# Keeping Male and Female Rats In The Same Room (Different Cages) Questions



## Grotesque (Mar 19, 2014)

I was asked to foster some male rats. I currently only have females. After quarantine, the rats live in the same room in different cages. I have the cage of good girls and the cage of naughty girls. 

Anyway, if I decide to foster these boys, should I anticipate any issues with girls and boys living in the same room? - such as constant escape attempts, hormonal fights, ect.


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## TheRatAttack (Mar 29, 2016)

What kind of cage do you have?


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

The girls will display more heat behaviors like ear vibrating, and hyper bahavior. If they are kept in a sturdy escape proof cage like a critter nation, you will be fine. They will definitely try to escape when you open the door. Make sure none of your cages have a plastic pan or they could escape that way. That being said, rats can't mate through the bars of their cage. But you definitely will need to be extra careful for out if cage play, never get both genders out at the same time or have the door of their cage open even if the cage is on a table or a shelf.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

It is possible you get some hormonal fights. My intact girls fought more (nothing serious- more pinning down and squeaking than usual) for a few days after I brought a neutered boy home. So I can only guess it would have been worse if the male was intact. It will really depend on the rats.


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## Grotesque (Mar 19, 2014)

The "naughty" girls are in a Critter Nation. The good girls are in a modified guinea pig cage. There is one escape artist in that one. She's the one I am worried about. I'm thinking I'm going to turn down the boys - at least for now.

The last thing I need is the possibility of 11 girls going crazy.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Grotesque said:


> The "naughty" girls are in a Critter Nation. The good girls are in a modified guinea pig cage. There is one escape artist in that one. She's the one I am worried about. I'm thinking I'm going to turn down the boys - at least for now.The last thing I need is the possibility of 11 girls going crazy.


Is there any way you could put them in another room? Even a bathroom? Even if your girl were to escape, she can't breed through the bars. However, if there are loose male rats in the room, she will be extra motivated to escape...maybe there is something that can be done to prevent her from escaping her cage.


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## Grotesque (Mar 19, 2014)

I'm going to see if I can get them neutered right away. I know I can handle 3 weeks or so of quarantine. Intact... I just can't trust Sophie to not escape and make an appearance during male play time. My bathroom simply cannot accommodate a cage. I can't fit one in and be able to close the door. Such a frustrating situation.


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## mis.kay (May 29, 2015)

Where does she escape from? Because if it's the doors (like my crazy boy) you can use small carabiner hooks to keep them locked.


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## Grotesque (Mar 19, 2014)

She actually escapes from between the bars. I have to put hardware cloth over the cage. Its a work in progress cage for rats who need more horizontal space than vertical space. Therefore it is meant for older, more mellow rats. Sophie is in there simply because she was terrorizing the other rats during intros (the rats in the Critter Nation). 

Since she couldn't get along with them, she was put in the cage she is in now. 

I think she enjoys escaping because the other rats get upset and reach through the bars for her while she dances around and teases them.

Now another concern I have is Sophie somehow busting IN to the foster cage. It is secure and the bar spacing is tiny... but anything can happen.


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## mis.kay (May 29, 2015)

Wow. Talented rats lol It probably would be best to pass on the fosters this time. Just to be safe.


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