On August 18th, i got 2 hairless rats (Jack and Oreo--they're brothers). About 2 weeks later, i got a hooded rex (Shyloh), so that he could keep the hairless ones warm during the cool weather. About a week after that, I noticed that Shyloh was playing a littlle too rough with Jack and Oreo (not like being mean or anything, they were just playing, and Shyloh's claws were scratching the hairless ones skin, very frequently), so i went out and bought Shyloh's cagemate from the petstore (another hooded rex, who is actually Shyloh's brother), so that way whenever Shyloh wanted to play rougher, he could do so with his brother, Tucker. About 2 weeks after that, i fell in love with a brown dumbo rat i saw at the petstore. So i got him, and named him Remy! (He actually had to go back to the petstore 3 days after i got him so that they could treat him for a repiratory infection, and i just got him back last night.)
2007-10-24 07:42:56 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Rodents
They all seem to get along REALLY well, and rarely get into any arguments. They are all males, and are VERY easygoing. They play well together inside of their cage, as well as every night when they get their out-of-cage playtime.
But my question is, would they have been happier, if I had just stuck with my original 2, or do they follow “the more the merrier” philosophy??
2007-10-24 07:43:07 · update #1
They are actually all friends, there aren't really any "cliques" like you would expect. And, Oreo is actually the dominant one, from what i can tell (i've seen him challenge anyone who challenges him, and he wins the fights), then comes Tucker in second in command, who has dubbed himself the cage "butt-sniffer" lol. Then there's Shyloh, and Remy who are tied for 3rd, and Jack, well, Jack really doesn't care about rank lol. He never gets picked on, no matter what he does to the other guys. He can go right up to Oreo, and take food from him and Oreo just goes and gets another piece from the food dish.
But like i said, they are all really easy-going. I've only had a couple of problems with them, and that was when i first got Tucker, and Tucker kept picking fights with Oreo. But now they've all estalished their places in the cage, and i'll see them playing together, or sleeping togethr in huge "rat piles" :-).
Yes, i do love them. To death. And they so totally know it, too. :-)
2007-10-24 08:15:17 · update #2
Oh, and i do have a cage big enough for them. I checked on this one site that had a cage calculator, and it said mine was big enough for five. Plus mine has shelves and room for climbing. So they're pretty much set. :-)
2007-10-24 08:16:25 · update #3
Oh, and my furries have learned to not play as rough with the nakeds. And if the nakeds do get scratched, i just put neosporin on during their out-of-cage playtime at night. They're so busy playing, that they don't want to take the time to lick it off, and by the time playtime is over, they've forgotten that it's even there. I have a system, haha. :-)
2007-10-24 08:18:54 · update #4
Either, it depends on who is getting along with who. It is just preferable that a rat doesn't live alone if it doesn't have to. I have boys who, by exception to the rule, have to live alone, but other cages of rats are around them. I have groups of 2, 4, 7, 9, and 18 (girls), and everything in between, living together as long as they are all getting along.
Shyloh is establishing himself as the alpha male in this little group and this is perfectly normal. Since there has been no squeals of terror or blood-letting, it indicates that all is going well. Shyloh is playing as rough as any rat would. He doesn't understand that he is inflicting damage on his naked pals.
Naked rats do receive more skin marring because they don't have the hair that the furries do that stops the claws from getting down to the bare skin.
You could clip the claws of the rats if you had someone to help you hold a rat. Some of the claw marks on the nakeds could be self-inflicted. You could give the nakeds a soothing bath in warm chamomile tea to heal their skin.
From what I've read in your post it sounds like you are doing everything right by your boys. Just remember your quarantining and proper introductions so they will be fast friends.
Edit:
"more the merrier" pet_lova, as long as their personalities don't clash.
I maintain that Shyloh is vying for the boss-rat status. If Oreo were 100% sure that he, himself, were the alpha then his testosterone level/ his smell/ his aura, would indicate this and no one would dare question his status. If Shyloh is challenging Oreo, then Shyloh knows he has a chance. Alpha challenges need not be mean and vicious. They can be as suttle as a stare, or as simple as a nudge. Your boys are still very young and they have plenty of time to sort out who's boss.
It is often said among rat-keepers that the alpha-rat will be the one who exits the cage first during out-of-cage-play-time.
spazrats
"my life has gone to the Rats"
2007-10-24 08:05:19 · answer #1 · answered by spazrats 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
They are very nice pets for older children. Even as an adult I like pet rats. This is, of course, if the child wants one and will actually play with it. Not everybody is that interested in a pet. The rat will sit on the shoulder or run around the room, and are tame and affectionate. If you play with the rat regularly, it doesn't need a rat companion. Some people are allergic to rats; the child should probably try handling an adult rat for a while to test this, before buying one. The rat should have a running wheel big enough for an adult rat. If it squeaks, oil it with cooking oil or petroleum jelly. This is important for mental and physical health. I would pay up to $10 for a nice rat, but if a cheaper one can be just as good. Even "feeder" rats can be good pets; ask to handle the rat before you buy it, to make sure it is tame and friendly.
2016-05-25 13:03:13 · answer #2 · answered by chery 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i own two male rats myself, rats don't mind if they're in a group or just a pair as long as they have company. A group is nice for rats as they have more friends to play with but you should be careful your original rats don't turn on the newer rats as it has been know that when introducing new rats to an original group they may kill the newer rat.
hope this helps
2007-10-24 08:50:20 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think rats are happier kept in a group because then they've got more company and this will also prevent them from getting bored... But you need to make sure you have a big enough cage... i hope my answer will help you xxx
2007-10-24 07:54:05 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
im not an expert but i believe they will be happier together cuz they have got more friends and its more of a change and less boring than only having one friend. i take it you love rats,cuz you brought like 5 in two weeks. i hope all your rats are happy together but dont worry about the fights cuz everyone has argumnets and so do rats.
2007-10-24 07:53:42 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are happiest with more than less. I had two boys and when they reached their teens, they were so violent with each other I had to keep them separate the rest of their lives. But their cages were next to each other so they knew the other was there.
2007-10-24 13:25:28 · answer #6 · answered by dude 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think rats are happier with lots of friends just like people. lol :P
2007-10-25 04:13:08 · answer #7 · answered by samiDEE 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