# 2 is better than 1



## Simons mum (Dec 19, 2013)

Ok, when I first got my single girl I went into this thinking I'd spoil her rotten and give her all the time I had keeping her as a single ratty. After reading how much they need to be with other rats, I broke down and got Peaches. I'm telling you, nothing is sweeter than seeing the two groom, play and sleep together. I had them out this afternoon and was giving them free range of my bedroom, but standing there watching them both crawl up my legs to my shoulders together (their safe place), broke my heart. They're beautiful and the fact that they trust me so much is delighful. Token has taught Peaches that I won't hurt her and because of that, peaches comes to me when I open the cage door for petting. Still, she won't come out of the cage to me, but that will take time. I regret thinking for one minute that Token could be a lone rat. Though, if it was obvious that she would hurt another rat or vice versa, the option of having two rats would be out of the questions. I understand the feeling of wanting your ratty to love only you, but nothing changes when you have two. You just have 2 to love you, which is even better. 
Speaking from a woman who is thinking of adding a 3rd.


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## LeStan82 (Dec 31, 2013)

more is always more fun...well most of the time.....i have little trouble makers ..lol


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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

I found that 3 is the same as two. But for some reason, when I got the fourth, rat maintenance went through the roof. So 3 for me is the best number.


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## CJMoore (Jul 30, 2013)

I have three rats and just got a forth but she hasn't been introduced yet. No matter how many rats you have their love is always undivided. My two original rats love me as much as when I added the third and they still will love me the same way when I add the forth.


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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

Very true.


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## Daize (Jun 8, 2013)

Simons mum said:


> Ok, when I first got my single girl I went into this thinking I'd spoil her rotten and give her all the time I had keeping her as a single ratty. After reading how much they need to be with other rats, I broke down and got Peaches. I'm telling you, nothing is sweeter than seeing the two groom, play and sleep together. I had them out this afternoon and was giving them free range of my bedroom, but standing there watching them both crawl up my legs to my shoulders together (their safe place), broke my heart. They're beautiful and the fact that they trust me so much is delighful. Token has taught Peaches that I won't hurt her and because of that, peaches comes to me when I open the cage door for petting. Still, she won't come out of the cage to me, but that will take time. I regret thinking for one minute that Token could be a lone rat. Though, if it was obvious that she would hurt another rat or vice versa, the option of having two rats would be out of the questions. I understand the feeling of wanting your ratty to love only you, but nothing changes when you have two. You just have 2 to love you, which is even better.
> Speaking from a woman who is thinking of adding a 3rd.


I only have one rat, Belle, but it's her choice. She doesn't like other rats. However, she LOVES my cat. She'll groom the cat and they fall asleep together on the couch. I'll see bits of veggies in the cat's food bowl that Belle has brought to share with "her" cat, but the cat doesn't like veggies. Not sure if Belle takes any of the cat's food, but I've never seen her eating it. I'm not sure if Belle thinks she's a cat or my cat thinks she's a rat. LOL. Either way, they're inseparable.


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## lindzmichelle (Jan 2, 2014)

DustyRat said:


> I found that 3 is the same as two. But for some reason, when I got the fourth, rat maintenance went through the roof. So 3 for me is the best number.


 amen to that! You gotta love em all though


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## paigebrittain26 (Feb 24, 2014)

Aw so lovely to read! 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

I always like stories about different types of animals getting along.


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## Simons mum (Dec 19, 2013)

Daize...I think that's wonderful! She found a companion in your cat and they formed a great bond. She made her choice to love your cat and not welcome other rattys.
I have a cat who loves my dogs but tears apart any other cat I've tried to introduce. We've decided never to own another cat other than Ozzy. She too grooms the dogs and plays like a dog. She'd eat my rattys though.


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## rplatt (Mar 15, 2014)

How long did the introduction process take? How long was your first a lone rat before adding a second?


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## Simons mum (Dec 19, 2013)

I had my first ratty for 3 weeks. She was 10 weeks old when I bought her and originally she was with her sister who got sold before I decided to get her or I would have taken both. I got my 2nd three weeks later who I was told was 7-8 weeks old but I feel she was older. I hade them in seperate cages close together for one night, and the next day I had them in the bath tub together for short periods throughout the day. There was a little squabbling, alot of grooming, rolling around and alot of squeaks, but no aggression. Then I swapped cages on and off for a couple of days to let eachother explore their scents. I then put them both in the big cage and they were fine, but I kept a close eye on them. After they huddled together in a paper bag for a few hours, I knew they were fine. It all took 5 days and luckily the 2nd ratty was just wanting to mother the 1st. I did jump the gun a few times thinking they were fighting and jumped in, but looking back, it was just them getting to know eachother. No blood or screaming.
If I were to get another rat from a different place other than where I got these two, I would definately quarrantine though.


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## Andyurgay (Jun 10, 2013)

I gotta agree with a few of you, maintenance after 2 or 3 does grow a bit haha I think if I had added two girls instead of two boys it wouldn't be as strenuous. But I can't get enough of my guys so its worth it. When I had 5 rats, two girls, three boys, that was hard. Only because of separate play times and finding the time for them all to use up their energy. Now I'm up to 5 boys, no girls so play time is easy again. Relatively speaking lol I now have 5 zooming boys to watch and they LOVE to knock over any drink on my bedside table (which sucks when I just want a beer after work lol) and they are much more needy and attention seeking than my girls but that's just all the better  I had Valencia alone for two weeks after Rascal got taken away and my heart broke just to think about it or see her sad, lonely face in that big empty cage. I gave up my first rat so she could be back with her sister. That's how strongly I feel they need to be kept in pairs or groups.


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## Adalii (Aug 18, 2012)

I agree with what everyone has said, the more rats the merrier! I honestly don't see much of a difference between four and six rats...as I own six haha. I think the biggest jump was from two to four


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