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ApexAftermath posted:I think I'll pick up a smaller second cage to introduce them. I need to get some toys too. Here's a little write-up on how to introduce rats, which you might find helpful.
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Feb 5, 2013 01:06
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ApexAftermath posted:I think I'll pick up a smaller second cage to introduce them. I need to get some toys too. You're a good rat parent  Info on recommended cage sizes and introductions can be easily found. I have always found that baby rats are quicker to be accepted but then, I have boys not girls, so I probably shouldn't have chimed in with that. Hopefully it will all go well, anyway. Take it slow.
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Feb 5, 2013 02:47
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My experience is that lady rats respond to baby rats in much the same way that most middle-aged women respond to babies. "Oh my gooooooosh look at the little cutie aren't you adorable etc etc"
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Feb 5, 2013 06:26
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Except most middle-age ladies don't tackle the babies to make sure they know who's boss.
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Feb 5, 2013 06:31
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Well, yeah, that's one difference.
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Feb 5, 2013 06:42
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That's adorable. Most of my more placid boy rats respond with bored resignation bordering on disgust. "Ugh why are you bouncing everywhere and climbing all over me, god shut up".
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Feb 5, 2013 07:40
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Not The Platypus posted:Except most middle-age ladies don't hump the babies to make sure they know who's boss. Fixed that for you.  I think one of the main reasons Pandora took so long to integrate into my cage was because she wasn't used to being humped, and my girls are very expressive with their ~feelings~.  
Fraction fucked around with this message at 09:25 on Feb 5, 2013 |
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Feb 5, 2013 09:07
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What a good rat! Her whiskers don't match her fur, that's hilarious.
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Feb 5, 2013 15:48
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She looks like Spartacus. He has white whiskers and black fur too  I wish I could get such good photos!
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Feb 5, 2013 16:22
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 DSCF1433.jpg by GreyishOrange, on Flickr I just cleaned the cage yesterday  They have learned the secrets of fleece and burying food in the litter tray.. Rats!
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Feb 6, 2013 11:49
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Big Bug Hug posted:She looks like Spartacus. He has white whiskers and black fur too I only got it because she was lying *so* still, haha. It was just taken with my phone too vOv Do black rats usually have black whiskers? Soooooo my friend who I've posted about itt before has had to temporarily rehome her rats. Her boys are living with her mum, and her girls have come to live with me in a Mamble 80, for now at least. Which means pictures.         ETA pictures of my girls  Moxxi and Pandora  Pandora  Moxxi  Pandora  Moxxi  Valentine and Alice Fraction fucked around with this message at 00:13 on Feb 7, 2013 |
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Feb 6, 2013 20:04
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Bumping to ask if anyone knows what the dark gunk around Pippin's eyes in the pics is - porphyrin from moving stress? It's not as obvious irl as in pictures but I want to make sure she is okay 
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Feb 7, 2013 10:42
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Fraction posted:I only got it because she was lying *so* still, haha. It was just taken with my phone too vOv Do black rats usually have black whiskers?  Can't see his whiskers super well but the only pic I have at the moment. He's very handsome and big boned. Also re: your question, I wouldn't worry about the porphyrin yet, if she's otherwise healthy and she's just moved. Its probably just stress and adjustment. Edit: You take good pics. Those rats have a lot of personality! Big Bug Hug fucked around with this message at 15:21 on Feb 7, 2013 |
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Feb 7, 2013 14:59
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Fraction posted:Bumping to ask if anyone knows what the dark gunk around Pippin's eyes in the pics is - porphyrin from moving stress? It's not as obvious irl as in pictures but I want to make sure she is okay It could be. It also could just be the rat equivalent of sleep in your eyes. Keep an eye on her for other symptoms, but don't worry too much.
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Feb 7, 2013 17:12
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^^ Yeah I wondered about that. I'll give her another check when she wakes up later.Big Bug Hug posted:Good question, no idea! White ones might be a Berkshire thing? Is your girl Berkshire? I can't tell. Thank you Flash makes it so much easier to get decent photos.Chell is a black self, so who knows?  He is indeed a very handsome boy!
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Feb 7, 2013 17:36
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Yeah, I use my phone too much and its pretty inadequate for photos. Too slow, for starters. I mostly get blurry rats. Need to get out the proper camera. I would pay good money for a black self! Everyone here likes to breed new colors and coats, its hard to find plain black rats.
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Feb 8, 2013 02:01
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Seeing double! I don't care. I can tell them apart even ignoring the fact that Amelia is twice Tali's size.
