Introducing a new and young rat to my other two rats?

[michelle]

I currently have two one-year-old, male rats that live in a pretty spacious cage. Three rats would live comfortably together in their cage because it has four levels (including the bottom) and plenty of place to hang out and hide and I previously had three before my third got sick and passed a few months ago.
When I adopted two of them together and adopted the third one about a month later, but they were all about the same age.
I really would like a new and younger rat as I have read previously that older rats, though one year isn't necessarily that old, are generally more receptive to young new comers.

Also, since my cage's bars are spaced about an inch apart, any new rat I bring home must be old enough to be too big to fit through the bars.

What would be the best tactic to go about introducing a young rat? And how young should a new rat be before I can consider him for my cage reasons?

 

[Chelsea Lehoux]

i suggest keeping the new one in a spreate space are cage for a week and let him visit the other two periodically for a few minutes and then put it in the cage with the rest so that they are all familiar with eachother

 

[Holly]

it would be a REALY bad idea to put the rat in there and just leave them be.. you should take them out and introduce them and shw them they need to be 'friends'. but with the rats age.. im not that sure, we had a rat once and she died last year but never got the chance to get her a friend, but ive helped my friends introduce animals together and most turned out fine unless they moved to fast or the older animal didnt trust them enough. but you would need to ask the store/center that you et the at from how big it would have to be.

 

[Sidney Ryan]

BAD idea.....

 

[Carl Gargotuan]

I had the same situation and found the newcomer rat torn apart and half eaten in the morning.

 

[Bex Logan]

I have 10 rats. Originally I had 3 in one large cage and 2 in other. I got a three new girls and 2 new boys the pet shop recommended putting them
Into a separate cage at first fairly near each other so they can sweet each other she said to put them intO another cage whilst they get used to each other. Each day put them in a neutral place and gradually increase time together. When u feel time is right move them in together first cleaning the cage u want them to live in thoroughly. However when I brought them home i needed to clean cages I put them into box that they came in whilst cleaning out cages. (girls and boys separate obviously) they didn't fight so I put them in normal cage happy to take them out if needed and try above method. They have taken to each other the girls mothering baby occasionally they have the odd disagreement but then they move away from each other to have time out when needed. Go with ur heart u know ur pets and be prepared for slight disagreements be ready to separate if needed through. Good luck!!!!