# I don't think this is ever going to work.



## Meep (Jun 21, 2010)

Well for the past.. 2 or more weeks I have been working on introducing the new baby to my existing female. I have read the stickies, watched youtube videos, read other posts, looked it up online and followed all the steps to introducing, but my female seems to be too territorial.

When they are outside of the cage together they run around, chase each other and tackle each other in a more playful way. But I put them in a cage, no matter if it is cleaned down or not, the older one pins the little one down and they both eep untill daybreak and wont get along. I can tell its not the more spazzmatic play fighting they have been doing, but I can't tell if she is nipping the little one or grooming.

Anyone have any tips or suggestions? I've tried nearly everything I could so far, and have been following steps but nothing seems to be working. :\


----------



## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

No blood... no foul  screams and wrestling are normal. Let them work it out, once they have established a hierarchy they should settle down a bit.


----------



## Blacksun (Oct 28, 2010)

Do you have a cage which is unknown to both rats? You could try itin this one. If it works out better, you put them in the "old" cage.


----------



## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

You can also try the method of making a secure pen outside the cage.. where you know they get along. Let them live there for about a week - they'll become friends. Then put them in the old cage a bit at a time, but make sure you've bleached it, filled it with new hammocks/accessories etc.


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Adults pin baby rats who screech and eep like they are dying. Its their way of saying "look here kid, I AM boss of you". Its normal


----------



## SiNi5T3R (Nov 5, 2010)

Ya My rats do it all the time. I just leave them be and they go back to there normal business. Some rats take longer then others but as long as there is no huge chunks taken out of a foot or a neck then I dont see it happening in the future.


----------



## fourrats (Nov 9, 2010)

I agree with what everyone else has said. I had a similar situation a few months back with one female rat who just did NOT want to share her house with another rat. We socialized exactly as everyone suggested online, but in the end I had to separate the aggressor rat for a few days. We put her in a separate cage, and put the new rat in her old cage with her other cagemate. When we allowed the aggressor to return to her cage, she had become the newcomer and I think that helped some. Now they live together perfectly fine.


----------



## Meep (Jun 21, 2010)

Thanks, for the advice everyone. I'm still trying to work things out between them since there was a few cuts and such. I'm most likely going to get a new cage near christmas time, so hopefully things will be a little better by then.




fourrats said:


> I agree with what everyone else has said. I had a similar situation a few months back with one female rat who just did NOT want to share her house with another rat. We socialized exactly as everyone suggested online, but in the end I had to separate the aggressor rat for a few days. We put her in a separate cage, and put the new rat in her old cage with her other cagemate. When we allowed the aggressor to return to her cage, she had become the newcomer and I think that helped some. Now they live together perfectly fine.


I haven't tried this idea, and I think i'm going to. Thanks for sharing, and I hope this will help with my ratties.


----------



## Meep (Jun 21, 2010)

UPDATE: I've attempted to move the older female and I put them back into the cage she was originally in (where the baby one is) and they began to squabble pretty bad over a piece of food. The smaller female has visitable cuts and scabs on her back mostly, but nothing to serious.

should I continue to introduce, or wait a little bit and start fresh?


----------



## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

Continue! If you wait a bit, you'll be starting from square one again. 

Try the bath tub method, with a little water to distract them a little. Have LOTS of out time with them together.


----------

