Question
Carly and peanuts
My Daughter (Carly)would like to have her 1 year beloved male rat named Peanuts to have a friend? What that be a good idea? Should it be a small male or ?
Sincerely
Sonya
Answer It's always a good idea to keep rats in same-sex pairs, as they are much happier and healthier with a second rat. However, sometimes if a male rat is kept alone for a while they can be unaccepting of a new arrival. The best companion for him would be a spayed female, but a young male would also probably work. The male should definitely be younger, and should be friendly towards other rats (not kept alone).
Before you introduce them you'll have to use proper quarantine procedures to avoid bringing home any unwanted bacteria or viruses. Put the new rat in a separate cage in a separate airspace, where the same air doesn't circulate between both rat cages. A garage, friend's house, or basement are possible options. The new rat will have to remain in quarantine for three weeks to make sure that he is healthy and not carrying anything that may harm your other rats. During this quarantine period you can still handle the new rat, but make sure you wash your hands, change your clothes, or even shower before handling your other rats. If any symptoms of the ordinary are found, the rat must be properly treated depending on what the problem is, and once he is healthy again you will have to restart the quarantine procedure to make sure the illness has completely gone. Once the rat shows three straight weeks of good health, you can introduce him to your other rat.
When introducing a new rat of the same gender, make it on a neutral territory, like a different cage, a tabletop, couch, play area, or a floor in a rat-proofed room. Watch them for 30 to 60 minutes, and if they get along, clean the cage they are to be put in very well to remove any strange smells and put the new rat in first to let him get used to the cage alone, urine mark, and arrange things to his liking for 10 to 30 minutes. Make sure you have a separate sleeping area, such as a second nesting box or hammock, so the rats are not forced to sleep together at first. After the new rat has explored a bit, add your other rats back into the cage, one at a time if you have more than one. Adding your other rats all at once can cause them to gang up on the newcomer.
Watch them for a few hours to make sure that they don't injure each other. Some fighting is normal, as rats need to establish their dominance hierarchy, so let them do so as long as they are not hurting each other. If you see blood or they are being particularly vicious, carefully separate them. Do not put your hand between two fighting rats, as you are likely to get bitten yourself. Grab one with a towel or by the base of the tail and give him a little time out in a different area before reintroducing him again. Be patient, as sometimes it take several days before the rats are friendly towards each other. Adding a distraction such as a large pile of table scraps can help them learn to coexist peacefully, though make sure there is enough food that they will not be stealing from each other which can cause a fight.
Adding a few drops of vanilla oil or another scented substance to each rat's back can help mask scents and may aid in introductions. You may also want to try bathing each rat to be introduced, as this will remove their natural scents as well.
Hope this helps, good luck!
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