Bringing Them Home
Because your new pups will be removed from their birthing cage into a carrier or box and then transported in a car, they might be scared and skittish, please expect that, it's normal. They will also probably get the rats version of stinky diarrhea- it is icky but natural for a scared little rattie.
Once you get them home, place them in their cage right away and let them explore for a few hours to get used to their new surroundings. If you plan to litter train them, NOW would be the best time to start. Here are some videos I suggest watching for new rat owners-- these are not my personal videos:
(Because my pups are worked with since birth, this may not be necessary)
How To Train Your New Rat-
Step 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIWdc_ZOqFw
Step 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GT4g19rYJ8
Step 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ioD0LHW16w
Step 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A47P73qTqWU
Litter training:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L17M7F2-Wk
This is the best and most clearly explained training video I've seen.
Why should rats be purchased in same gender pairs (or more)?
Here's the answer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDy3bMRuobE
(This video gets me every time I watch it.)
Here's the link to this particular users videos, they've got training videos too: http://www.youtube.com/user/oPuPo
Introducing new pups to resident rats should go fine AFTER the 4 week quarantine time, please make sure you do this in case of any illness brought to or from another residence. I must stress if you do have a rat in your home, please do not touch your rat and have a clean change of clothes on before meeting Leesa.
When the quarantine time is up, place them both on a bed or couch with an old blanket or towel that doesn't have either rat's scent on it. Let them explore, smell each other and play.
If in the event that they start fighting (this might happen more with adult to adult introductions rather than pup to adult or pup to pup intros) DO NOT STICK YOUR HAND IN THE FIGHT- you will most likely get bit- and let me tell you, having been bit from an aggressive male years ago on both index finger knuckles and having to go to the hospital and get a tetanus shot is not fun! I suggest for adult/adult meetings, have a squirt bottle with plain water in it ready to spray them for any skirmishes. I am only giving this information in case an adopter is getting an older rat from me and already has an adult in their home.
Introducing pups to adults is much easier than it sounds, the older rat will usually adopt the younger one with no problem.
A note about in-tact Bucks: if you have one at home and are getting a pup to be their new cage-mate, there should be no problem. With adult Buck intros (unless they are neutered) the tendency of a fight is higher mostly if one Buck is of a dominant position or personality and the other is also or is not totally submissive. Usually a dominant Buck will roll the submissive onto his back, a non-submissive or dominant Buck will refuse to be rolled and that's when a fight may start.
Signs of a fight in either males or females when one will not back down are both are up on hind feet with front feet up and nose held high with teeth showing. They will hiss at each other and squeak, but the hissing is usually too high for humans to hear, but you can see it with how they breath. if one decides to back down, they will usually run away, if the other pursues, then there may be a fight of one saying: "I'm overpowering you because I'm dominant" the other would be saying "leave me alone, I don't want to fight but I will defend myself". USUALLY this will eventually work itself out. If you don't know the signs, things can get very ugly, very fast.
Does are more likely to get along with each other than dominant males, but Does do have a hierarchy of their own and this is what can happen if one won't back down: (again, not my video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2jEM5aHHJc
If you are getting 2 Does or 2 Bucks from me and they are from the same litter, there should be no problem at all. If there is for whatever reason, you can bring one back and we can find another of the same gender that will fit the others personality better (if one is available).
Rat-Human Interactions:
Interaction with you should be started right away at your home, after your rats have had some time adjusting to their new cage. They should check everything out, nibble on food, get a drink maybe and really be interested in their surroundings. If for some reason they seem too anxious or nervous, give them a little more time. See the above video: "How To Train Your New Rat".
To avoid being bit--
1. DO NOT FEED THROUGH THE BARS of any cage- they may accidentally think your fingers are food. 2.Pups mouth everything just like human toddlers. They get their teeth in at about 3 weeks of age, before their eyes are open and they will nibble fingernails. Once their eyes are open they will stick EVERYTHING into their mouth; fingernails, fingers, bedding, the cage bars, food, their momma's tail, etc. It's the beauty and wonder of these pups that I look forward to every time I breed. My rats personalities are the best I've ever seen and they will continue in future generations.