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Feb 8, 2013 06:31
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^^^ Double cuteness.Big Bug Hug posted:Yeah, I use my phone too much and its pretty inadequate for photos. Too slow, for starters. I mostly get blurry rats. Need to get out the proper camera. Now that you mention it, Chell's the only black self I've seen in the pet shops around here. Mostly it's PEW, hooded and roan rats. Most of my non-flash pictures turn out blurry, even on my decent camera; if I put all the lights in the living room on I could take 200 photos and have only 20 halfway usable ones. So I've just decided to use flash now always because 
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Feb 8, 2013 10:33
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Much needed rat update! I have 5 rats, but one is very sick (the only PEW that I have now). I notice they seem to get sick faster than my others, but maybe that's just me? Anyways there's not much in the way of updates but I have gotten to the point I can't let Cubone live with other rats 24/7. I let her spend the day with the two non-sick girls (Vanguard and Donut) and at night she has to be in a cage by herself because she ends up getting into fights otherwise. She'snot aggressive, just completely clueless and annoying towards other rats. It's a bit of a pain to work around, but it seems like she's becoming less of an aspie rat with the socialization she does get (and there's no way I'm just going to have her by herself).  Also, I've been attempting rat training! Right now I'm just working on the "stand" command. I've found out some useful things though. Make sure your rat, when training, has a secure place they can go to (training inside their cage works, or if they're secure in your lap, do that). That's because in my experience my rats will only take their rewards if they can run to a safe place to eat it, and without eating the reward they have a hard time connecting "I did a thing" to "food". So far stand is a really easy/simple command because you can just lead them with the food by tilting your hand up and saying stand, and then giving them the food when their front paws (hands?) leave the ground. I'm still having issue with more complex behaviors because they're used to seeing food and then just getting it without having to do a behavior for it, that's also why it's a good idea to start training early, like how a lot of people get their dogs to sit/stay before getting a cookie. Rats get easily bored and frustrated if the trick is too complex, so baby steps. Later on I want to do a small writeup on DIY fleece rat hammocks, right now I must chug coffee. Also, a Biscuit. I apologize for the filter sound that is present in all of my videos ever.
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Feb 8, 2013 16:08
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I originally wanted to train my rats when I first got them, but it took a while to get them used to me, and even longer for them to accept food out of the cage (even now not all my girls will). And then I forgot about it. Do you use a clicker to mark the correct behaviours? It's funny that you suggest teaching to stand first. Whilst charging the clicker I've been reinforcing Moxxi (ADD rat) for trying to stand. Fraction fucked around with this message at 19:08 on Feb 8, 2013 |
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Feb 8, 2013 17:47
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Standing is so easy to reinforce because they'll stand on their tiptoes to watch you eat dinner to begin with. I do not use a clicker but I really should. I have a friend who is clicker training one of her rats to do neat tasks like close doors or climb ladders and it seems to go a lot smoother than with just the reward (especially since rats are pretty ADD to begin with). Tomorrow I'll do more of a writeup because I've got a great book on rat training with excerpts I want to share. It mentions how individual rats can be easier to train than other individuals and even gives a list of what to look for in a "trainable" rat. Neat! I've also been encouraging some on command/signaled normal behavior like how Cubone will climb on any outstretched arm. As a bonus my hoodie is secure enough to her that I can reward her right after a climbing trick.
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Feb 9, 2013 03:51
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I started clicker training Folly today. I cleared off the coffee table except for a little baskety thing that she could run to with her reward. It went well until the 4th time I clicked and treated, and she ran to the basket and ended up rolling off the coffee table. She's generally a pretty bombproof rat but ended up freaking out lot (I don't blame her!) and hiding for a while. Whoops 
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Feb 9, 2013 03:58
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^^ How dare you post without baby boyrat pictures  I'm only working with Moxxi because I have to work in the cage (the only table they could go on has the mouse cage on, and my couch is too exciting). The roadblock I've been stumbling into is that if I click & treat, M will sometimes drop the food and wander off to see what the others are doing. It's very high value food for her too (tiny suet stick things, my girls all LOVE them). ADD rat. My older girls are too lazy to train though really and Panda is both add and spastic so, eh Fraction fucked around with this message at 12:55 on Feb 9, 2013 |
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Feb 9, 2013 09:09
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I used to teach my rats to jump from a surface to my shoulder, and to climb my legs if I called them. I reserved certain treats that they went nuts for specifically for that purpose, and used it as a way to get them to come to me if they got under/behind/on something and I couldn't get them back. The boys were pretty good about doing it because food, girls often liked to turn it into a game because they wanted me to chase them. Overall though it was pretty useful for finding lost/hiding rats when free ranging, unless they happened to be into something that was more interesting than even the most coveted treats.
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Feb 9, 2013 17:10
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Fraction posted:^^ How dare you post without baby boyrat pictures Oh jeez fiiiiiiine if you insist . I only managed to snap a couple pics before I filled up the memory card though.    
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Feb 9, 2013 19:27
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Invalid Octopus posted:They're both resisting litter training and it's driving me crazy. Now you know how I always felt  They are too drat cute. Have the boys and girls tried getting to each other's levels yet? The mamble cage holding my friend's rats (my foster rats i guess) are on top of my girls' cage and they will not stop trying to climb up, especially Chell (who wants to kick their asses) and Pandora (who just likes to climb forever). I'm sure they'll settle down eventually but it's pretty frustrating.       ps holy poo poo Lola is such a good dog. She didn't realise I had Chell on me when I sat down, and Chell burst out of my dressing gown and was nose to nose with her. Lola just sort of blinked and moved away then looked promptly at me for a treat. She got one immediately! That could have been terrible. & Bonus mouse pics (even if this isn't officially a Rat/Mouse thread yet ) 
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Feb 9, 2013 22:39
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The boys are pretty oblivious of the girls, but it doesn't go both ways. Gypsy especially likes to go stand in the corner and sniff really loudly and obnoxiously. She's always been a bit of a spaz though. Liza doesn't really seem to care, but she was very chill about the baby girls as well. Folly is interested in them but at least not as noisy about it as Gypsy.
