Hi all,
 
Just thought I would let you know how their first visit went and to also ask
some advice.  If anyone out there has some advice as to how to handle this,
PLEASE let me know!!!!!!!!
 
I brought Roxana home yesterday afternoon and took her upstairs and got her
cage all situated.  Alexander awoke from his sleep, and was quite curious.
I put Roxana's cage facing his so they could sniff each other.  Roxana could
care less, and Alexander just sniffed for about 5 minutes and went back to
sleep.
 
I got Roxana out, and played with her a little, (she bit me quite hard for a
while) then she settle down in my arms and fell asleep!!  Alexander never
did this when he was little, but Pat and I weren't married yet, so I wasn't
living there at the time either.  I only got to see Alexander when I came to
visit.
 
I made an appointment with the vet, and took Roxana in to make sure she was
okay, you know, get her check-up.  Vet said she was cute as a button, and
fit as a fiddle!!!  Cool!
 
I brought her back home, and Alexander was awake.  I held her out in front
of his cage.  He came over, and sniffed a little.  Then he hissed and jumped
back!!  I decided an immediate close and personal visit, was not going to
happen for awhile.
 
Later that night, I got Alexander out to play.  He hopped and bopped around
for a while, having fun as usual.  After a while, we got Roxana out.  My
husband held her, and I had Alexander's leash.  Alexander tends to stick to
one side of the room, so that is where I sat.  We had gotten some new toys
earlier, so I put those out.  Roxana played and hopped at a ball we had
gotten, while Alexander played
get-the-rubber-horseshoe-out-of-the-plastic-bag game.  He was only
interested when the horseshoe was in it's original plastic bag.
 
Alexander nosed around where Roxana (who was now in my husband's arms) had
been, and was getting very curious.  I held Alexander with a short leash,
and we put Roxana down.  Alexander sniffed a little, then jumped back and
hissed again.  Roxana could care less.  I put him in her cage to sniff
around, but he couldn't get out of there fast enough!!
 
We switched off, so Alexander wouldn't think he was being abandoned by
Daddy, and Roxana settled in my arms and fell asleep!  Daddy got jealous.
Then something very odd happened.  Alexander got up into my husband's arms,
and settled down.  He has NEVER done this before.  Cuddling is something
Alexander has not been interested in.  Heaven knows we tried.  He just kept
staring at me and this little ball of fur.  It was as if he was mimicing
her.  We put her away (she didn't even wake up when we put her in her cage),
and cuddled Alexander a while.
 
This morning, we got Alexander out when he woke, and cuddled him some more.
I put him up to her cage again, and he froze!  He started jumped back a
little, and started shaking and staring at her cage.  I couldn't get him to
turn his head away!  I moved across the room and my husband and I cuddled
him some more, gave him some Linatone and raisins and boy did he settle
down.  We put him back in his cage, and put Roxana's cage next to his so he
could see in.  We are hoping he will get use to her being there.
 
Again, if anyone can help me figure out how to make Alexander more
comfortable, please let me know.  I think he is convinced that he is being
replaced.  I want to, in addition to letting him play without her around,
still get her out with him towards the end of play time.  I am hoping that
he will start to accept her, and, hopefully, see her as an addition, not a
replacement.
 
Anyone have any additional thoughts for me??????
[Posted in FML issue 1520]