Could you help me please?

Question
Hey, I have just got some pet rats...my first, Dana, is 9 weeks old and I got her
on Thurs. She had been on her own in the pet shop and they asked me to get
another to go with her. So on Fri I went to buy a companion and they would
only sell them in pairs, so now I have two 6 week old rats, Leisha and Alice.
At first Dana was okay with them, but now she tries to sit on her own and
wont come out by herself anymore. The two babies will climb out if I open
then cage door. I wondered if Dana was more mature than the super hyper
babies and when baby rats averagely start to calm down? Could you give me
any advice on handling three young rats, as a first time owner? Thanks. Becki.

Answer
She may be a bit more mature; but usually babies of the same basic age (within 4 weeks of each other) will play together no problem. She may be a bit overwhelmed since the babies have already bonded. She'll come out of her shell quickly, I'm sure.

Rats are pretty forgiving, just remember to lavish the attention and [healthy] treats on them as you want to -- they're smart cookies and they know when someone likes them or dislikes them! Keep in mind that they are fragile, so when introducing them to a new situation, be sure that you are calm and in control -- lend them strength as they discover they can trust you to never put them in harms way. Just like trust training a cat or dog, you're their 'leader' in their little mischief and they'll learn to admire/love/respect you if you're kind to them.