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Feb 9, 2013 22:52
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More bad creatures:     
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Feb 10, 2013 00:12
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Sorry IO but that's just not gonna cut it. We need more pictures than that.  the last one made me squeal irl 
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Feb 11, 2013 18:28
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IO might be out of touch while she's in class, but fortunately she has backup. Me.      And best for last...I heard that when rats yawn it can be kinda like maybe a bit cute-ish sort of. 
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Feb 11, 2013 19:10
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As a previous rat owner who can not have rats currently, I'm living vicariously through your pictures . Moar! Edit: saw this on a friend's Facebook and had to share! http://db.tt/9wl68ypI Beowulf fucked around with this message at 19:09 on Feb 12, 2013 |
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Feb 11, 2013 22:32
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Yawning baby boyrat just about killed me  Beowulf that sure is a dapper rat! My rats:  This is what happens if you disturb Chell on her perch.  She does not appreciate it.  Moxxi  Valentine  Valentine and Pandora  The "fosters" (Pippin the roan, Stumpy the three legged siamese):   
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Feb 13, 2013 00:06
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Here, this is a bizarre question. Anyone have any experience with being purposefully peed on? When Molly was a wee thing, she would occassionally come over to me while she was free-roaming, enjoy a scritch or two, look up at me adoringly while bruxing and boggling, and then position herself to pee on my leg. Not a fear pee, definitely more than a mere scent-marking dribble. She grew out of it eventually, but lately Tali's been doing it. And it's very much on purpose. Is it just a jumbo-sized scent mark for jumbo-sized me? She's just so drat friendly about it.
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Feb 14, 2013 00:58
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Thought I would give an update. Brought home rat number two today. The wife and I are still trying to decide on names. We have them in separate cages at the moment, but I did let Rina sniff and touch noses with the new one and there was absolutely no aggression that I could see at that point. More curious than anything. I read through the socialization stuff I was linked here, but I'd just like to get a couple anecdotal opinions. How long should I let the new rat chill in their cage before introducing her to the main cage? Will Rina only show aggression once the new rat is actually inside her cage, or is the "touching noses through the cage" stuff a good indicator of where things are headed?
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Feb 14, 2013 01:16
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This is not going to be a popular opinion but I usually just throw new rats together and let them sort their poo poo out however they want. I only intervene if someone draws blood or if someone is getting continuously bullied over the course of several days. I have virtually never had to separate anyone doing things that way and when I have it was usually some abnormal circumstance involving Weird Rats and not a normal introduction between non-crazies. There's usually a couple of hours/maybe a day or two of squeaking and drama and scuffling and then everyone settles down. I have never bothered with the whole separate cages/bathtub intros/neutral area deal and the couple of times I tried it out of curiosity it seemed to draw things out and create more drama because they weren't forced to knuckle down and deal with each others' poo poo as quickly as they are when they're just thrown together. Just sayin~
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Feb 14, 2013 02:47
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Thanks. That is the kind of advice I am looking for. I like doing things correctly, but so often PI gets so rigid with the "you must absolutely do things this way" and it just simply isn't always 100% like that. EDIT: Success! 
ApexAftermath fucked around with this message at 05:30 on Feb 14, 2013 |
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Feb 14, 2013 02:57
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ApexAftermath posted:Thanks. That is the kind of advice I am looking for. I like doing things correctly, but so often PI gets so rigid with the "you must absolutely do things this way" and it just simply isn't always 100% like that. We try to give you "best practices" advice. Whether or not we're pots calling kettles black is a whole 'nother thing.
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Feb 14, 2013 06:00
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daggerdragon posted:We try to give you "best practices" advice. Whether or not we're pots calling kettles black is a whole 'nother thing. Touche. They seem to be taking to each other well. There was a little playing around and some pinning going on earlier but now they seem to be tuckered out. So. Cute.
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Feb 14, 2013 06:41
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The more rats the better! I admit I tried the slow introduction scheme, but they were so interested in each other through cage bars that I let them mingle after a few hours. I only caged them separately as long as I did because the babies were so tiny and I was paranoid, but it probably would still have been fine.
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Feb 14, 2013 07:15
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We're likely getting a third this weekend. The younger sister of a friend of mine got a rat for Christmas, but it seems their father is allergic, so I offered to take her. She has her own cage and our current really isn't big enough for three, so we're going to give them lots of out-of-cage playtime together until we get our new cage, but they will go back to the cages they know until then.
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Feb 14, 2013 07:34
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