Saturday, May 9, 2009

Is it a bad idea?

My little princess Kalya gets lonely when I'm gone. She a 7 month old fancy rat. Is she too old to make friends with other rats? I know rats are territorial and will fight other rats as they get older. Is she young enough to be able to get along with other rats? She was raised with other rats till about 3 months ago.
Answers:
yes! females are very open to getting new cage mates! it helps ALOT if her new buddy(s) are young.. like babies, that is what i have found to help, they always fight and take longer to get to know a full grown rat.
*Make sure you have two cages to start out with
*Take out your rattie kayla and your new rat and put them in each others cage every-other day without cleaning the cages so they get very used to the smell of each-other
*Introduce them on neutral ground- couch, bathtub.. whatever
*Before you put them in the cage together to live, make sure they are getting along great outside of the cage, even if they just jump on eachother and stuff it will be 10X worse in their home.
*Make sure you have a big enough cage, rats get VERY territorial if they feel threatened by the other rat when there is limited sleeping places and/or if the food bowl runs out ;)
GOOD LUCK!
Personally, I'd like it to meet my cat, Bootsie!
You are right to be concerned. Many times this is an individual thing. I have had experience with it working to introduce a new one and not working. Make sure the new rat isn't too old as well. Good luck. Watch them carefully, they may be alright at first and start fighting later so don't leave them alone. You will know soon.
put them a dvd player with Ratatouille so they can get inspired and maybe, when you get home.they all have fixed you dinner!
you can introduce Kayla to any other rat you are wanting to get before you buy it, just to make sure they might get along. but it would be best to introduce them somewhere neutral outside of both of their cages.(limits territory issues)
Kayla's age shouldn't be a problem %26 she'd probably love a new gal-friend or 2. Just do the usual quarentine %26 introduce them on neutral territory.
We recently lost our sweet siamese rat, and she had been perfectly happy to meet other rats even when she was over 2 years of age.
oh dear umm...if u think shes old enough then put he inone side of the cage(maybe a bigger cage)and then build a gate
and put another rat on one side(a tall gate so they wont climb over)make sure the gates have hole.

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