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12K views 48 replies 14 participants last post by  solitaryone 
#1 ·
In an ideal world every rat would live with another in a really big cage and would have three or more hours play time a day out of the cage. Plus they would all be neutered/spayed when young to help avoid cancer and whatever.

This is not an ideal world, and such operations are expensive, even if you find a vet who truly knows rats.

Opinions on neutering/spaying? Really effective? Cost effective? More effective for females instead of males?

I am just collecting information on rat-keeping as I may get one later this year. Thanks.
 
#29 ·
From what I have read, neutering helps with aggressive males and also help to keep them from marking...and breeding of course. Spaying has many benifits. The number one killer of female rats is cancer in the womanly parts. I've considered having Nevee spayed, but I'm going to do it with a laser if I can. That way they won't cut into her and it will be less painful with no risk of infection that I can think of. Just make sure if you get it done that the anesthetic is a gas and not an injection. They can regulate the gas better. Meatball is definitely getting neutered. He's mean to Merlin!
 
#32 ·
My rat is a male and he is aggressive towards my other male rat. They can't be kept by themselves so I have to do something.
 
#33 ·
i neuter all of my males because they all live together with the females. i haven't had any problems, and i get the boys back the same day of their operation. they don't seem to be in pain for very long and seem to be happier afterwards without having to clean thier areas any more... i do wish my vet gave them pain meds though. i wonder, does anyone else's vet give their rats pain meds after a neuter or spay?:confused: i never spay the females, because it is such a complicated operation and i had one die from it...:( perhaps if a vet near me had the laser operation i would consider it.

but lilchris_28 i think it is a good idea to neuter Meatball, so that way Merlin can *hopefully* live with him and Nevee again.:)
 
#34 ·
but if Merlin can't live with them again, it'll give me an excuse to keep one or two of the babies...lol.
 
#36 ·
The pain med I see most commonly used in rodents now is Metacam. It's a new NSAID that's safe for animals and comes in a liquid form.

Ibuprofen can be easily overdosed leading to kidney failure - I doubt a vet would be comfortable recommending it for such a small animal.
 
#37 ·
Interesting. Have to keep that in mind. When I had a tooth problem, and acetaminophen did NOTHING, the dentist gave me 800 mg every four hours of ibuprofen - which worked. Then the penicilllin kicked in about 36 hours later and I didn't need the ibuprofen anymore.

I was concerned about my liver with the acetaminophen.

I'll bet most vets do NOT bother doing that with rats - but we should insist.
 
#38 ·
Most vets here in the Uk give metacam for female rats after spaying operations, as it is known to be an invasive and painful procedure.

It is not usually given for neutering operations on male rats, though baytril is usually given to prevent infections occurring. Mocha and Arthur both had baytril for 1 week afterwards. Neither had any problems.

I have heard of quite a few male rats getting problems with abcesses after a neutering operation, but I know that lots of these operations also are done without incident, and quite a few rescues I know of routinely neuter males.
 
#39 ·
>> I have heard of quite a few male rats getting problems with abcesses after a neutering operation, but I know that lots of these operations also are done without incident, and quite a few rescues I know of routinely neuter males <<

I have heard abcess stories, too. Wonder if it relates to how good a vet you have, or is it just bad luck to get an abcess?

All in all, neutering/spaying has not been shown to be cost effective, and sufficiently safe, to justify the expense and risk. Try to convince me I'm wrong if you want.
 
#40 ·
i think if you have only one rat or just females it is definately not cost effective, but if you have two males it can be cost effective if they become aggressive. and, of coarse, if you want a male and female i think its cost effective to neuter the male only. that's the system that's worked best for me anyway:)
 
#41 ·
for the rat question of spay/nuetering. sugar gliders which are far more difficult then a rat to spay/nueter. the recommendations if one wanted to nueter a rat, could be easily and safely done by any vet that is familar with sugar gliders & ferretts, probably a veterinary that deals with small exotics.
its not any more dangerous to nueter a male rat, glider, or ferret, then is a pup or kitten if the veterinary is familar with that species of animal care.
ITS IS NOT SUGGESTED THAT FEMALES IN THE GLIDERS OR THE RATS BE SPAYED. that is in-vasive surgery and is more complicated then a nuetering of any animal.
referrences are from my own vet that took care of my sugar glider and is a small exotic animal specialist. dr todd, beaumont texas
 
#44 ·
Yep, some poops and some pee (if they like you they'll mark you)
 
#45 ·
He he! Well, mine don't poo when they're out at all - but wow, do those little ratty bladders hold a lot of wee! :D

They do wee as a mark of affection, and they will eat clothes sometimes, so yes, old clothes are best.... baggy sleeves are very popular with my lot, good for snoozing in.

Yep - cages are best - yep - two ratty girlies would be a wonderful introduction to the world of ratties. They will make you laugh, mine are so funny and attention grabbing. Naughty sometimes too, they ate the rug the other day.

Happy to help Zouave, Any more questions, keep firing them at us!
 
#46 ·
My biggest concern now is wire chewing. It is almost impossible to cover them all; there is just too much stuff here. I will have to block off (or try to) some parts of this place when they are out.

I suppose healthy white rats will be OK, if no breeder available.
 
#47 ·
i have a girl who is desexed, she was really mean and bitey, then when her two tank mates at the vets were rehomed (no one wanted her she bit too much) we decided to put her in with two males after she'd recovered. well, noone wanted her still, so i took her home and shes now really docile, and gets along with all my other ratties.

im all for desexing myself, its a common practice here, especially for settling the rats down.

we do mouse desexing as well with good results. usually only male mice though. i dont have any desexed mice myself, but was thinking about it for later on when i stop breeding mice so my top boys can live with the girls in the 6 foot tank i have.
 
#49 ·
Aggresive Females

Hi

I have 3 females and 2 males in 3 seperate cages My pair of Females were fine until I rescued the 2 males There Kalidascope or patch work hairless. Ever sence Nidra has gotten very aggressive towrads her cage mate Already have one seriuos ear wound we didnt see it happen and a week later after healing and reintroduceing Nidra and Shayla. Well Shayla was attacked by Nidra. I am going to be raising the Kalidascops and dont want to have to give her up shes about 10 months old be reached at 619 588 0997 or at solitaryone@gmail.com
Should we have here spayed I can
 
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