[alexsayshi]

I currently have two intact males rats who are about 3-4 months old, i adopted them together a little over a month ago from the pet store. Today I went to go look at a new litter box since we recently upgraded to a critter nation, and I saw that two of the rats I had looked at before i got my two boys. It just made me so sad seeing that they hadn't found homes yet after two months.

My question is, would it be safe to adopt them and introduce to my boys? They two at the pet store are both pretty large males, one is full grown and the other looks like he is almost full sized. They are housed in separate cages there though, and I'm not sure how long ago it was that they were together. So essentially it would be an introduction between the two adults AND my babies.

I have a double critter nation that houses my two boys so having the space for four rats wouldn't be an issue and I also still have the smaller cage I originally bought for the babies (they were chewing holes in the plastic bin).

It just breaks my heart to see those two big boys in the little pet store enclosures with no friends or toys and I would love the chance to give them a better life.

So being a new rat owner any advice on whether or not that would be safe to do, or the best way to do that introduction would be very helpful.

 

[loveabull]

I don't know from boy rats because we've only had girls, but our rats are wonderful with new arrivals. I was amazed. Most rodents get testy if you mix different litters or different ages. From what I understand rats are different. They're accepting of strange rats.
I smiled when you said the boys in the store looked so lonely. I adopted three young girls together for the same reason. That's how we ended up with 7. The resident rats varied in age from elderly to young adults and they were just fine with the new additions. I checked them a few hours later and all were in a big furry pile sleeping together. I don't know if boys are more territorial, but my girls are social butterflies.