Male rat health question

[vinzyangel]

will it boost the length and quality of life to neuter males?

 

[Joanne]

I do not believe it makes a difference in their life - only if they're aggressive: it can improve their temperment. It reduces buck grease, but that's more for us, not them!

 

[vinzyangel]

Ah ok i was wondering if it makes a diffrence in life. if not, i wont subject them to it unneccessarily

 

[jorats]

My vet is convinced that it certainly does. I tend to agree simply because when you neuter, you remove all stress. What is the biggest killer? Stress. So without stress, you've got a nice happy healthy life.

I watched an Animal Planet program where a pony had a bad heart, they decided to neuter him because it would give him a better chance at a longer life by removing his stress and it totally worked.

 

[Rachael]

Why would they be stressed if unneutered? I don't routinely neuter. If they have to be neutered for introductions or to live with girls we would.

 

[jorats]

Males and even females become stressed when they get the urge to mate and can't. They can get awfully moody as well.

 

[Rachael]

I've always had a rat/guinea pig room with unneutered males, neutered, and females. They don't even notice eachother at all.

 

[jorats]

They don't even notice eachother at all.

You are kidding right? They certainly do notice each other's scent. You probably just don't pick up on it.

 

[Rachael]

They don't even notice eachother at all.

You are kidding right? They certainly do notice each other's scent. You probably just don't pick up on it.

So what effects am I to see then that would say they are stressed?

 

[jorats]

I can sense the change in energy in the rats. I can feel when they are happy, content, down, frustrated and neurotic.
You have to be sensitive to their changes to be able to recognize the differences. Anyone can do this... when you do, you'll know what I'm talking about.

 

[Petunia]

it appears that neutering males can improve their quality of life:

Male Rat Neuters - Procedure and Benefits
A male rat is neutered by the surgical removal of the testicles, also called castration. Rats have an open inguinal canal, which is a passage in the anterior (toward the front of the body) abdominal wall which conveys the spermatic cord, so this surgery should be done using a 'closed method' to prevent bacteria from travelling between the scrotum and the abdomen. This procedure greatly reduces the production of testosterone.
Male rats who are neutered are less likely to display aggressive behavior towards other rats, and are less likely to initiate a conflict. Studies have shown that male rats who have been neutered display up to 85% less aggressive behavior then prior to their neuter surgery. Neutered male rats are also half as likely to be attacked by intact male rats.

Neutering can either significantly reduce or completely eliminate scent marking behavior. Many male rats will leave small drops of urine as they walk, although neutered rats have been shown to decrease this behavior by an average of 80%. Many pet owners report that male rats who have been neutered completely stop scent marking.

Neutering male rats also decreases the metabolic rate, which can cause a slight increase in the chance of obesity, but may also delay death in the event of a terminal illness. A reduced amount of testosterone also shows a slight decrease in the likelihood of male rats developing testosterone induced tumors and eliminates the risk of testicular tumors.

Neutering also tends to make a male rat's coat smoother and less coarse. Male rats are sterile three weeks following a neuter surgery.

from:
http://northstarrescue.org/ratcare/109-ratspayneuter.html