# The boys all together after quarantine...



## lml8787 (Apr 16, 2010)

Well my two new boys, Stash and Potato, breezed right thru quarantine and since have had no problems with my other two. I thought they were so cute all lined up together after I woke them up from a nap in their new CN....


----------



## Knoahe (Jun 11, 2010)

What gorgeous ratty boys you have! I am sure they are enjoying their CN, I bet they have so much room they don't know what to do with themselves!


----------



## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

Beautifully marked ratties! They are all such handsome big boys as well! :]


----------



## Alethea (Jul 14, 2010)

Simply gorgeous little boys you have there OP. I love each of their facial markings, as they are all so different, but so adorable. <3


----------



## lml8787 (Apr 16, 2010)

Thanks for the nice comments about my boys! Last time a posted a few weeks ago, my boys had just finished quarantine and were just place together. I am now learning all of their own little personalities, and their might be a few problems. :-[ Stash, my youngest seems to always be seperated from everyone else. He always sleeps by himself when everyone sleeps together and it also seems like whenever the other 3 are on the top level, he is on the bottom and viseversa. I'm not sure if he is doing it himself wanting to be alone or if the others are excluding him. Either way, I feel bad for him being alone, and have been debating getting another young male around his age hoping they may get along better than he does with my older 3 boys. I don't know. 

And my second problem it seems that my siamese boy, Potato, has been picking little quarrels with the others. It has never gotten too serious, but yesterday I noticed a bite mark on the bottom side of his neck. It looked pretty bad, as the hair was missing and it was through his skin. 

Does anyone have any suggestions, or am I just over-reacting to all of this? lol, sorry to rant on but I just want them to all get along. ???


----------



## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

If they are still a relativity new group, then its to be expected. I find expanding cage space helps better than adding another rat to the mix. They may also benefit from additional out time, or even a neuter for Potato. 

Keep their cage clean, and keep adding new things and changing it around. Stash will settle down into the group eventually, if not... you may want to consider a buddy his own age for him to play with. (That is assuming the age difference between him and the other boys is quite substantial?)


----------



## lml8787 (Apr 16, 2010)

ema-leigh said:


> If they are still a relativity new group, then its to be expected. I find expanding cage space helps better than adding another rat to the mix. They may also benefit from additional out time, or even a neuter for Potato.
> 
> Keep their cage clean, and keep adding new things and changing it around. Stash will settle down into the group eventually, if not... you may want to consider a buddy his own age for him to play with. (That is assuming the age difference between him and the other boys is quite substantial?)


The age difference between Stash and the other boys is only by a few months(2-3 at the most), although he is quite smaller than the others. I try giving them plenty of time out of their cage daily, but I usually only do two at a time, since they are hard to keep an eye on all at once. Do you have any suggestions about time outside of their cage? 

Also, I wanted to originally get them all fixed but at this time I can't afford that. Do you think just fixing Potato (who is the one who always seems to pick the fights) will help out?

Again, thanks so much for all of you advice!


----------



## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

lml8787 said:


> ema-leigh said:
> 
> 
> > If they are still a relativity new group, then its to be expected. I find expanding cage space helps better than adding another rat to the mix. They may also benefit from additional out time, or even a neuter for Potato.
> ...


The age difference between Stash and the others is not that much, so I don't think the issue can be solved by bringing in another boy. Stash just needs time to learn to socialize with the group..... he will be wrestling with them all in no time. He may just feel a bit intimated because hes the little guy. 

As for suggestions for out time, build a play pen or rat proof an existing room. If you have your cage in one corner, you could board around it and create an additional space for your ratties to run around in. 

Defiantly, always neuter the instigator!!! Things will calm down once the most dominant boy does. There may still be injuries but I think there will be a lot less. Don;t forget it takes about a month after the surgery for all the testosterone to be out of his body. 

No problem, anytime!


----------



## Butter950 (Aug 10, 2010)

they are all so cute!! love your rats!!


----------



## SilentRobert23 (Aug 16, 2010)

I quite like that they were all pressed up against the wire. 

*"Look! We get to be adored by people on the Internet! Say Cheese!"*


----------

