How Do Rats Work Together?
WouterRats are highly social animals that use smell as a primary form of communication. During introductions and other interactions, rats sniff each other to learn about their new companions. Smell also helps rats explain their established status to newcomers. The scents left by body secretions, feces, and urine help rats determine each other’s status.
Rats who aren’t acquainted with each other may appear aggressive towards each other. For instance, when two rats stand up on their hind legs and stare at each other, it may be a sign of impending danger. If you notice this behavior, separate the rats. If they don’t move on, you can try to introduce new activities and see what happens.
Although some rats may seem aggressive towards each other, rat friends are generally quite social animals. However, if they start a fight, the resident rat will tend to defend its territory. This can result in dominance fights. It’s best to avoid handling these rats with bare hands if they are fighting. If the fight escalates to a violent level, try to separate them as quickly as possible.
Once you’ve separated the rats from each other, it may take up to two weeks to make them friends. If you do manage to make them friends, you can try putting them in the same cage together. However, if they’re too aggressive, you can try putting them in separate cages for at least one night.
