so afraid and i dont know what to do :( I tried to switch the cages (Ban in Suga's cage and Suga in Ban's cage) for a while but Ban is still so afraid and i dont know why :(

[@ShadowTheRat]

Yes these work with both sexes - in your case I'd recommend the glove method and a very gradual intro. Keep the new rats heads away from the scared rat at first and feed everyone liquid treats nearby. Don't let them confront her at first, instead letting her gain confidence by getting to approach them from the side. Keep them in a neutral area for at least a few hours each time, and don't take them apart unless they are relaxed. Overall just keep working at it - some intros take a while (my longest took 2 months!) but they have to meet and keep having good experiences for it to get better. Switching cages and items actually doesn't help and can make things worse, since they smell the new rat but can't meet them and so feel on edge. So I wouldn't switch up cages anymore but instead just have long meeting that you moderate in a neutral area and slowly work towards them being more confident. Some of my rats have froze and screamed when another rat even turned to look at them but with a nice slow and gradual intro even these rats learned to love their new cagemates and got along very well

[@vipervenom7804]

I only bought 1 rat to start I've had her for almost 2 months and am wanting to get a 2nd rat I'm very nervous about introducing them and I don't have carriers or multiple cages need advice please

[@leisewri]

The neutral territory method is my preferred method. I've always thought of the carrier method as being trauma based and unsafe, and I find it unfortunate that it's gotten so popular.

[@ShadowTheRat]

Neutral territory is also my favorite, because like you say the carrier method does add a lot of stress on both the rat and human sides. That being said, I've had it bond rats who would attack to hurt in neutrals, so I think it has its place when everything else is exhausted. Usually I combo methods so neutral territory to a neutral medium cage without items, then build up to the full large cage.

[@buttons3570]

One time I got a rat, and I was trying to set up the bathtub for them to meet and when I got back the rats were in the cage, I was mad at my dad. But they didn't fight - probably because one was in a box right next to the cage and they saw each other.

[@ShadowTheRat]

Rats rely more on scent than sight so I would guess you just got lucky and he rats clicked right away. This happened with my Latte, Berry, Cream, and Cookie - I just put in the older rats and they immediately accepted each other. Sometimes they just work out no isssue! This is great, but just be sure to be careful in the future as it’s not so common that I’d bet their lives on it.

[@courtneytupper6389]

I have a problem :( I've had my two older boys, nutmeg and remi for about a year now I recently got a 7 month old boy named cinnamon I've tried so many different introduction methods but nutmeg keeps trying to fight cinnamon, and he's bitten him on the back once Remi has no problem with cinnamon, but cinnamon is terrified of the both of them Please help :(

[@ShadowTheRat]

Often scared rats can trigger fights - personally for scared rats I use what i call the block and redirect method, basically you act as a body guard for the scared rat and if another rat approaches them then you block with your hand and redirect that rat towards food. Allow the scared rat to approach the others, but if they get too excited then also block and redirect with food. The goal is to have them being calm around each other, and is perfectly fine if they don't interact at first. All that matters is that it stays a good experience for them. With my current rats I had an intros a bit like yours, where the older ones scared the heck out of the newer ones. The older ones could even just glance at the younger ones and they would squeal and run off, which triggered my older rats to chase them down and try to pin them hard. And if they kept struggling they would keep escalating, and since I've seen rat fights go south I knew I had to step in here. So this is when I started doing the block and redirect in neutrals, so that my older rats learned that they had to be calm around the new ones. It was a bit of a process but slowly but surely they stopped going after the new ones and the new ones stopped being so scared as a result, and this lack of fear meant they stopped triggering the older ones to attack. And now its been a few weeks and while they have the occasional escalation during free-range they do perfect in the cage and even the free-range fights usually are very minimal squabbles and only require occasional blocking and redirecting. So all that is to say I think your best option would be a similar method. Start by having the new one and your older rat who doesn't care about him in the same area. Offer high value liquid treats and don't force interactions, but just let them be in the same area. If your older guy tries to approach the new one then block him, and redirect to some food (I will usually lure them around some to get their focus off the other rat). End on a good note with them eating liquid food as close together as they are comfortable. Repeat this a few times daily until the new guy is comfortable with the older rat who doesn't care, then start adding in the rat who is more pushy. Make sure to block and redirect the pushy rat and never allow them to squabble (he has already proven he gets too amped up and since the new one is scared nothing good will come out of letting them "fight it out". Establishing hierarchy is important, but it needs to be done when the rats are in a calm state of mind and not super excited since excitement leads to them overstepping their normal boundaries and potentially hurting each other or worse. So prevent squabbling until they prove they can get along in the same area and then you can start allowing some brief physical interactions and build from there). Once they all do well in a neutral area and can interact physically without intervention from you, then you can move to the cage. Clean the cage fully, only put in bedding and scattered food and water, and make sure you have a few hours to monitor them. If they do well, leave them overnight. If they need more blocking and redirecting then you will want to separate them for the night and have them together in several hour bursts when you can watch. Once they do well in the empty cage for 24 hours without intervention then you can add in some open toys like flat hammocks. And once they do well with those then you can add in some enclosed toys. If they ever start squabbling too much then don't be afraid to go back a step - intros can sometimes take a while, and my longest took 2 months and I've known others to have even longer intros. Just be sure to go at their pace and don't push it - I wish you luck with intros, its a stressful thing if they don't click immediately but its definitely worth it once they fully bond.

