# Bonding pouches



## hopefloats (Aug 29, 2010)

Has anyone used these? We have only had our boys for a week. I knew when I brought them home it would be harder to socialize them because they were in the there for a few months and they were really timid/scared when you hold them. They do not scream bloody murder when you pick them up anymore just a little protesting now. I know that is progress in itself but any tips that will help the process along? I have been bribing them with treats in the cage but not sure what else I can do. I limit their freedom unlike the girls they keep to the area on my desk and table i have set up next to it because the floor seems to freak them out  Could I do the same thing with the plastic shoe box I have for them to sleep in? just hold it while they sleep or something? any tips would be helpful...sometimes I feel like i keep setting myself backwards with them. I will go all day with out a squeak, then I pick them up and they act like I smashed them.

also does anyone else have a split cage where they house the girls on the bottom and boys on the top? I had no idea how persistent girls were lol they will go to any measure to try to get to the boys.... These girls have taught me just how high a rat could jump, which I had no idea they were such good jumpers. I have seen the smallest one we have jump from the floor to the window sill to get to the boys which is about 3 feet off the ground. (typically the girls run on the floor in a makeshift playpen I have surrounding my desk area, which is quite a large area and the boys stay on top of my desk) The have also showed me how to rat proof their free range area. Is there something that can distract the girls from smelling the boys? or will they get used to the smell after a while? I want to get the boys neutered. can you house boys and girls together without the barricade after that or will they fight? sorry trying to learn the ropes of rat ownership, i just totally fell in love with these little critters.


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## TamSmith (Mar 1, 2010)

I have a bonding pouch but I prefer bonding scarves much more. I like them to be as close to me as possible when bonding and I feel like a pouch doesn't do it enough. I have bonded with and socialized all my rats using a bonding scarf. I try to hold each one every day for at least 20 minutes and the scarf actually makes that very easy because I can leave them in it and continue doing whatever I need to around the house. I also don't like them to just dangle in the pouch. I don't feel like they are safe and secure. They all love the bonding scarves so much. They know that the scarf is a safe spot so if they do wander out of the scarf and hang out on my shoulder, they have a safe spot to hide if something scares them. Whenever one of my girls has surgery, I let them sleep in the scarf in the cage while they are healing. They love it because they feel safe in it and it gives them a cozy place to sleep. Some people like bonding pouches though. It's all personal preference. 

I have never kept boys and girls together because I don't feel it is safe enough. I have heard they can mate through bars. I don't ever want any rat babies. I'm afraid it could hurt my girls if they get pregnant because they don't have very good genetics at all since they are all rescues that probably come from pet stores. 

I did recently get a neutered boy from a rescue. After they are neutered, they need to be kept apart for at least 3 weeks to make sure they don't have babies. After he did his time I intro'd him to his new girlfriend and it was the easiest intro I have ever done. They are living together now and there has not been a single fight or scuffle since they day they met. My 3 girls who live together are all really rough with each other and I catch them boxing all the time so It's strange to me to see them get along so well compared to my 3 girls. I have heard that male to female intro's are the easiest, followed by female to female and then male to male.


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## hopefloats (Aug 29, 2010)

wow thanks. I will have to look up the scarfs and see how they work. the boys get along better than the girls. One of our girls is a bit of a meanie so I doubt she will ever warm up to them or anyone else. IT took a while to stop her from fighting mally the baby of the bunch. I am going to be looking into some cage options something a little bigger most likely. I am really thinking about getting the boys fixed...


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## TamSmith (Mar 1, 2010)

Getting the girls spayed is a good option too. It has many health benefits for the girls and if one of your girls is mean, it can help with her agression.


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