How to Introduce Pet Rats to Each Other

Rats are social animals and like to be with other rats, they will be happier with a cage mate rather than living alone. If you adopt one rat and later want to add another rat to the cage there are things you need to do in order for the introductions to go well.

Put the new rat into their own cage, then put the other rat in their cage and put the two cages close together so they can smell each other but not close enough that they can actually get at each other. Fights may break out in the beginning, so put the cages at least 4 inches apart. They cages should stay this way for the next week.

After a week, take each rat out of its cage and place it in the others cage. This is a good way to get them used to each others smell. They should stay in the others cage for about an hour each day for 5 days.

The next step is to introduce the rats in a neutral territory, a place that the first rat doesn't think of as his. The best place for this is the bathroom floor. It is an easily contained room where they won't be able to escape and you can watch them closely for signs of aggression.

Make sure there is nothing on the floor they can hurt themselves on or chew through, like wires, chemicals or soaps. Be sure to have some treats for them before you get them in the bathroom. Yogurt drops, small pieces of veggies or fruits work really well. Start with small introductions, no more than 20 minutes each time. After doing this for a few days if it looks like they are getting along and you don't see any aggressive behavior other than play fighting or wrestling you should be able to put both of the rats into the same cage. Real fighting where they are drawing blood should be stopped immediately.

If neither of the cages you have is big enough for two rats then you will need to get a new cage. A cage needs to be big to house two rats, it should have two levels and enough room for two nesting boxes for them to sleep in. If the cage you have is big enough for two rats you should take it entirely apart, clean it to get the original rats odor off it and rearrange all the toys, water bottles, nesting boxes and food dishes so it seems new to both of the rats.

Most times introductions will go well, but if after you try to introduce the rats together you end up having to break up a fight, don't give up. Try again the next day, the more time you give them to get used to each other the more likely they will be cuddling, play wrestling and grooming each other.