how to introduce rats?

[evie star]

i have 2 older rats, sam and areo ( air-e-o ) and well, i went on cage calculator, and i could have another rat, i would like to get another boy realy, i have no big spare rat cages and not enough money to buy one, i have a smaller take and cage suitable for a baby tho... so i was wondering how i could introduce a young male to my older males, my boys are around 1 year to just over that, to a month and a half, and areo is older than sam by about 4 months i think

 

[Erin]

Put the new rat in the smaller cage for a day or two and put it right next to the other cage. Then put the rats in each others cages so they can get even more used to each others sent without actually interacting. If the rats seem comfortable with each other wipe them with apple juice (so they all smell the same). Then put them in a neutral area like a playpen or the bathtub and watch them closely. If they don't fight let them interact for a while and then they may be ready for the new rat to move into the big cage. You may put them back in their separate cages if you think they aren't ready to live together yet and just keep having them interact in a neutral place. You may want to have the older rats interact separately with the younger rat at first so they don't gang up on him. Good luck!

 

[my own pavement]

First you should learn about quarantine.

He can stay in the small tank for 1-3 weeks, however long the intro takes. While he is living in another cage, you must introduce them on neutral territory, such as your bed, dry bathtub, etc. This gives them a chance to accept each other so that later on when you do put them together, the two will not feel threatened. If you just put a new animal into the cage of another one, it will attack the "intruder" to protect its cage. Introduction should take no less than a week. Anything earlier typically can result in fighting or death.

 

[Abigail Randall]

I ran into this problem when i got another bunny. They are only about a month apart in age.....best thing is to take them in to a room that is neutral (neither have ever been in) and let them interact with you monitoring their every move......if they begin to fight just mist them with some water from a squirt bottle. Then after they are getting along in the open neutral area let them in the cage together with the door open and again to not leave the room.....when you feel fully comfortable with them in the cage ...GO FOR IT...but check the rat to make sure they have no signs of fighting.