Girls...any advice?

[petlover]

Having always had Boys we are considering rescuing 2 young Girls
These 2 Girls have been caged up in a Pet shop for approx 3 months
although not officaially a rescue i hate seeng these 2 sat in a lonely cage
with no out time or treats.
what i would like to know is when is best time to neuter? and would these
2 sweethearts need any special arrangements?
How do their temprements differ?...would my boys change?
we have a cage that would be raised so that our boys dont fuss over them
too much...but could they be out in same play area after the boys without
either side getting overly hormonal or would it be better to keep seperate areas/toys
for them.

Any advice would be welcome on this situation.

 

[kelsey514]

How old are your boys? I'm not sure of the age range for neutering but I know it can be dangerous to older males - I think I've read 18 months, or maybe younger if they have health issues.
It's most likely the girls that will be going crazy for the boys! When I adopted to boys recently, the three girls were constantly trying to escape and weren't interested in playing - only sniffing out where the boys had been! lol But when it had been three weeks since the boys neuters, I was able to get them all together and they all settled down.
Girls are usually more energetic and playful than boys, but it totally depends on the rat and the ages.
I know it's sad that those girls are stuck in the pet store, but if you buy them they will just replace them with more rats from bad breeders Are there any rescues in your area?

 

[jorats]

You will be getting one of the sexes altered? If so, then I wouldn't worry about much change. The neuter, either male or female should be done asap before the introduction of the girls into the room.

I'm not sure of the age range for neutering but I know it can be dangerous to older males

This is false. I've had several males neutered over 20+ months.

 

[kelsey514]

It's probably not dangerous most of the time, especially if you have a good vet. But the statistics of problems are higher for older males aren't they?

 

[SQ]

If you have a good, experienced rat vet, experienced with rat spays, then I would suggest spaying the girls as it has a number of health benefits.

 

[mamarat]

I've had males neutered at 27 months + (they were all rescues) and no problems at all.

 

[jorats]

But the statistics of problems are higher for older males aren't they?

This is news to me... where did you hear this?

 

[petlover]

Prob best to have the girls spayed (2 girls 7 boys...hmmm financially no choice lol)
they will prob be aprox 5 month old...
So would the girls have to be housed in another room? this may be a little difficult
The cage we are considering is not accessable by the boys as it is raised about 2' from ground
Just had William and Winston (Steroid inj and General health check) into vets today and asked
about costs...would prob be under the £100 mark for the both of them together...soz dont know in dollars
as the nearest costing they could give was for ferrets.

most of our boys are 2yrs and older

Quick question...Winston Lost his last 2 cagemates this week Cheddar saturday and Pickle today
is there an apprpreate time before I intro him to 2 other older Boys as i want him to have company.

Winston

 

[jorats]

I'm so sorry for your losses... I'd do intros immediately.
Since most of your boys are 2+, then I wouldn't worry to much about hormonal issues. There might be some squabbling but I doubt much more so go ahead and put them in the same room.

 

[kelsey514]

:edit: I'm sorry
Is that Winston? He's adorable.


Mamarat : That is really great to hear! I bet the things that I've read all came from places with unexperienced vets, but it still kind of makes sense to me.
Since an older rat's metabolism is slower I would think the anesthesia would take longer to wear off which could cause some problems. Their immune systems are sometimes weaker as well, and may be more prone to infection. I'm not saying it is always dangerous for older males, just that age is something to consider.

I've seen it a few times, but the others were probably in forums and I can't find them.
"...Although neutering might have benefited Phineas as well, we decided not to risk it, since he was 18 months old at the time and hence, a greater anesthesia risk."
http://www.afrma.org/neuter.htm

"...While this procedure is not as invasive as spaying a female rat, it should still be considered dangerous, as general anesthesia is required and post operative infection resulting in abscesses is quite common." http://www.rmca.org/Resources/rmcafaq.htm