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So long story short, Oxnard's cagemate passed away suddenly a month ago and I got 3 new males with the intention to introduce them to him. I thought they were younger than him, but it turns out they were just really small for their age and ended up being the same age as Oxnard. So this complicated things, and one of the new 3 is aggressive towards Oxnard and it's unlikely they will be able to live together, unless I am able to get the aggressive male neutered.
Anyway. One of the 3 is just fine with Oxnard. As in, I'm able to trust them in Oxnard's fully furnished cage together and I know they won't break out into a fight. Dill still squeaks and tries to push Oxnard away but they have slept together and ARE able to relax with eachother in the cage... Oxnard's just obsessed with being close to him and trying to wrestle since he's lonely.
Is it fair to keep Dill (the rat that has been visiting Oxnard's cage) in with Oxnard, separated from his brothers? I feel bad about it, since their cages are close and in the same room and they can still smell and hear each other. Do rats form close bonds with rats like that, would he miss being with his brothers? Would it stress them out? Whenever Dill squeaks, his brothers in the other cage seem distressed by it.
I planned on getting 2 more male babies (for sure a lot younger than Oxnard this time haha) so that Dill could live with his brothers. But I just wanted peoples' opinions on this to help me with my decision. The cage I am going to keep Oxnard and the new babies in is big enough to fit 4 rats anyway, so if Dill CAN live with him then all will still be good, but Oxnard's cage will more comfortably fit 2 rats rather than 3.
Also thought it was worth to mention this: I've seen the aggressive rat I talked about earlier puff up and go sideways at Dill. Once I came into the room and they were both puffed and in the corners of the cage so I think they got into a fight once... Perhaps Dill would get along more smoothly with Oxnard? Since the puffing up from his own brother is kind of worrysome.
Anyway. One of the 3 is just fine with Oxnard. As in, I'm able to trust them in Oxnard's fully furnished cage together and I know they won't break out into a fight. Dill still squeaks and tries to push Oxnard away but they have slept together and ARE able to relax with eachother in the cage... Oxnard's just obsessed with being close to him and trying to wrestle since he's lonely.
Is it fair to keep Dill (the rat that has been visiting Oxnard's cage) in with Oxnard, separated from his brothers? I feel bad about it, since their cages are close and in the same room and they can still smell and hear each other. Do rats form close bonds with rats like that, would he miss being with his brothers? Would it stress them out? Whenever Dill squeaks, his brothers in the other cage seem distressed by it.
I planned on getting 2 more male babies (for sure a lot younger than Oxnard this time haha) so that Dill could live with his brothers. But I just wanted peoples' opinions on this to help me with my decision. The cage I am going to keep Oxnard and the new babies in is big enough to fit 4 rats anyway, so if Dill CAN live with him then all will still be good, but Oxnard's cage will more comfortably fit 2 rats rather than 3.
Also thought it was worth to mention this: I've seen the aggressive rat I talked about earlier puff up and go sideways at Dill. Once I came into the room and they were both puffed and in the corners of the cage so I think they got into a fight once... Perhaps Dill would get along more smoothly with Oxnard? Since the puffing up from his own brother is kind of worrysome.