# Signs for aggressive behaviour?



## AznDonutBoy (Jul 10, 2014)

I'm trying to intro my two new rats to my current rat. Last time i tried the intro one of my new rats ended up with an half an inch long bite cute across her back not deep but enough that it was bleeding for a few seconds. 

I notice when I put them together that the current rat always tries to go under the new rats to sniff them. But last time time she did that, thats when they got into a fight. Should I let them work it out? Or should I just let them hang around each other but not let them get into contact. IE break them up right when they meet and sniff each other?


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

sniffing underneath is an important part of them getting to know each other. It involves sniffing the gentiles and any urine on them. It's kind of the ratty version of asking your name, what you do for a living and stuff like that. It can cause problems when the other rat takes affront to it. putting them in a smaller space can minimise the chances of slash type wounds when things escalate as they tend to happen when a rat tries to run and gets grabbed. i would use a small carrier to start with


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## AznDonutBoy (Jul 10, 2014)

I have a 12in long, 8in wide, and 8in tall carrier i use to take them to the vet. Is that big enough for all three...? I dont think it is xD How big for three rats?


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

If you can get water attached it would do for an overnighter. Though if you can get a small cat carrier or low hamster cage that might be better and they ate handy to have on hand as a hospital cage too


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## AznDonutBoy (Jul 10, 2014)

But is this safe? Because the last time they were introduces it was after weeks of cage swapping and stuff and still had that altercation were it lead to a inch long cut on one of the new rats. Basically, will they kill each other or just fight a lot till a dominate is decided?


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

in most cases theres some tension, followed by some scrapping then more tension until they eventually ignore each other followed by eventually relaxing and sleeping together. 

i can't say it's perfectly safe, no introductions are, to be fair no rats living together is as I've had cage mates who are long term friends fall out and injure each other. You've got to balance the risks against the benefits though. getting then to live together is hugely beneficial to both rats, the carrier method normally minimises the risks unless your dealing with a very terratorial rat. From my experience unless you've got a really damaged rat mentally they don't fight to kill, they fight to be boss. mistakes can happen (like that slash wound) but most rats really don't want to injure the other, just show they are boss. You can get one or two that don't have that mental safe guard or get carried away in the moment which is why you need to be on hand to seperate if stuff turns nasty but it's the best way i know


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## AznDonutBoy (Jul 10, 2014)

Okay well im trying it now. So far theres only been boxing and my main rat Cream has just been running away and kicking the other two rats away with her hind leg. There has been some mounting and a bit of fur was pulled but other then that its just mainly boxing and running away from each other. Do you think i should keep them in there over night? Or do this a few times before I do an overnight ?


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

i would keep it up that sounds pretty good. i don't seperate unless it's going badly otherwise you draw things out


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## AznDonutBoy (Jul 10, 2014)

Okay, thanks for the advice. After about another hour of tussling they have now settled and are sleeping together DDDD


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

brill news, sounds really positive. They may still get tense or scap occasionally but this is proof that it should work out long term


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## rudecrudetattooedfatgirl (Aug 30, 2014)

My boys had squeaky moments but worked it out. I stayed out of it completely. However with Mort and Binky I had to concede that Mort was just not going to be able to cohabitate. So I had separate cages and separate free range time. Mort passed recently and we decided to get Timey. They did no damage to each other and I have to say Binky is a whole new rat now. It's clear he was lonely. I was originally told Binky had to be kept as a single rat because he has a heart condition. I took him to a vet and they decided that it would be ok....just no exercise wheels allowed.


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