![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Rat Madness
May. 8th, 2021 08:46 pmRight now I have two rats playing around me on the couch, taking turns to chase each other and popcorn [this is the rat boing-ing up and down while he runs, think of the pogo-effect some African antelopes use].
I used what's called the Carrier Method to finally get through my guys' little ratty brains that they needed to stop fighting each other! First they went into the vet visit carrier for a guided tour of the suburb. Shared adversity creates bonding. When sufficiently shaken up, I put them on a desk, still in the carrier, to calm down. An hour or so later they went into a small cage - Ern's place, washed and scrubbed - that's big enough for some movement but not much, with food and water. They were there the rest of the day, the night and the following day! Friday night I was able to put them back into the big cage, stripped of all the interesting stuff. By Saturday morning harmony was achieved and I could put all the furnishings back! This has only taken since early March, involving many play-dates on neutral ground, two neuterings and a really intense togetherness tactic to achieve!
So right now Ernest is having his first chance to play with another rat - Inigo, would you believe - in two months, most likely all his life since he was weaned, though I'm guessing there. But he was no more than eight weeks old when I found him. By the bulging appearance of one hammock, Ragnar has not bothered to get out of bed yet. He went back there after dinner.
Ragnar has now emerged and been tagged by Ernest to play with him. Fortunately they aren't much older than he is, though twice his size. They're about six months so still young adults.
I used what's called the Carrier Method to finally get through my guys' little ratty brains that they needed to stop fighting each other! First they went into the vet visit carrier for a guided tour of the suburb. Shared adversity creates bonding. When sufficiently shaken up, I put them on a desk, still in the carrier, to calm down. An hour or so later they went into a small cage - Ern's place, washed and scrubbed - that's big enough for some movement but not much, with food and water. They were there the rest of the day, the night and the following day! Friday night I was able to put them back into the big cage, stripped of all the interesting stuff. By Saturday morning harmony was achieved and I could put all the furnishings back! This has only taken since early March, involving many play-dates on neutral ground, two neuterings and a really intense togetherness tactic to achieve!
So right now Ernest is having his first chance to play with another rat - Inigo, would you believe - in two months, most likely all his life since he was weaned, though I'm guessing there. But he was no more than eight weeks old when I found him. By the bulging appearance of one hammock, Ragnar has not bothered to get out of bed yet. He went back there after dinner.
Ragnar has now emerged and been tagged by Ernest to play with him. Fortunately they aren't much older than he is, though twice his size. They're about six months so still young adults.