Rat help

[SARGE07]

I have 3 females and 1 male all together, but i want to stop breeding for a while. I have also just brought a young male rat, is it ok to put the 2 males together in the same cage? And is it ok to put one of the males to the females and then put them back together after the deed is done?

Thanks for reading

[JulieNoob]

Introduce the 2 boys somewhere neutral but they should be fine together

[SARGE07]

when i do put one of them to the females will they be ok going back in together do you think?

[saxon]

I put my boys back and forth no problems.
Once they are friends you should have no trouble with them boys are fab at staying friends.

[fenwoman]

Originally Posted by JulieNoob

Introduce the 2 boys somewhere neutral but they should be fine together

Should they? I have never been able to introduce 2 strange male rats without massive fights occurring. Rats are fiercely territorial so this is to be expected.

[JulieNoob]

Originally Posted by fenwoman

Should they? I have never been able to introduce 2 strange male rats without massive fights occurring. Rats are fiercely territorial so this is to be expected.

Really?

Mine must be freaks then as I have 18 boys all living together without problems and I have never had issues introducing new guys at all ... mine are very social and go to shows regularly and do meet "strange" rats all the time - maybe that makes the difference .... no idea, I have only been a rat keeper for 12 months and was speaking from my experience - which I guess has been guided also by the breeders my rats came from

[fenwoman]

Originally Posted by JulieNoob

Really?

Mine must be freaks then as I have 18 boys all living together without problems and I have never had issues introducing new guys at all ... mine are very social and go to shows regularly and do meet "strange" rats all the time - maybe that makes the difference .... no idea, I have only been a rat keeper for 12 months and was speaking from my experience - which I guess has been guided also by the breeders my rats came from

I have kept lots of rats together but they have been brothers generally or arrived here together. I have never been able to introduce 2 adult males together, even with the whole new cage, standing by with a water pistol etc. I can't abide the fights.
I'd be interested to hear if all my boys have just been thugs or what then. Has anyone else actually been able to put 2 strange adult males together without them fighting? I am very interested to hear.

[JulieNoob]

Originally Posted by fenwoman

Has anyone else actually been able to put 2 strange adult males together without them fighting? I am very interested to hear.

Me too - who has the weirdo rats - you or me

[Minerva]

Originally Posted by JulieNoob

Me too - who has the weirdo rats - you or me

yes i do it all the time, and with about a 98% success rate
hence a group of 25+ boys can live togeter quite happily, with most being unrelated.

alot of it is how well you know your rats, and alot is down to experience as an owner and preventing mishaps/squabbles, however minor, before they escalate...

[elliottreed]

I tried this not long ago
Now the boys fight constantly and it's impossible to house them together

EDIT - I think it was because they now feel they have to fight for the ladies (when they're put back in together)
Even though they're only ever apart for about 15 mins