is it better to get females or males neutered?

[Livyaahh]

hello

I'm thinking of getting some does in the future, I already have 4 boys and the first rats I had were females. I miss them so much and I want some more. Is it better to get the 4 males neutered or the 2-3 girls neutered when I get them?

 

[Dazzle87]

I would hands down choose spays over neuters any day. Spaying drastically reduces (or eliminates) the incidences of mammary tumors and completely prevents any uterine issues (pyometra, uterine polyps, prolapse, etc). I alter both sexes, but if I had to choose, there is just way more benefit to spaying.

 

[*Rebel_Angel*]

Wow really Dazzle87!

I'm contemplating in the future something a bit different then Livyaahh's idea to try out a single man-rat, so in other words I'd have to spay five females!?

 

[hopefloats]

females can have more problems with their parts than males. Most males wont be angry or aggressive with females and I hear they stop trying to mount them. Intact females can get tumors and the bleeding from the uterus not fun stuff.

 

[Dazzle87]

Wow really Dazzle87!

I'm contemplating in the future something a bit different then Livyaahh's idea to try out a single man-rat, so in other words I'd have to spay five females!?

Spaying is an elective surgery, it is not required. You could just neuter the male. I just feel spaying is worth it to prevent all the hormone issues that can occur.

 

[ChrisK]

Just to add my two cents worth... I had two female rats and did not have them spayed. BOTH developed tumor after tumor once they hit the 18 month mark. I brought them for tumor removal surgeries, but we couldn't keep up with the tumors. By the time they recovered from one surgery, a new tumor or two had begun growing. This is not an uncommon kind of thing. It was terrible to put them and us thru that, and spaying when they're young is proven to drastically reduce incidence of tumor growth and other health issues. Next time I have female rats, I will not hesitate to get them spayed.

 

[SQ]

WoW so very sorry Chrisk !

There are more health benefits to spaying girls then to neutering boys.
For example, unspayed girls have more then an 85% risk of developing mammory tumors, while girls spayed by 4 months see the risk drop to 3% to 4%. There are other health benefis to spaying girls.

There are some health benefits to neutering boys.

 

[jorats]

I have all my females spayed. Since doing so, I've dealt with very little mammary tumours.
Plus it completely eliminates the risk of uterine cancer.