Once you get them home, place them in their cage right away and let them explore for a few hours to get used to their new surroundings. If you plan to litter train them, NOW would be the best time to start. Here are some videos I suggest watching for new rat owners-- these are not my personal videos:
(Because my pups are worked with since birth, this may not be necessary)
How To Train Your New Rat-
Step 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIWdc_ZOqFw
Step 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GT4g19rYJ8
Step 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ioD0LHW16w
Step 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A47P73qTqWU
Litter training:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L17M7F2-Wk
This is the best and most clearly explained training video I've seen.
Why should rats be purchased in same gender pairs (or more)?
Here's the answer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDy3bMRuobE
(This video gets me every time I watch it.)
Here's the link to this particular users videos, they've got training videos too: http://www.youtube.com/user/oPuPo
Introducing new pups to resident rats should go fine AFTER the 4 week quarantine time, please make sure you do this in case of any illness brought to or from another residence. I must stress if you do have a rat in your home, please do not touch your rat and have a clean change of clothes on before meeting Leesa.
When the quarantine time is up, place them both on a bed or couch with an old blanket or towel that doesn't have either rat's scent on it. Let them explore, smell each other and play.
If in the event that they start fighting (this might happen more with adult to adult introductions rather than pup to adult or pup to pup intros) DO NOT STICK YOUR HAND IN THE FIGHT- you will most likely get bit- and let me tell you, having been bit from an aggressive male years ago on both index finger knuckles and having to go to the hospital and get a tetanus shot is not fun! I suggest for adult/adult meetings, have a squirt bottle with plain water in it ready to spray them for any skirmishes. I am only giving this information in case an adopter is getting an older rat from me and already has an adult in their home.
Introducing pups to adults is much easier than it sounds, the older rat will usually adopt the younger one with no problem.
A note about in-tact Bucks: if you have one at home and are getting a pup to be their new cage-mate, there should be no problem. With adult Buck intros (unless they are neutered) the tendency of a fight is higher mostly if one Buck is of a dominant position or personality and the other is also or is not totally submissive. Usually a dominant Buck will roll the submissive onto his back, a non-submissive or dominant Buck will refuse to be rolled and that's when a fight may start.
Signs of a fight in either males or females when one will not back down are both are up on hind feet with front feet up and nose held high with teeth showing. They will hiss at each other and squeak, but the hissing is usually too high for humans to hear, but you can see it with how they breath. if one decides to back down, they will usually run away, if the other pursues, then there may be a fight of one saying: "I'm overpowering you because I'm dominant" the other would be saying "leave me alone, I don't want to fight but I will defend myself". USUALLY this will eventually work itself out. If you don't know the signs, things can get very ugly, very fast.
Does are more likely to get along with each other than dominant males, but Does do have a hierarchy of their own and this is what can happen if one won't back down: (again, not my video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2jEM5aHHJc
If you are getting 2 Does or 2 Bucks from me and they are from the same litter, there should be no problem at all. If there is for whatever reason, you can bring one back and we can find another of the same gender that will fit the others personality better (if one is available).
Rat-Human Interactions:
Interaction with you should be started right away at your home, after your rats have had some time adjusting to their new cage. They should check everything out, nibble on food, get a drink maybe and really be interested in their surroundings. If for some reason they seem too anxious or nervous, give them a little more time. See the above video: "How To Train Your New Rat".
To avoid being bit--
1. DO NOT FEED THROUGH THE BARS of any cage- they may accidentally think your fingers are food. 2.Pups mouth everything just like human toddlers. They get their teeth in at about 3 weeks of age, before their eyes are open and they will nibble fingernails. Once their eyes are open they will stick EVERYTHING into their mouth; fingernails, fingers, bedding, the cage bars, food, their momma's tail, etc. It's the beauty and wonder of these pups that I look forward to every time I breed. My rats personalities are the best I've ever seen and they will continue in future generations.
