Behavior & Introductions

Over the years of rat breeding and owning I have observed and learned so much about these beautiful little creatures. Here are some things that may help identify or help you understand your new little buddy.

By now we all know that rats do much better in life with another rat buddy to share it with. Most of the time rats are more then willing to have another friend join the family. However, when they get a little older (6-14 months) they can sometimes forget that friends are good. Their hormones run a bit more rapid giving them mixed feeling about a new roommate. sometime the Alpha's of the cage tend to be the harder to win over. Here are hopefully a few idea's to help your new furbabies actually learn to like each-other.but First things first, always quarantine your new rat for a week or so to make sure they are in good health. Give the rat its own temp cage away from the main cage.

Introduce: Take your bathtub (no water) or a clean playarea with no lingering scent of the main rats.add one or two clean hides or toys.then you can Place all rats together. So long as they are getting along together then let them hang out for a good 30 mins there. Give them treats for playing well together. If at any time these rats draw blood take them out fast. Give them a few days and try over again.Sometimes introductions can go smoothly others it may take some time. Once you can trust them, go ahead and let them hang out while you clean and sterilize the cage you plan to have them living together in. Make sure its compleltly clean and no smells of eachother. 

Behaviors you may see during introductions: 
Sniffing: Rats like dogs use thier noses a lot. The alpha rat will tend to sniff a bit more aggressive. This can include focefully usign thier hands to push them around and sniff.

Squeaking: Rats make a whole variety of vocalizations, including peeps, chirps, squeaks, and shrieks.this is all fine they are just protesting.

Rump Pushing: Rats will tend to side push with their rump, as a way to start somethig with the other rat. 

Boxing: Rats will at some time or another box. In high intensity boxing the rats stand erect on their hind feet and rapidly push, paw, and grab at each other.

Bruxing: This is a fun one, its chittering or grinding of the teeth. this is a happy trance your rat may do when he/she is very content.

Boggling: Eyeball vibrates rapidly in and out of the socket, its is rhter funny looking. When bruxing is intense, the contractions of the masseter vibrate the eye in and out of the socket in time with the incisor grinding. Usually considered to indicate pleasure and contentment.
    NOTE:most of these behaviors are fine,as along as they dont draw blood they are good.