# rat facts



## alfierat (Aug 10, 2008)

if anyone is getting a pet rat people can give them advice


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## alfierat (Aug 10, 2008)

hello*!!!!!*


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## Jen26 (Apr 22, 2008)

hello, you really love rattys dont ya


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## alfierat (Aug 10, 2008)

yep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Mischievous_Mark (Sep 9, 2008)

Okay im not getting a rat becaus ei already have 6 ( 2 boys 4 girls ) 

Okay so my girls are split into 2 groups ( 2 are in one cage and 2 in the other )
they all came from the same breeder but i bought them at different times so theres an age gap between them.

Im trying to introduce the 2 newest one into the other 2 cage but my Russian Blue Dumbo ( Ercila ) is having none of it they scratches the hell out of my poor little Naked ( Mortisha ).

---Ive tried letting them out together in the bath tub = they are fine with each other
---Cleaning the whole cage out then putting all four in = Ercila beating everyone including her cage mate.

Im about try and bath them all so they smell the same and clean the cage out again hopefully this will work.

but do you have any other suggestions ?


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## pa2k84 (May 27, 2008)

After cleaning try dabbing a bit of vanilla essence on all the rats, dont know why but something to do with masking the smells.


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## ColeosMummy (Aug 27, 2008)

i want some ratties x


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## trekky (Apr 16, 2008)

have you tried putting them in the other 2's cage and not the dominant ones cage either that or swap them over put the 3 that get on in the cage you want them in then once the 3 are settled then put in the one causing trouble. I've also heard that masking their sents can help but thats only when putting a male you've used for mating back in with males he's been with before. I've never personally had females that have fort and come off bad i've only had 2 dominant males get together by accident and rip each other apart. Females tend to squabble but if left to it usally sort out the pack order.


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## Mischievous_Mark (Sep 9, 2008)

trekky said:


> have you tried putting them in the other 2's cage and not the dominant ones cage either that or swap them over put the 3 that get on in the cage you want them in then once the 3 are settled then put in the one causing trouble. I've also heard that masking their sents can help but thats only when putting a male you've used for mating back in with males he's been with before. I've never personally had females that have fort and come off bad i've only had 2 dominant males get together by accident and rip each other apart. Females tend to squabble but if left to it usally sort out the pack order.


Well the one that causes the trouble is in the bigger cage with her cage mate the other cage isnt big enough for 4 rats, TBH i wouldnt deem it suitable for 2 rats but they are still quite small so there is enough room fot them.

Im going to try again tomorrow leaving them in longer this time, i just dont like seem my little naked all scratched


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## hilary bradshaw (Mar 9, 2008)

the vanilla essence worked a treat for me!


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## Mischievous_Mark (Sep 9, 2008)

hilary bradshaw said:


> the vanilla essence worked a treat for me!


Im goign to let the naked get a little bigger, then try again near chritsmas time using the vanilla stuff.


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## Le Loup (May 23, 2008)

i have 10 rats!!!  but 2 refuse to have companions as they try to really hurt other rats :S they are rescues though so who knows what happened to them before? 

i have a million tips for rats!

dont keep them on saw dust, shavings, chippings or anything like that! I'm sure everyone knows that though!


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

Le Loup said:


> dont keep them on saw dust, shavings, chippings or anything like that! I'm sure everyone knows that though!


I don't have rats, I just wondered what the reason for the above is. Is it because of bumble foot? (Other than the dust thing with sawdust etc)


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## Le Loup (May 23, 2008)

no saw dust and shavings cause numerous respiratory problems in rats, they can aslo get mites from the wood. it's far to dusty for them


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

Ah I see, thanks


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## Jammy (Sep 15, 2008)

hilary bradshaw said:


> the vanilla essence worked a treat for me!


I have known that to work to and also freeranging together


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## alfierat (Aug 10, 2008)

........................
.
. :d:d:d:d .


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## Le Loup (May 23, 2008)

to introduce ours we used vanilla essence.. but they still ended up fighting. Best bet is to intro when they are both young lol. We had NO problems with our babies when we introduced others to their group but had a hell of a time trying to introduce our older ones.. it ended with a £91 gash across the top of the neck of Frank and Kai being beaten up rather badly. We gave it up as a bad job and the result is we have a group of 6 in one cage, a pair in one cage and 2 on their own unfortunately 

They seem happy enough.. some rats just don't like other rats i guess haha


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