I recently introduced not one but two new rats to my mischief. I never felt that term for a group of rats was more appropriate than when I went through the motions of introducing the new babies to the older girls.
As usual, Kiri was very accepting of the newcomers. Kiri's accepting of almost everything (except for a thermometer in her behind at the vets, wasn't that a show!), however Ezri was most certainly not, and Dax followed her lead.
Ezri wasn't well at the time, she'd recently had a myco flare up. She's also fairly opposed to change in the cage. It took several attempts at introducing them in a neutral space before I tried to place the new babies into the main cage. They were met with the disapproval of Ezri, swiftly.
I was almost ready to resign myself to the fact that the new girls would have to live in one half of the cage and the old girls in the other, but then I remembered something.
I put Ezri and Dax in the smaller cage for a few days, letting Audrey and Ro live in the larger cage with Kiri. I then changed all the hammocks and liners and cleaned the cage with perfumed wipes. Once I tried introducing them again, it went well!
As usual, Kiri was very accepting of the newcomers. Kiri's accepting of almost everything (except for a thermometer in her behind at the vets, wasn't that a show!), however Ezri was most certainly not, and Dax followed her lead.
Ezri wasn't well at the time, she'd recently had a myco flare up. She's also fairly opposed to change in the cage. It took several attempts at introducing them in a neutral space before I tried to place the new babies into the main cage. They were met with the disapproval of Ezri, swiftly.
I was almost ready to resign myself to the fact that the new girls would have to live in one half of the cage and the old girls in the other, but then I remembered something.
I put Ezri and Dax in the smaller cage for a few days, letting Audrey and Ro live in the larger cage with Kiri. I then changed all the hammocks and liners and cleaned the cage with perfumed wipes. Once I tried introducing them again, it went well!
They now all live happily together. I really recommend trying the last method I used if you're introducing rats to your colony. Making the cage seem completely different in how it's arranged and how it smells makes all the difference. It turns it into neutral territory that's comfortable for them. As you can see, through this my girls have achieved cage harmony!
RSS Feed