[futureshadows]

Currently I have three 1 1/2 year old female rats in a double critter nation. Today I saw the cutest, sweetest himalayan hooded rat and I am very tempted to add her to my mischief. Would I be okay to get just her, or would it be better to get two rats from the same age/group since my girls are older?

 

[Smilebud]

It's better to geth two of a similar age, that way they can be hyper and play with each other instead of only annoying the older ones.

 

[futureshadows]

I will update this thread if I end up getting the rat babies. The himalayan is really stunning. She has a very thin, straight hood down her back that fades from fawn to brown. I'll have to watch the other rats and see who has the most personality. ;D

 

[lost_whisper]

I would ahead and get two; that way she won't get lonely if the bigger girls don't treat her really nice and you won't be left with a lonely rat after your current senior girls you know... are not around anymore.

 

[futureshadows]

My rat ladies have no idea what they're getting into

 

[CosmicKat62]

If you get them, I'd love to see the Himalayan!

 

[StonerGirlandHerRatties]

I'd say just for ease and comfort of your new rat(s) it would be better to get another 2 just so while the new one is getting used to the ratties you already have it would already have a rat buddy which should help its confidence plus it wont take much more effort to look after an extra 1, just another fuzzy to love ^.^

 

[futureshadows]

I went ahead and got the rats, they had a good introduction and hung out for well over an hour. I don't know why, but one of my ratties BIT one of the new babies, and there was blood everywhere. We rushed to the emergency vet, expecting to have to euthanize her. Thankfully the vet there was willing to look at her and determined they were only surface wounds, gave her a painkiller, and used that liquid skin stuff on her. We were sent home with antibiotics, and it cost about $160 (which I consider cheap, considering that $100 was for going into the emergency clinic.) They're in their own separate cage until they're large enough to show my rats who's boss! It wasn't the himalayan who was bit, it was the other rat who was super sweet from the start.And you know how I said my rats don't know what they're getting into?I didn't know what I was getting into!

 

[futureshadows]

These are my new girls! Its hard to see the pattern on my siamese girl because its more of a champagne/creamy color. Split cap girl is my tough rattie.

 

[raindear]

Unfortunately, we never really know what we're getting into with introductions. Each one can be so different from preceding ones. My sister somehow had no idea about introductions. When she got new rats, she just went home and put them into the cage and somehow things worked out okay. I generally introduced every one in neutral territory for an hour or two while I cleaned and rearranged the cage and put them together and somehow things just worked out, usually. Once, I had one girl who tried to oust the new arrivals. I separated her till everyone else was getting along, then reintroduced her to the group and things worked out. You just have to approach each introduction as new territory and figure things out as you go along. Usually, things eventually work out. Sometimes we get "brainstorms" that help us on the way. Sometimes things don't work out and we have to make new plans. Just go back to square one with play times together for a few days. Make sure to clean and rearrange the cage to make it a different territory. Put the new kids into it for a short period to get their scent on things. Then put everyone together again to see how it works out. If you are concerned about leaving them together overnight at first, maybe you can leave the new girls in the community cage while moving the others to another cage for a night or two so their scent will be prevalent and make the others feel more off balance til things work out.

 

[futureshadows]

I think I'm going to give them a month or so before I try to get them in one cage. This morning I moved their cage next to my other rats' cage (they're still like 5 inches apart).

 

[futureshadows]

My siamese girly is now named Freya, and beige and white girl is Tachi.