[@courtneytupper6389]

@@ShadowTheRat thank you so much for the detailed reply. Its definitely quite a stressful intro, I've had rats for about 7 years and all the intros I've done they've all just gotten along straight away

[@regardtdressel5958]

Awesome

[@elysemckenna9558]

I've just adopted a beautiful little girl who has been on her own for a year! I want to get her a couple of friends as soon as possible, I'm thinking two young girls so they won't be too threatening for her and they can play with each other and give her some space, I'm just a bit worried because she's been on her own for so long, do you have any extra tips or advice please, I really want her to have some company and be happy xx

[@delylahgonzalez1021]

What happened did it go well?? I’m in the same predicament

[@thotchocolate8503]

I definitely would not recommend Stress Bonding, the first method would certainly be my go-to.

[@heatherlee7123]

Hey my father rat didn't seem to know his sons now that they're grown up and vice versa. Now that they're adults they're puffing up, sidling up to each other and one got bit on the tail and we had to take him to the hospital. I'm worried because there seems to be a power imbalance because the father is friggin ENORMOUS so i feel like it's more dangerous. Also there's one of the father and three of the sons. Will they gang up on him?

[@qwertykeyboard5901]

Up rat, Down rat, Charm rat, Strange rat, top rat, bottom rat.

[@emmakilgannon2892]

I'm considering getting a third rat and introducing her to my 2 females that I have now. I'm a bit concerned though. Do you think it would be okay for me to introduce the new younger rat to my two girls at one time, or would that bring up the possibility of them ganging up on the new girl? I was also wondering, if I try the methods of introduction, and it does not work, what should I do with the new rat who hasn't been accepted? I am also planning on upgrading their cage, so in the even that I got a new rat, could I potentially introduce the three of them in a common area, and then place them all together in the new cage that has no scent from other rats since it will be new? Please help if you can!

[@hollielittle6087]

It’s not the best idea to just get one rat if she is younger due to young rats possibly annoying older rats by wanting to play

[@yoongisswagcat7365]

@@hollielittle6087 and if all 3 are nearly the same age? I bought 2 rats and have them since 5 days... But I want to buy another one because 3 are better... The rat would be maybe 1 to 2 weeks younger... Would this be okay? Both rats are between 8 or 9 weeks... I don't really know

[@hollielittle6087]

@@yoongisswagcat7365 yeah the age is fine as long as you introduce them slowly but if your gonna get a new one I recommend getting two just in case they don’t get along right away

[@yoongisswagcat7365]

@@hollielittle6087 okay, thanks for the answer 🤗 today we go to the vet because sadly both seem to be a little sick....so they will get a new buddy in two weeks i think, but that should be okay too

[@ciemnota8000]

Hi! I have currently a "leftover" rat (his brother sadly passed away) and a pretty strong allergy. My fattie is lil over 1,5 years old, so I'm preparing myself slowly to the thought of him dying. I planned to have rats in the future and wanted to ask if maybe tamales are not so allergie "producer " or if there may be some kind of hypoallergenic rat (that is not a naked one). Thanks!

[@ShadowTheRat]

The main question would be what you're allergic to. Is it the rat urine? Because this seems to be the most common rat allergy and in that case, females won't be any better than males. While some people claim their females mark less than males its been my experience that even the shyest females mark, and even if they didn't rat feet tend to pick up urine as the rats walk around. This is also why hairless rats can still cause a reaction in people allergic to rats, as if its the rat urine causing the issue then they'll have just as much on them as a normal furred rat. If your allergic to their dander then hairless rats might be better, but I can't tell you for sure. I have heard from other rat owners with allergies to them (it seems to be decently common) that some rats make them react less than others, although they couldn't say exactly why that is. Some people also had luck wiping down the rats paws (removing any urine) and keeping their nails clipped (in order to not get scratched) along with wearing long sleeves/pants when interacting. I know some people also had luck taking benydryl or such and using an air purifier to help (air purifiers seem to be very popular).

