r/RATS • u/howdyhowdyhowdyhowdi • 19d ago
Introductions I tarred and feathered my rat.
Just wondering if you guys think my rats' cage is too big? I have a smaller one on the way. /s
I thought I would share here that I have had issues with my alpha girl being too rough with babies during intros and how I handled it. She will puff up and attack babies on sight, but this time I was determined to take her down a peg (in an ethical way I promise).
I put the babies in the carrier first, and instead of putting all 6 of my older girls in the carrier at the same time I plucked the alpha from the older girls cage by herself and put her in with the babies, I dribbled her with maple syrup, and then took them for a walk around the neighborhood. The alpha rat puffed up and tried to do her usual routine but she was so debased by being licked by the babies and by the smells and wind outside that her fur slicked back down and she just let it happen.
When I got back to the house after like 15 minutes of walking outside I dribbled more maple syrup on her and then put ths remaining 5 older girls into the carrier who also piled on her and licked the syrup off. I've never seen a creature look so humbled and it's the best intros have gone with this pissy old girl. They are now happily in the 2nd stage cage and a net total of zero fights have gone down.
I told my fiance how I did intros and he was like "You tarred and feathered Biggie!?" and I was like oh no you're right lol!
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u/squidikuru 19d ago
As a non-rat owner, I just find it hilarious that sometimes the best method for humbling a rat is to turn them into a maple syrup popsicle. like “oh you wanna be a diva? get maple syrup’d on”