Intro gone terribly wrong!

[PirateCaptainLoo]

Our new little ruby-eyed girl, Reba, is still a wee little bub, at about five wks old, and Kishi, WI, and Onawa are all approx 6 months old, so they're HUGE in compairison. When we came home with Reba, we wanted to intro her to the girls a little, just let them sniff a little. Reba got too close to one of the girls and she nipped Reba BAD. Reba's now on anti-biotics and anti-inflamitories and has to by herself for a whole two weeks! I think she'll like that, though, 'cause she's a people rattie. The only time she's been not touching me is the dang biting incident which my fiancee was supose to be watching them

My question is: Is there a site/information post on intros to make it easier on the ratties?

[aphoeniceus]

Did you do intros in a neutral location?  Like the bathtub? 

[WS]

check out our "reference desk" section for handy links -- like this one :   

http://ratguide.com/care/behavior/introducing_rats.php

[scout]

This one is also good:

http://www.ratguide.com/newrat.html

[PirateCaptainLoo]

Thanks guys! I now have my reading for tonight

[TheChicagoCrew]

 I would not introduce such a young rat to nearly full grown rats. Let her get some size to her first so that she has something of use to be able to stand up for herself.

 I have heard of people intro'ing 5wk olds to cage of adults and the results were disasterous for the little ones. I would give her a couple weeks yet.

 Then the other girl nipped Reba was she inside her cage or outside?

-Melina

[PirateCaptainLoo]

Outside. They were on the bed for playtime and I don't really know what the heck happened. As far as waiting, we are DEFINATELY waiting to intro her! We're giving her a week by lonesome then we're going to start intos with smaller girls that we're getting from BlueFrog. I currently have the RUDD split so all girls will have plenty of room. Reba's doing great, though. Taking her meds like a champ (so far), and being a little more active. I know she's lonely as all get-out, even though she spends a majority of the day with me or my fiancee.