[@ciemnota8000]

I think it might be dandelion. My parents are not very open to naked rats, so I wanted to ask: what about rex furred? I think they have less and shorter fur than normal rats, but I don't know how about their dandelion. Thank you very much for your long answer! I really appreciate this!

[@joslynndewett7573]

So I’ve 2 pairs of male rats for about 2 months but I still haven’t put them together. The thought of moving them in together is so terrifying and intimidating so I’m taking the introduction process verryyyy slowly. At first I put my two new boys in a cage next to my current boys cage just so they can smell/see each other for about a week and then we did quick introductions in my bathtub for awhile then I switched their cages completely for a few days and the past 2 days I’ve been putting all 4 of them in small cage and letting them all spend the night in it together (the cage was beside my bed in case anything were to happen) one of my boys definitely got aggressive and showed his dominance but other than that while they are all together in the small cage they are eating their treats and even snuggling and sleeping together! I haven’t noticed anymore aggression from my dominant rat. Should I continue putting them all in the small cage at night or could I just deep clean my main cage and move them all in?? Please help!!

[@ShadowTheRat]

I’d go to the small cage for a night or two first, especially if you feel nervous. After that you can clean out the large cage and put them in it with some scatter food and water and minimal open toys, then if all goes well put the rest in over the next few days. Alternativkey you can go straight to the full large cage, but again if you feel nervous it’s okay to take things a bit slower.

[@joslynndewett7573]

Shadow The Rat this helped so much thank you! The boys have been boxing alittle here and there but over all everything is great!!

[@alyssajoann2022]

do you need to bond to your new rats before introducing them to the others?

[@ShadowTheRat]

No, and in fact bonding them to your group usually helps take them as the group gives them a good example and teaches them to trust you far faster than any human interaction alone could

[@donnaryan71]

for really difficult males who are already desexed yet other methods of intro are not working, it is possible to get an anti-testosterone injection for them from the vet.It takes about 2 weeks to work and it can turn the fur white at site of injection, but so long as you don't mind that (though it didn't happen to my guy) which is why the belly is a good, out of sight place, it can be really effective. Even desexed males still have testosterone surging, so this can help calm them down.

[@mary-xz1gn]

where do you keep a rat that you are introducing when you don’t have them together?

[@ShadowTheRat]

In a separate cage. I’d always recommend having a separate cage of sorts even if you only have a pair of rats because in the case that you have to separate them for whatever reason, it pays to be prepared. In my case I have 2 bin cages for housing new rats until I introduced them, being 27 gallons in 32 gallons respectively.

[@Darina-l2j]

I always intorduce my rats in the main cage, it always works perfectly of me, tho I only had 2 sets of rats

[@ShadowTheRat]

You've been very lucky - please, for the sake of your rats, do proper intros in the future. I have seen too many instances of people who gained false confidence due to being lucky like you, only to have a rat mauled to death because they kept testing their luck. Most rats are territorial and unless you are the rats breeder and have worked on the line extensively to the point of being able to consistently predict their intros, then you are very much setting your rats up to eventually get hurt or worse. I have done well over a dozen intros with over 70 rats cumulatively, and while a few times the rats immediately got along and could live together, most needed several days at minimum to bond enough to live together and a few needed a few weeks. In my opinion its always better to be safe than sorry - you don't want to be stuck with awful injuries or even a rat's death due to something preventable like doing a proper intro.

[@amandawest9378]

