The Heavy Supervision method (moderate use)
What is it: This method uses a moderate neutral space to start bonding, the owner then supervises and intervenes with even minor aggression or roughness but otherwise handles them as normal with lots of interaction. This relies on the owner being a strong handler and having the respect of theirrats. They then take the role as the groups alpha for a period of time, intervening where appropriate. This can take place for a number of hours and is best left to when you have a whole day free. Make sure the area you use is safe to have the rats in for a prolonged time and don’t leave them unsupervised, also ensure food and water are present. Once rats have been out for most of the day and have slept and interacted in a relaxed manner then moving on to a carrier style introduction works well, or straight into a larger neutral cage.
Why: the theory here is rats are calmer when they are not personally in charge of a situation. A strong human presence may defuse tensions and keep the group relaxed. Intervening early stops rats from getting into an elevated level of tension and prevents weaker rats from being hurt.
Strengths: This method works very well in cases where you have old or infirm rats that you want to introduce to a more active group. It can also work well in situations where the future hierarchy is already fairly certain (as ratshave less need to define it). Where the rats you are introducing are new to you this can also double as a socialisation period too.
Weaknesses: This method is very time intensive and also relies on a confident strong owner, in cases where a rat or rats are very dominant or hormonal there is also a risk that the owner may get bitten in the process. If you are an owner that sometimes gets pushed around by your rats, or have a rat in the group who is aggressive towards you this will probably not work, as the rats don’t see you as boss.
Hints and Tips: Treat this as an extended play time, make sure you’re sorted for the long haul, and ideally have someone as a backup for when you need to grab some food or go to the toilet. Lots of interactions, strong handling, play and where necessary, calm interference, will help keep things flowing smoothly. Keep a towel or water spray bottle on hand in case things go too far, this is a safer way to separate fighting rats than using your hands.
Why: the theory here is rats are calmer when they are not personally in charge of a situation. A strong human presence may defuse tensions and keep the group relaxed. Intervening early stops rats from getting into an elevated level of tension and prevents weaker rats from being hurt.
Strengths: This method works very well in cases where you have old or infirm rats that you want to introduce to a more active group. It can also work well in situations where the future hierarchy is already fairly certain (as ratshave less need to define it). Where the rats you are introducing are new to you this can also double as a socialisation period too.
Weaknesses: This method is very time intensive and also relies on a confident strong owner, in cases where a rat or rats are very dominant or hormonal there is also a risk that the owner may get bitten in the process. If you are an owner that sometimes gets pushed around by your rats, or have a rat in the group who is aggressive towards you this will probably not work, as the rats don’t see you as boss.
Hints and Tips: Treat this as an extended play time, make sure you’re sorted for the long haul, and ideally have someone as a backup for when you need to grab some food or go to the toilet. Lots of interactions, strong handling, play and where necessary, calm interference, will help keep things flowing smoothly. Keep a towel or water spray bottle on hand in case things go too far, this is a safer way to separate fighting rats than using your hands.
How to use it
1, Pick a neutral space where the rats can free range easily, make sure its somewhere you can be easily, ideally with separate areas that the rats can travel to and from but provide a bit of separation, perhaps a table and coach or the bed and floor. Make sure you are comfortable and can spend some time in there, in this method you or someone else who can handle and monitor the rats need to be present at all times. It is also worth having a towel or spray bottle to disrupt any serious fights, though ideally it won’t get to that stage. Also have a couple of bowls of water available, perhaps a few toys and interesting things to explore, though no dead ends or enclosed spaces.
2, Bring the rats along in 2 separate carriers. Put the existing rats in the furthest space and the new rats on the space you are. As far as possible the new rats need to stay in that space and not venture away from it whilst your existing rats have free movement between the 2.
3, Allow your rats to gradually head over and meet the newcomers, supervise heavily and if you see a rat starting to posture at another (so fluffy fur, aggressive behaviour etc.) then pick up your existing rat and move them to the other space, calming them down if needed. You could add a firm “no” to reinforce but the separation should work. Make sure you handle them confidently during this, you are effectively acting as a rat alpha, letting them know what is allowed. Keep this up for as long as possible, if you need to break then put both groups back in their own carriers, sessions of more than an hour tend to work better than lots of short sessions, ideally spending most of a day together works well (you may want to bring a book along)..
4, Once the rats are routinely ignoring each other proceed with a small space style intro or move into a neutral cage.
2, Bring the rats along in 2 separate carriers. Put the existing rats in the furthest space and the new rats on the space you are. As far as possible the new rats need to stay in that space and not venture away from it whilst your existing rats have free movement between the 2.
3, Allow your rats to gradually head over and meet the newcomers, supervise heavily and if you see a rat starting to posture at another (so fluffy fur, aggressive behaviour etc.) then pick up your existing rat and move them to the other space, calming them down if needed. You could add a firm “no” to reinforce but the separation should work. Make sure you handle them confidently during this, you are effectively acting as a rat alpha, letting them know what is allowed. Keep this up for as long as possible, if you need to break then put both groups back in their own carriers, sessions of more than an hour tend to work better than lots of short sessions, ideally spending most of a day together works well (you may want to bring a book along)..
4, Once the rats are routinely ignoring each other proceed with a small space style intro or move into a neutral cage.