# "large" and "medium" rats living together?



## jonwascovich (Jan 26, 2009)

Hi, I'm new to this website so I apologize if this has been asked before (i used search, couldn't find anything) or if it's in the wrong section.

I'm going to get my first rats later this week, and was wondering if a "large" labeled rat could live with a medium one without unusual aggression?


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## zoe9 (Oct 3, 2007)

I think you're referring to the labels they use on those feeder bins?

If yes small, medium and large are all the same rats, they're just different ages (and thus different sizes.)

A medium and a large sized rat could certainly live together if the proper introductions were done, however introductions are usually easier the younger the rat is, especially if you’re looking at males. 

If you must get a pet shop rat I'd recommend getting babies (they’d be the 'small' ones according to the feeder labelling.) Reason is babies usually bond with each other quickly and easily and the younger they are the easier it should be for you to bond with them too. You need to remember that these rats are not bred as pets, they’re bred to eaten. That doesn't mean they can't make great pets, but unlike a rat from a good breeder they won't have been handled or socialised and may require a lot of time and patience from you before you can comfortably handle them and they are the friendly pets you’re probably imagining.

I'd also recommend getting two (same sex obviously) rats from the same bin. That way they will have already been exposed to each other and you won't need to worry about quarantine. If you're getting girls please make sure there aren't any boys in the bin with them (it does happen) otherwise you may end up with a lot more rats than you bargained for.

Hope that helps.


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## AMJ087 (Aug 27, 2008)

I agree with zoe but to add to it another reason to get small ones is that they have more time and a better time adjusting to you as well adn becoming more comfortable with you.


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## MariHxc (May 23, 2007)

i agree with the above. if you're going to get feeder rats as pets, get younger ones. i bought my first two females as adults and had to work pretty hard to get them to trust me. Bree was actually really, really trusting after she had her babies, but i'm still working with Sally and it's been about half a year. you can tell that she wants to be around people and that she loves them, but she still gets really nervous when you hold her too long. 

with a lot of feeders, you have to take your time. a lot of them are nervous nellies like my Sally.


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## MadCatter (Aug 12, 2008)

I'm going to play devil's advocate... 

If you're going to get rats from a petstore, look at all of them - don't limit yourself to just one specific group (except for just males, or just females). Figure out which ones seem healthiest - no discharge around eyes or nose (unless they JUST woke up), no sneezing, wheezing, or crackling. 


My rats Sgt Pepper and Mr Mustard were both 'larges' at my Petco, and both had already been living at the other Petco in town for a couple of months, unable to be sold. They were at THAT store as larges, which meant they had probably both been retired breeders. I convinced another employee to take Sgt Pepper home (at about 9-11 months old), and he ended up with me because the employee didn't take very good care of him (like he had promised, and I had been convinced). Mr Mustard stayed at my store for several more months because of recurring abscess problems - he now lives with me. 

Despite going through ALL of this, both are awesome cuddlebugs who boggle until it looks like their eyes will literally fall right out of their heads. Both are neutered and live with my two girls. Mr Mustard can be a little nervous when picked up, but I attribute this to constantly being forced to take meds and getting his abscesses messed with. Every day (I've only had him for a few weeks now) he opens up more and more. 

One of my girls is very high anxiety - and I got her when she was TINY - sometimes it's handling and age, sometimes it's genetic. Some of the 'medium' rats at work just let me scoop them up and let me scratch their ears, sometimes not. 

My point is just don't limit yourself - look at all of them. If you bond with a couple, even if they're not tiny babies, don't think that they will be any less of a pet than the 'smalls'. 

NOTE: If you get a small AND a medium, you will have to follow proper introduction procedures. If you find one in a particular habitat you like, getting one that has already been living with her/him in the same habitat will make it easier (you wont have to do introductions).


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