So I was very lucky with my boys 😍 thanks god because it was my first time. So they came from the same store and have been living with each other for a while. Don’t know if they were from the same litter though, anyway so I bought a carrier cage for them and set it up. [ only with hard paper for the pee ] then i put them in. ( their were babies but nit to young they had fur and such maybe only half a year ) then they stayed in their for about more than an hour but no longer then 2 hours and 30 minutes. So they never fought witch made me very happy since I’m a new owner to rats in general. Then they started grooming each other without my help and sleeping on one another. Witch I heard from people who know a lot about rats that what they were doing was a good sign. When I got them home I kept them in, ( they have never been held before so I didn’t pick them up I let them get out I’m their own time ) once they got in I watched them for any bad behaviors. They had a little but if fights but it wasn’t anything serious. Then I got scared, ( I get anxiety about these things ) so I decided to watch a couple of KZbin videos to see if what they were doing was “fighting” or “playing” it ended up being playing but also a little bit of fighting but wasn’t anything serious. So after I spent the next two day with them ( the first day I didn’t take them out because I wanted them to get adjusted to their new home ) the next day I held them a little bit. Then I watched a video saying “how to get your rats to trust you” and it stated that I had to feed them treats by placing it then holding it and having them take it from my fingers. ( that was one of the many ways to get them to trust me ) so I decided to try it out. I went for the fingers first and they took it with a little bit of fright so I didn’t do it much. It’s been a couple of months and they love climbing on me ( by the self’s ) and will take the treats gently! They play fight and groom each other. Their has only been a few fights but nothing serious at all. Their not neutered at all. I wanted to know if you had to get them neutered because I don’t think you would unless they got super territorial. But what do you think? Anyway I think the carrier trick is the best, well for me anyway lol. I’m starting to teach them tricks and they love it! Anything I should know??

[@tj7679]

Does this work with a baby rat (5 weeks) and a year old rat?

[@ikenshoya2836]

Would a combination of these methods be more effective?

[@ShadowTheRat]

Yep, I actually used all 3 during a recent difficult intro (I started them in neutrals covered in meat baby food, progressed through the carrier method and inteviened by separating them to cover them in more baby food whenever they fought too much). It took about s month but I’m happy to say no one got injured and everyone loves each other now ❤️

[@TheRatCrusader]

Hey Shadow How are you doing? Well I have a question about how you use your music. Do you have to have permission or is there diffent songs that you can play for free. Also I want to have downloaded music from the music app on a mobile device can you help me make it work without permission? Thank you!!!

[@ShadowTheRat]

I use royalty free music that’s covered under Creative Commons. As long as I credit he site I get it from in my description I’m free to use it in any video, minimized or not. KZbin also has a decent library of music you can use without crediting anyone, and the editor I use (iMovie) comes with a very limited number of music tracks. As for downloading music off iTunes or such if you don’t have the license to use it that’s simply not allowed. They probably won’t do anything but display ads on your videos to get some monetary income due to you using their songs without a license, but you can also get a copyright strike on your channel and after 3 of those you loose the channel so it pays to be careful. All my music can be found credited in the description of my videos along with a link to where I got it.

[@TheRatCrusader]

Thanks shadow your a big help and plus i use Imovie too for my vidos so you can give me some good tatics on making them better!!!

[@squirrelmanning7889]

We usually intro our rats by taking the old rats with us to collect the new rats. The train journey bonds them in the small carrier. We then put them in a metal pet carrier once home. Usually we can put them in the large (empty) cage within hours. We stand by with a planter spray to squirt them if they fight. We used to use the gradual bathtub method for years, but now find the carrier method has so far worked much better. You could also substitute the train journey for a car journey. If you don't have to travel to pick up the new rats, just try driving the rats around in the carrier.

[@logannesnowboundfuzzykitty204]

I am hopefully getting a huge cage for my there boys and I was also looking at a hairless and his brother so that my boys will never get lonely and I have more rat snuggles 😂. Two of my boys are 7 months old and the other 5 and I have had them 3 or 4 weeks I think. I don't know which method would work if I want to put my old boys into a new cage and if it would be too stressful to give them more rats.

[@Determination5977]

I tried to introduce my rat to some younger rats and she bit one of them very hard

[@mange2696]

Question: So I get my rats from Petco and Petsmart because my mom doesn't care about breeders. I use to take my first rats to the location where I'm getting a new one so they can meet. Would it be okay if I take my rat to the store so she can meet them first? I'm about to get two more rats this weekend and a new cage ^^; this is probably what I need to force my family to see if they want to introduce them together.

[@ShadowTheRat]

Personally I wouldn’t, not only is it stressful for your rat and the new ones but you’ll be introducing her to many potential illnesses. In fact it’s recommended to quarantine new rats for at least 2 weeks prior to intros, but this is difficult as it requires a separate house without rats and most of us can’t do that Anyways I would just do intros at home, is less stressful and safer overall. .

[@mange2696]

Shadow The Rat okay thanks Shadow!

[@savannahwright4879]

My older rat once killed a younger rat now.im always terrified to introduce new ones 😔

[@melonmoth6267]

Hi!! So I have two older rats about two and a half years old, and I talked to a person on craigslist about an ad they had put up about their rat having an accidental litter. Things went through with my parents and I’m getting two little girls this Friday. I’ve been stressed about introducing them to my cage, and I was wondering; do I have to tame the babies before introducing them to my girls, or can I tame them afterwards? I was thinking it might be easier to tame them before. I’m probably going to try the neutral territory method - after giving all of them baths to kind of wash away their scent (as the person on Craigslist suggested) I’ll put them into the bathtub while I sit and watch them. The two older girls live in a single critter nation and I’m going to house the two babies in a large bin cage. Thanks!

