Hey,

so i got my Hairless Dumbo Black Berkshire Rat (MALE: 11 weeks old) and am trying to introduce him to my Rex Dumbo Black Berkshire Rat (MALE; 19 weeks old)

I did the whole thing with the bath and treats and cleaning the cage to with-in an inch of it's life, new hammocks, toys and rearanged everything in the cage.

Everything's fine, then i nip away for 1 sec, i come back and the Rex had attacked the Hairless. > Bearing in mind they are fine when i'm there <

I don't think the fights are serious scraps, just domminance fighting. But because he's hairless he's got a nasty scratch
(i even cut the Rex claws before introducing them)

Then i went brb quick to open the door come back and couldn't find my hairless, he was hiding. When i got him out he has 2 'puncture marks' where the Rex has bit him, not bleeding or anything...


Just wondering if there is anything i can do to stop this? only concerned because he is Hairless and obviously doesn't have protection of furr + he seems quite scared. I've taken them out and just left them in cages next to each other for now.


My Rex is normally the one getting bullied and is a total pussy normally when it comes to other Rats.


Don't want my little tike getting hurt!


PS: Please also vote on the which name to give the Hairless Male


A: Arthas (Arty)
B: Fred

Firstly I don't think you should have left them unattended for any amount of time during intros - things can go very badly very quickly if you're not careful.

Did you take them straight from the bath to sharing a cage in one go? Or did you do the bath intros over time? Things need to be taken a little slower if you did just pop them in the cage together. Take it back a few steps and wait til they're truly comfortable in each other's company before making them live together.

You are right that the scuffles probably are dominance things just sorting themselves out but you need to be there in case things start getting a bit too heated.

__________________
http://kaedianmori.tumblr.com/ <--- NSFW





RIP - Marsh, Hugo, Mako, Rufus, Seamus, Lavender, BigBoy, Tetley and Fitch <3

Hey and thanks for posting.

I know but some1 knocked at the door and the dogs started kicking off so i had to go

I did it in stages as my Rex kept Tail wagging....

After a while i decided to get them out on the bedroom floor insted of the bath and get out my 6 month old Female and that helped alot.. they was still hostile towards each other a bit of tail wagging but the Hairless got to relax and play a bit so he's feeling more settled.

The main reason is my Rex is scared... every rat he's ever been with has beat him up
So i think we made progress x

Fisr tstage in rat intros is small freerange area. Then they must go into a small enclosed space like a carrier or small cage as this will forse them to sort out top dog swiftly and with less bloodshed.

If you don't have one of these don't worry you can go onto the next stage if you are careful.

The next stage is to go into the cage with no toys and no hammocks. Some rats can be possessive so any introduction of toys, even new ones, can be claimed as territory. Stay at this stage til you have seen one rat successfully pin the other with the other rat submitting a good couple of times. This can take a day or two...or longer. Go by your own rats behaviour as they are all different.

Next is to add a hammock and see if this flares anything up. If not proceed to slowly add toys leaving time in between for them to sort out sharing each one. If you go too quick at this stage the intro can fall down. If any toy causes upset remove it and wait then try adding it again later.

If at any stage fighting...severe fighting, rather then pinning/boxing....then take the intro backa step. If this occurs at the start of the intro then seperate for a week and try again.

My experience? Eight intros with adults, kittens, does, bucks. One failed because we had a funny little man who took a lot of time. With time and patience we got him living with everyone else The above is a guide, some stages can go quicker or slower be guided by your rats

__________________
Mum to the meece:- Milly, and Bramble. And the rats:- Blossom, Vimes, Mort, Teppic, Leo, Hex, Oats, Binky, Kevin, Honey, Blu, Pixie, Patch, Vyrt, Havelock, Squibbles and Newt. And Charlie the dog x

http://scritches.webs.com

Also to say that after the first 10 minutes or so of each stage you should be safe to leave them but keep them in earshot. The dogs kicking off may have scared a rat and triggered a fight, keep at it, and it will come

__________________
Mum to the meece:- Milly, and Bramble. And the rats:- Blossom, Vimes, Mort, Teppic, Leo, Hex, Oats, Binky, Kevin, Honey, Blu, Pixie, Patch, Vyrt, Havelock, Squibbles and Newt. And Charlie the dog x

http://scritches.webs.com