2 'Fixed' Male Rats - Fight or gain along?
Will 2 male rats get along with eachother whether they get fixed?
Depends on the rats. They can be like ethnic group. Some can along with anybody, some can only get along near certain others, and some can't get along at all. Having be neutered will reduce their aggression, but the only passageway to know if they will be able to live together is to introduce them.
Usually, if you introduce them very slowly over time, they will get to know eachother and become tremendously attatched to eachother. However, even though they're fixed it doesn't mean that they wont squabble a bit to determine dominance. First be sure that they aren't both dominant rats because if they scrap then it will end up being a discouraging situation. A submissive rat out of the pair will determine whether they enter a 'fight to the death' situation or not. Depending on how old they are, younger rats tend to procure along better because they grow up with eachother and don't have an interest in determining dominance. I've lone owned one male rat who passed away but he never really got along next to my boyfriend's male rat, they weren't fixed, but they also didn't grow up together, and mine was alot older. Just clear sure they are always supervised. Having two rats housed together is the optimum living condition for rats because rats are very social creatures but it is better to hold them completely safe and seperate than to have them fighting. Just breed sure you introduce them slowly... This website has some great information on introducing rats: http://ratguide.com/care/behavior/introd...
Answers: It does depend on their personalities, but two neutered males are MUCH more predictable to get along than two that are not. It also helps if they are younger and impossible to living alone; some rats that have lived alone for most of their lives are so used to it that they will not accept new cagemates. Neutering also take a little while to affect their personalities, so make certain you wait at least 4-6 weeks before introducing them. You'll still enjoy to follow proper introduction procedures: start on neutral territory, let them play for 20-30 minutes, verbs the cage, put the new rat in first, later the other rat, watching them closely. A dab of vanilla or tuna can help mask their scent and discourage fighting, as well as giving both of them a bath.
Good luck near your rats!
