[PixelPog]

The title says it all!

What are your thoughts on neutering?

I am picking up my 2 females in the next two weeks, and am considering of neutering my 2 males so that all 4 ratties have free range of my double CN cage. I got a quote from my Vet and she charges approx. $150 per rat, it's quite expensive, but she's the only Vet I trust! I want to know your guy's opinions before I go and spend $300!


Thank you!
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[FallDeere]

$150 is a good price... My vet charged $300 for one rat...

I have a single neutered male with a single intact female and I love it. His fur is soft (he is a rex though lol), he's sweet, and he gets along great with the female. He was neutered young enough that I haven't noticed him wanting to mate. Males neutered older tend to keep the urge to mate, but I don't think Pooka ever had it. It probably varies rat to rat and some females might tolerate it and others might not.

I personally say, if you are able to get them neutered, do it. Neutered males are awesome.

I'm always going to have neutered males from now on, even if I have no females. XD

 

[inod3]

With your situation, would spaying the females not be an option? My vet is more expensive on spays vs. neuters but it only amounts to around $50 difference. With a spay there's the additional health benefits - reduced tumors.

 

[PixelPog]

I never thought of spaying the girls! That's a great idea! I will have to get a quote from my Vet on how much it'll cost. However, wouldn't the males attempt to mount the females?

 

[PixelPog]

$300! That's crazy! I actually like my males temperament, they are active, but can be lazy too -- also very intelligent~

 

[FallDeere]

Well, the neuter itself cost a lot less than that, but when you add medication, sedation, and all the things they charge for... yeah. Adds up and this vet ain't cheap. XD She's awesome, though, and really the closest vet to me that treats rats (well).

I really just like that I don't have to deal with some "male issues," not the least of which being their... umm... male parts. XD I mean, it didn't bother me when I had boys before, but now that I have females and a neutered male... I don't really want to go back to intact males. Compared to Pooka, my neutered boy, they were so nasty. >.< Pooka's fur is free of buck grease, he has 0 chance of developing hormonal aggression (which three of my four previous males suffered from), and I can keep him with females (though I plan to only keep neutered males after all my girls pass).

There are more potential health benefits to spaying a female, though.

 

[Phantom]

I have three males and two females. All of my males are neutered. Where I live it costs a lot less to neuter a male than to spay a female. It cost me 70 dollars for each of my males. I did weigh out my options before neutering my guys. I know surgery is always a risk so I researched all of my vets ahead of time. The vet that does my surgeries is great. I went back there during the summer to have Pastoolio's neck lump removed. He was back to his old self within a day.

I know saying females has a greater benefit, but the way that I see it is this. All of my rats came to me at different times, including my females. I'd have to wait several months before spaying my females, during which this would be time they spend alone without a companion. I did not want to seperate any of my existing rats either because at the time my neutered male, Pastoolio, was my unneutered male at the time's, Toast, seeing eye buddy. Since males can be neutered as young as eight weeks, according to my vet, I'd rather neuter my males.