[@travisholz227]

We’ve tried everything . :( shall we keep trying ?

[@pumajumbo5744]

Well frick. I just stuck my hand in my rats cage and. BOOM.

[@KK-vt4ld]

😁

[@brittanykositzke3572]

OK I have a fancy rat who has been the only rat for 7,months and I got a 5 week old rat she has been here for a few days and I first put them in the bathtub and it was OK for about a few mins and my older rat started showing that is in charge and the baby let her be domenit and I let the baby rat sleep in the older rats cage, and put my older rat back in her cage to smell the new rat can I do for the older rat not to jump on the baby rat because she is to big to nip, scratch, at the baby rat

[@simmons719]

I just want to say that we called the vet and it cost 400 dollars to nuter a boy rat

[@norasteinlein2098]

Thank you - it was very helpful to get an overview! :) I think I cannot stand the transport - box method, cause I cannot watch them weeks in this freaky small thing ... Hopefully the first method works for my sweeties...

[@ShadowTheRat]

Carrier is always last resort to me but sometimes it’s needed. If it comes down to them injuring each other in an open area or them being stressed in a small carrier (which usually only needs to be for a few hours or days - weeks is rare and only happened due to me having a particularly aggressive older rat) then the stress is worth them bonding. Luckily usually all I have to do is let them meet in my lap and they get along - in fact my current group of 12 can have a strange rat just put in their cage and they’ll just accept them without question (something I know having introduced 8 rats to them in the last few months - I think they just adjusted to meeting strangers!)

[@Miarije]

@@ShadowTheRat I'm gonna get two 8 week old rats to join my 2 older girls in a few weeks - any advice on when to introduce them (I don't think you mentioned this)? I expect my current girls to accept them pretty easily because they had no issues interacting with my friends (older) rats either, even in their territory (not in the cage, but my desk and a box I had for them on my desk where they often slept). Can I introduce the babies the same day I bring them home, or should I give them a few days to settle in on their own? I'm finding mixed answers to this so I'm curious for your opinion :)

[@brittanykositzke3572]

Please can you help me

[@gamerdollsroblox295]

um i need to know breeders or anyone that has rats up for adoption thanks oh also preferably $10 and under and a place that ships

[@ShadowTheRat]

Your best off going to the facebook group "the rat fan club" and looking in their files for breeders. They have an entire list of approved breeders that are still active and can direct you to where they are. Keep in mind breeders tend to charge different amounts for different rats. Dwarf rats of silvermane rats for example are harder genes to work with and those rats can be up to $50 each (many go cheaper but I've seen them for pretty hefty amounts). On the other hand more established colors and coats like hoodeds or masked or self's are often going to be cheaper because they're easier to work with. Also remember that a breeder needs to charge more than a pet store because they put actual work into breeding quality rats. Pet stores often charge $10-15 per rat so I'd expect a breeder to charge at least that much, if not more (in fact in the rat groups I'm in the minimum you have to charge for adopting out your rats is $10 as otherwise people will often buy them as snake food. Some people put this fee up but wave it if you prove to be a good home but still, its something breeders need to think about as well) Any of these rats make good pets of course and if you get them from a good breeder they should be friendly and healthy from the start! Good luck finding your ratties!

[@ambriadaniels8786]

Lol this is such bunk rats needing " introductions". No they don't. We have rat playdates we meet at the park and play. Never any problems. But you guys go ahead and take weeks 😂

[@ShadowTheRat]

I’ve had rats hurt during intros due to rushing it - and I’ve spoken to many people who lost rats due injuries due to just “sticking them together”. Rats ARE territorial and they can and will hurt or even kill strange rats. Your rats meeting up fine at the park doesn’t mean crap because that is the ultimate neutral area - the real test is in their everyday cage. That’s WHY we tell you to do neutrals first, to let the rats meet in an area they don’t feel territorial over before making it more difficult. I’ve had plenty of rats do just fine in neutrals and then get super territorial in their cage, so you have to take it slow no matter what. Seriously, your advice is how rats get killed because people think they can just shove them together. And while that’s true for most babies and a few adults, its not true for the majority of adult rats. I won’t loose a rat because of rushing intros, and I highly suggest you change your tune before adding any new rats to your group.