Would I be able to get another rat?

Ive had my rat Lily for a year now, and I got her when she was quite young.





I want to get another rat as a playmate for her, and the cage is more than big enough, but would it be possible for 2 unrelated rats to live in one cage with such an age difference?


Also, Lily is quite petite. She is full grown but she is still smaller or the same size as many of the %26quot;medium%26quot; rats I see in the pet store. And those rats are still young.





Can I safely house another rat with her? Ive read up on how to introduce them, and am willing to do it, but I was looking a bit more for personal experience and advice.


Lily is quite happy on her own, gets lots of love and play time and is socialized with my dogs, I just thought it would be better for her to have a ratty cage-mate.

Would I be able to get another rat?
Getting another rat is a good idea. Rats need companionship; it keeps them happier and healthier.





I have done it before and it worked out fine. I may also suggest that (if your cage is big enough) you get two smaller rats because that way if Lily passes (although that probly wont happen too soon) they will have eachother for company.





heres how to introduce:


first u get a seperate smaller cage 4 the lil new rat(s) and keep the cage away from the Lily%26#039;s cage (like at a friend%26#039;s house or a different room). keep it there for a few weeks or so.





then u should place the two cages near each each other so that they can get used to eachother%26#039;s scent. dont put them so close that they can touch eachother but make it so that they can see and smell eachother. leave it like that for about a week.





introduce the rats in a neutral place like a bathtub or some place where your Lily doesnt go (and leave her scent). If they show any signs of aggression (arching their backs and attacking eachother) then unfortunetly u cant really put them together for safety purposes.





once the rats have been introduced, let them play in eachothers cages. ALWAYS watch them because u dont want any fights. once u think its ok then u can move them in together:)





*note: there is a difference between play-fighting and actual fighting. play-fighting is when the rats are nuzzling eachothers faces and jumping around and chasing eachother. this is normal in small rats. actual fighting involves biting, scratching and hissing





**sorry about my spelling





***best of luck:D
Reply:There is no amount of human playtime that can equal the companionship of another rat for her. A younger rat would be best, rats are very accepting of juviniles. Just make sure the cage spacing is small enough that a youngster can%26#039;t escape.
Reply:no it%26#039;s not I%26#039;ve tied it and it didn%26#039;t work out very well you should probably keep the older guy by him self.
Reply:I%26#039;ve introduced younger rats to older rats several times, and every time was a success. Usually when a rat dies and I%26#039;m left with a single rat, I introduce a pair of babies. I%26#039;ve only had females, and never had a problem.





There%26#039;s a lot of sniffing, some flipping, and a bit of running away, and at the end of the day they%26#039;re all sleeping together in the hammock.





Edit: Either would be fine. The younger the better, but I recently introduced a pair of poorly-socialized 4-month old rats to a 2-year old, and they got along fine.





Females don%26#039;t fight as much as males. They%26#039;re not as territorial and agressive.
Reply:She%26#039;d probably love a cagemate.





http://ratfanclub.org/newrat.html





Look into adopting one that seems to be about her same age, or possibly 2 younger rats (if your cage allows). 2 younger rats will have each other to rely on during the introduction process, and when your older rat passes on, they%26#039;ll have each other.





Ah, and I just read the part about you knowing how to do introductions. Go me for reading. I%26#039;ve introduced elderly rats into a colony of young rats, and a baby into a cage with rats from 1 year to 2 years of age.





As for the %26#039;medium%26#039; rats, my Snowball is still about the size of those rats. My dumbo rat on the other hand is younger than snowball and now outweighs her and out sizes her. Rats don%26#039;t have to be related to co-habitate, just use a careful introduction process (and quarantine process as well). My girls fight, they slam each other around the cage like its a UFC match, but theres never any blood. The worst injury I%26#039;ve seen between them is a toenail scratch to an eye, which was accidental. Blood between fighting rats is generally a bad thing, but they will squeak and carry on when they have their %26#039;you%26#039;re breathing my air%26#039; fights.





Good luck, soon you%26#039;ll be wanting more than 2. =)



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