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The Tuxedo vs. Patch-Eye Pete
Upstairs, right now, there are two rats on the bed, ignoring each other.
They're both having a great time. Pete isn't petrified at being out of his cozy cage. Abe isn't puffing and huffing and trying to tear Pete limb from limb. They're just scrambling around and brushing past each other like passengers on the Tube: you're not here, I'm not here, don't make eye contact.
This is a tremendous improvement. We got Abe fixed some time ago, but hadn't pushed ahead because there were still occasional signs of aggression. This time, Abe puffed once or twice (probably from sheer nerves) but settled down. Pete is used to having other rats around, though he hasn't had a roommate since Richard died.
Next step: a couple more out sessions (it's going to be a relief to be able to exercise them both at once), then probably a cage swap. We'll see how that goes.
They're both having a great time. Pete isn't petrified at being out of his cozy cage. Abe isn't puffing and huffing and trying to tear Pete limb from limb. They're just scrambling around and brushing past each other like passengers on the Tube: you're not here, I'm not here, don't make eye contact.
This is a tremendous improvement. We got Abe fixed some time ago, but hadn't pushed ahead because there were still occasional signs of aggression. This time, Abe puffed once or twice (probably from sheer nerves) but settled down. Pete is used to having other rats around, though he hasn't had a roommate since Richard died.
Next step: a couple more out sessions (it's going to be a relief to be able to exercise them both at once), then probably a cage swap. We'll see how that goes.