Rat Intro Question

Question
QUESTION: Sandra
Can you please tell me why my older rat Skye (15 months) peed as soon as she met her new baby friend.  She didn't bite or freak out or act mean to her in any way. If anything she was scared. Do you have any reasons why this would happen????

Bree

ANSWER: She was marking her territory. Not only do males do this, but so do females. How old is the baby rat?

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The baby rat is 6 weeks old.  I felt kind of bad because Skye (the older rat) was in her rat cube and I called her name and she came to me and I took her to the neutral area before she had a chance to pee.  So I think she had to pee and was marking her terrority.  I showed her to both of my Rats (skye and starr). They don't seem to care about her one way or another.  Now when I put her in their cage will their behavior change?

Answer
"Now when I put her in their cage will their behavior change?"



Maybe.....they may become more territorial if she is in their domaine and may get a bit feisty so tred lightly.  How many rats do you have, new rats, that is?

Rats are a bit obsessive compulsive when it comes to their cage. I know that my solo boy, Santana, who has just one eye and lost his three cage mates over the past year, lives alone by choice. He is 2 years old. I have to more bucks that live together that are much older at 3.5 years old but they still move like they are younger. ANyhow, Santana will climb in their cage and just take over, eating their food and treats,leaving his urine mark here and there, and the older boys just kind of put up with it, but heaven forbid the two older boys DARE go in Santana's cage.  The two 3 year olds live in a 2 and a half story cage and here is Santana in a giant ferret nation #142 that can hold 16 male rats comfortably if need be (although I never recommend letting more than 4 intact males live together regardless of cage space) so here is my one eyed spoiled boy living all alone in this massive cage the size of my refrigerator and he wont let the two other boys move in with them. It isn't worth them fighting and stressing so I don't push it. Santana has been solo since January anyhow so he is ok and he gets his social time with the other boys every day so that is probably why he isn't unhappy alone in the cage. He likes it just the way it is.  That said, there is no telling how the young rat will act when the older one comes in the cage. In fact I am curious to know so please keep me updated.