Another Introduction Question

Question
This is a follow up to my bad introduction question involving my three male rats, Artie, Hank, and Louie. My question is, should I let them fight in order to let them establish their hierarchy? My wife and I will always break up the fights whenever they begin. Do we need to let this play out before peace can occur? We don't want to stress any of them out, but this is our first intro and we're unsure if we're on the right path. Can you also give me your thoughts on having them bond over a semi-traumatic experience such as a car ride or the like, or in neutering Hank (the main aggressor). To us it seems like Hank would kill Louie if we let them fight...is there a sign we should look for to know that the fight is going too far? Again, any advice would be much appreciated.

Answer
HOw old is the newest rat?   My advice?  Stop trying to get them to be friends.  Rats CAN kill each other and intact males at this age are very very hard to introduce them to outsiders.  DO not even bother trying to get a cagemate for the rat you just brought home if he is an older rat because it will be the same ordeal again with him, even if he seems passive. If they were neutered, that would change everything, but I dont like elective surgery like that just because you may want rats to live in harmony.  You did a great thing by saving the rat from the humane society, so just give him a nice roomy cage and lots of love from you and your wife and dont worry about him having a cagemate.  Its not a sin if they live solo.  In fact alot of rats prefer it if they just dont seem to get along with the other rats.  Rats are indeed social animals and love to be together but again, there are some cases when its not the case, and its not always text book either.