My rat, Google

Question
QUESTION: Greetings from St. Louis, Missouri,
Hello, my name is Lisa and my family and I have a small male rat named Google.  He is about 4 months old.  Everything I have read says that rats should not live alone. My husband isn't happy with the idea of obtaining another rat.  My sons and I on the other hand are feeling guilty that he doesn't have a friend.  We spend at least an hour a day playing with him but when my boys start school next month he will be alone all day.  What do you think?

ANSWER: I think you should get him a friend.

Even though you play with him for at least an hour a day; rats are primarily nocturnal, which means they spend the most time awake at night --- when you're asleep and unable to play with him. A rat living alone is not only lonely but more prone to stress related illnesses and obsessive compulsive habits.

Taking care of two rats is no more difficult than one, nor does it smell more or cost much more (a few dollars a month, if that).

Good luck convincing your husband :)

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

QUESTION: Thanks for your quick response. I know that I should get a male, but how would you introduce the new friend to Google?  I've heard that it should be a gradual process?

Answer
Well, make sure you complete a quarantine with your new young male. Try to aim for a male YOUNGER than google - just weaned if possible, between 5 and 8 weeks. They're naturally submissive as babies and intros are easier. After quarantine, sanitize your cage completely and rearrange it, fresh toys and bedding. Then introduce Google and the new boy on neutral territory that smells fresh (i.e; not an area Google hangs out on a lot - so that he isn't boss rat). After they've gotten along well in their neutral territory, go ahead and put them in the clean cage together and watch them.

There will be bickering and arguing at first, but with rats, no blood no foul. Let them work it out unless they're actually trying to murder each other. All will be well.. intros are usually much easier than people think they will be!