[SgtPigeon]

I wasn't sure what thread to put this in?

I've been asking my local pet store to order in some rats for the past few months, to supply a room mate to my single male boy but the owner went and got all female rats.

I don't want to be rude and complain after she already ordered them, by my demand. When I asked why she got females she said, "Because two males will fight." then she asked if i was planning on breeding. I am not educated enough on genetics and lack the proper room to even consider breeding rats I told her. I also said that, unlike hamsters, two male rats will get along just fine for the most part, she seemed surprised by this. I know this pet store well and know for fact that any feeders they sell are pre-frozen and only mice, but her lack of knowledge frightens me a little. I am thinking of providing her with my own rat food mix free if she will accept, since I would rather she didn't feed them hamster mix.

But, enough of my rambling the real problem here is I can't make it into a big town to find my boy another male and he has been waiting for almost a year now. I want to get him a friend soon. I am considering asking around the local vets for an expert, but want to know how risky getting my boy neutered is? Is it worth it, for his sake?

 

[Mana]

If you can find a vet who has experience, it will be worth it. I got my boy neutered a couple weeks ago, and he's doing wonderfully. I was a little worried too, but many people have neutered and spayed rats, and I haven't heard of any rats dying from it. I'm sure your rat will love living with cute girlies after being a bachelor for so long ^_^

 

[Kimmiekins]

It's a risk, like any surgery. I personally know of 2 deaths, but that's out of a LOT of rats that I know have been neutered/spayed.

Worth it? Yes. Both physically and emotionally. Neutered rats have less chance of fighting, biting, aggression, etc.

Do keep in mind, though, that neutered males should be kept away from intact females for at least 3 weeks after surgery.

Also, check with your vet. Make sure they use a inhalant anesthetic. It's much safer.

 

[SgtPigeon]

thank you both for your quick replies!
I read about keeping the rats away from each other for awhile but couldn't remember exactly how long it was, I’ve been searching the sites I frequent to try and find out but hadn’t yet. So thank you both very much.

I will be calling up some vets and hopefully my boy will have some lovely new girl friends within the next month

thanks again.

 

[RatCrazy]

I have always heard that it can take up to eight weeks for their testosterone levels to go down so the agression might not go away for a while. That is with an agressive rat though, seems you just want a mixed mischief.

 

[SgtPigeon]

My boy is not very aggressive, but he hasn't been with any other rats for a long time, when I bought him he was all alone so I don't know how exactly he will react to new rats but he seems pretty calm. Of course I would take introductions slow but would it be necessary to keep him from the others for up to almost 3 months after being altered? That seems like quite awhile.

 

[Mana]

I don't think you would have to wait that long. My boy was aggressive with other males, so once I start introing him to my girls I'll definitely be taking it slowly, but I don't foresee it taking months. I've heard males get along better with females than with other males anyway, and your boy isn't aggressive to start with.

 

[RatCrazy]

Well you figure there is going to have to be at least a two week quarintine (i always do three weeks after all sinffles and sneezes are gone and they get a clean bill of health from my vet) after you bring the new ones home, then introductions could take a long. Whenever I start with introductions the cages are always put right next to each other for about a week or untill all puffing and spitting has subsided, then I start with the bathtub introduction with LOTS of toys and hiding places. That usually lasts about two to three weeks. Then I introduce food to them in a great big dog dish. If they eat together it usually goes smoothly there after. Then I switch their cages keep switching hammocks and cloth bedding in and out twice a day or so. That way they get used to the others smells being around them. I do that (with the bathtub play time) For about a week untill they are all happily living together.

 

[Forensic]

My boy is not very aggressive, but he hasn't been with any other rats for a long time, when I bought him he was all alone so I don't know how exactly he will react to new rats but he seems pretty calm. Of course I would take introductions slow but would it be necessary to keep him from the others for up to almost 3 months after being altered? That seems like quite awhile.

I think it's three weeks before he's sperm-free... But for personality, change can be immediate, or take a long while of tapering off.

 

[STUgirl55]

You'd be better off getting a girl fixed. I tell everyone this. Females that are not spayed have an 80% chance of getting mammary cancer. When you spay them, that percentage drops to 10%. Chances are your boy won't really be aggressive, and I find while my boys fight (not to the point of hurting each other, boys just fight, like teenage male humans), they leave the girls alone.

 

[SgtPigeon]

That's true too, that never even occured to me, thank you.
I think I might do that instead.