My Lovely Rats

After scouring the internet for gems of wisdom about rat intros and gaining some sound advice from a local rat fancier, I felt it was time to have a rat party for all the boys. In theory, it is possible to introduce any two rats together, but the age and sex of the rats can make a big difference to the proceedings. Two females (does) is supposed to be the easiest combination, especially two youngsters. An older female may attack a baby rat though if it is too young. With males (bucks) the younger they both are the better. According to my research, an adult buck will accept a baby buck (less than 10 weeks) because the baby hasn’t got the buck ‘hormonal’ smell yet. Therefore the most awkward group to put together are adult males. This is only a basic guide though, because anyone who keeps rats will tell you they are as individual as people, and it is going to be down to personalities whether they get on or not. The most important information I gleaned from various sources was that neutral territory was the key to ratty meetings. Neutral as in somewhere where there are no smells of either the old rats or the new ones. In another room, in the bath, on a table. That sort of thing.

Day 1
So, here we go! On the 23rd July I brought the rats into the utility room. It’s a tiny room and the surfaces are all in easy reach so it’s ideal. I let the two new boys have a sniff around first, then unleashed one of the big boys onto the scene! It was Stripe. I thought he’d be the least likely to make a fuss, because he’s so soft and silly. He’s also at the bottom of the pecking order. All he did was sniff Dublin and then hid under a blanket with the two of them. The same happened with Rocky. He didn’t seemed to notice that the new boys were different. I let Shy-Shy have a look next, and bless him, he gave Dublin a gentle reassuring groom! Pip (the head honcho) was happy to snuggle up to the new lads also. It was almost too good to be true. The first intro couldn’t have gone better.

Today my lovely rats have been mostly eating mixed cooked beans.

Tags: Introductions by admin
No Comments »

Here’s a few more pics of the new little boys. Also a big huddle of the older bucks with Hannah.
As you can see the new ones are black hooded dumbo rats. Dublin has a longer “hood” and a stripe widening at the tail, while Jinx is smaller and has black mottling on his back. Jinx has white on his chin, and two strands of white fur on his head, which distinguishes him from his brother.

Today my lovely rats have been mostly eating bread in Lactol

Tags: Baby Rats, Gallery by admin
6 Comments »

Oh yes! We couldn’t resist! These two little 8 week old bucks came home with us on Saturday.

Jinx and Dublin

They were a little freaked out, but very very sweet. I think they’ve been handled, because they were from a local lad (accidental litter) but they’ve had to endure a pet shop environment for a few days, so they are understandably nervous. It’s only been four days, but they are already curious about us and will sniff my hands, and run in and out of my clothes! They didn’t like being handled at first, but today I was very pleased that both of them went slack when I picked them up (a good indication that they trust me). They live in their own cage (a Ferplast Tubeline Mary) for now. Once they are used to me and my daughters I will begin introductions with the big boys. Here they are: Dublin and Jinx.

Jinx

Dublin

Dublin is the biggest of the two, and more friendly so far. He comes straight up to us for a sniff, and he already runs to me for safety if there is a strange noise that spooks him. He even gave me a little lick today, which means he is accepting me (or I taste good!). He’s already posing for the camera!

Jinx is a little smaller and more skittish. He seems to like his food though, and will take treats straight out of my hand which is a good sign. Both of them are adorable as you will see by the photos. The older rats are not at all bothered. They know there are some strangers in the room, but seem curious rather than upset.

Today my lovely rats have been mostly eating EMP

Tags: Baby Rats, Handling and Taming by admin
No Comments »

All the rats seem to have recovered from the sneezing and they have put on weight (again!). I will have to put them on a diet soon. Rocky and Pip let the other two to wait on them, by sitting in the food larder, while Stripe and Shy-Shy frantically store the food! Stripe is very sweet. He’s always sat at the top corner of the cage waiting for me lately. When he knows he’s got my attention he “chitters” excitedly and “bruxes” at me. When a ratty chitters (grinding teeth rapidly to make a ch-ch-ch sound) it can sometimes mean nervousness, but it is usually associated with excitability and/or contentment. During “chittering” often a rat’s eyes will bulge noticeably in and out and this is bruxing. Stripe always bruxes when he sees me getting ready to open the cage and let him out. He knows it’s playtime!

Stripe waiting for cuddles

Today my lovely rats have been mostly eating pieces of dried fruit.

Tags: Behaviour by admin
2 Comments »

The latest events in the Rat House:-

1The boys have had yet another bout of Myco with Shy-Shy suffering the worst. I’ve no idea what set it off this time. Shy was making the dreaded “foofing” noise again and all of the rats were sneezing. All the boys were treated with 0.3ml per day of Baytril and all have responded well to the antibiotic.

2The first day I gave the rats their medicine, I sat down on a chair and gave one rat at a time some yoghurt (with Baytril) on a spoon. The following day they had already learnt the equation: chair=food, and as I finished mixing the first spoonful of medicine and yoghurt, I turned around to see Shy-Shy sat on the chair waiting for his treat! I continued with the next batch, and as soon as it was done I went to sit down, and Pip was sitting there on my chair looking expectantly at me! Then guess what? With the following spoonful Stripe was there by himself on the chair as if to say “It’s my turn!” Rocky is not one to come running (he’s far too laid back), but as I sat down and called him, he sauntered up towards me and flopped onto my knee like a blob of custard, and soon lapped up his yoghurt too. The same sequence of events happened every evening almost without exception, if they weren’t in the chair when I reached for it, they were there the instant I sat down, individually, which was all the more astonishing. Why didn’t they all converge onto the chair at once? The usual behaviour when treats are offered is for all four rats to pile up as near to the food as rattily possible (including standing right up on tippy-paws as far as they can stretch; arm-swatting a brother out of the way; grabbing for it or jumping advantageously onto my hand to get to the treat!

All I can conclude from this is that either:
1/ Rats are very fast learners
2/ Rats are habit-forming animals
3/ Rats are able to change behaviour quickly to suit their changing environment
4/ Rats are ruled by their bellies
or another suspicion: 5/ Rats are tiny people in fur coats!

Rocky and brothers: Part Custard, Part Meringue

Today my lovely rats have been mostly eating strawberries from our very own garden!

Tags: Intelligence, Behaviour, Health by admin
No Comments »