# Rat's been separated... what next?



## morsel (Feb 10, 2017)

OK, So I have four neutered male rats. Two are old boys and two are young newer boys. When we got the two new boys we had them separated for about a week from the older boys in the two level Critter nation cage, so they could smell each other and all, we had the four introductions between all rats, everything went beyond well, nothing hostel at all, so they started living together. Great...

One of the new ones, the one we call Bazil really messed up the little new one Flint, he had about 6 different bite puncture wounds, pretty bad one's actually, one on his tail that was really bad. We took Flint to the vet and he went on Antibiotics and Probiotics for about two weeks, the whole time being separated from the other three. He got better and we reintroduced, no problems...

Now the bully Bazil did the same thing to one of my older boy, came home and my boy Gus was all bloody with again about five or six full bite puncture wounds... we know it's Bazil who did it because the other two are completely docile.

So we've done what we really didn't want to do, we separated Bazil from the other three. We added on another top section to our Critter Nation cage, so three levels, huge... and he lives in there, so he's alone now. He looks miserable and just sits in the corner all day and all night. We do take all four out together and have an hour of free range play time together and it all goes well, no real problems and of course Bazil loves it. But I feel so bad for him being alone, but obviously he can't live with the others because he's been really hurting them.

So my question is, is he ok being alone, is this something that may pass the older he gets and may be able to be reintroduced at a later date? As I said, they are all neutered so don't know what else I can do...

Any thoughts?

Jason


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## AllieOops (Mar 4, 2017)

I wonder if he would get along better with a female rat? Since he is neutered there is at least no chance of pregnancy. Just a spit ball idea though, no experience to go off of, sorry  Sounds like a tough spot to be in, poor guy. Do rats get possessive of food and toys like dogs do? If so, maybe that could be one explanation with a good solution.


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## MRM (Dec 26, 2016)

I know you said in your other thread that one of the four was a hoarder, is it Bazil? If so, I am wondering if perhaps he gets aggressive when one of the other rats tries to take "his" food.


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## morsel (Feb 10, 2017)

MRM said:


> I know you said in your other thread that one of the four was a hoarder, is it Bazil? If so, I am wondering if perhaps he gets aggressive when one of the other rats tries to take "his" food.


No, he's not the one that hoards. He's gotten into it a couple times in free roam time, but I'm always there to break it up so no harm is done... but that's over nothing in neutral area... I'm hoping he just mellows with age and I can reintroduce him at some point. It sad seeing the others all running and playing to together and him just laying there not doing anything in the cage 

J


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## morsel (Feb 10, 2017)

So just an update on this and opinions welcome... please 

It's been a little over a month now that we've had Bazil separated from the other three. I've been having play time with all for at least every other night and sometimes every night, for about an hour or so. When I first started doing this, Bazil and Gus had one fight about three weeks ago, and this time Gus got Bazil pretty good with a pretty nasty bite wound. Well I started just doing three at a time and not having Gus and Bazil together during play time for a couple weeks. I wasn't really happy about this because it really extended the play time needed to about two hours a night, which is hard for me time wise, but want them to all have exercise and social play time because I feel bad for Bazil being separated.

Anyway, for the last week, I've been back to all four playing together because first, I don't have that kind of time every night to do the two sessions and two, because I really want this to work out for the four rats. So far there hasn't been anything, Gus and Bazil have been fine for the most part, actually all four have been playing together great.

So last night for fun, I switched around the four putting different pairs together in the cage in Bazils alone section for an hour a piece, nothing, they all hug out in pairs fine including Bazil and Gus.

So my questions are, do you think I can maybe try to reintroduce the four in to my three level Critter Nation cage again, should I try it. Could this have been a hormonal thing going on and the two, Gus and Bazil have grown out of it and might be fine now? I mean they literally were sleeping/cuddling together last night in Bazils section of the cage, so it make me wonder. Obviously if I attempted this I would go through the whole process of cleaning everything spotless including housing and tunnels and such and sleep in the room where they are for a few nights to break anything up that might happen, just for safety.

Am I nuts to try or should I give out a wirl, has anyone had any experience having rats that didn't get a long at a point and then did later one, am I rushing things?

Appreciate any advice.

Thanks,

Jason


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## morsel (Feb 10, 2017)

OK, another update, after three weeks of every night doing free roam and play time with all four ratties and working through fighting issues, we now have success. I re-introduced the problem child back to the other three rats over the weekend and spent 24/7 monitoring them to make sure no fights broke out, it's been there days and three nights and not a single issue or any aggressive behavior. The four rats are getting along fine now, or at least so far.

So maybe it was a hormonal thing in the younger rat that the older one was picking up on and they just didn't mix together or a dominate thing that has been now been established between the two. Anyway, it was work and definitely scary at times when they did fight in free time at the beginning, but I wasn't going to give up. I felt bad for the little guy being separated from the other three.

Here are a couple shots of all four of them together, notice the fourth guy crushed inside on the right 

Love all my lab rat rescues, they're super sweet...

Thanks,

Jason


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## MRM (Dec 26, 2016)

morsel said:


> Anyway, it was work and definitely scary at times when they did fight in free time at the beginning, but I wasn't going to give up.


Congrats!! That is so awesome that you persevered and they are all living together again!! You will always know that your extra effort on their behalf was well worth it and improved their lives. I am so happy for you and your boys. ;D


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## morsel (Feb 10, 2017)

Thanks, and yes, couldn't be happier


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## brooklyn&cornflake (Mar 28, 2017)

Yayy congratulations on final success! Thank you for putting in the effort to make them all happy, you're a good rat mother


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## morsel (Feb 10, 2017)

Yes, it's been about 6 days now without any instances, barely any sq. I'm still taking them out every night which I think helps, I take two at a time and make them sit in my lap and pet them while there sitting, so I think that also helps just to make them all understand we're all family, haha.

But yes, couldn't be happier, they're doing great...

Jason


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## Nieve5552 (May 20, 2014)

Sounds like a great success story!  Im glad you wont have to end up doing two playtime sessions every night, i did it when my first two got too old for the two young boys, and its difficult and you feel bad because they all end up getting less playtime than they otherwise would have 

Just out of curiosity, how old were your boys when they started having this problem? Im also finding that theres still some hormonal stuff going on with my ratties long after being neutered


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## brooklyn&cornflake (Mar 28, 2017)

hahhahahahhahahhahahaaaa sorry I just assumed you were female omg haha, you're a good rat *father


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