# Please help pay for my boy to get neutered



## thenightgoddess

My 6 month old rat has been getting more and more aggressive to the point where he has started biting and I think he is bulling his cage mate. I have been told that it may be hormonal and he needs to be neutered. We are very strapped for cash right now and I don't have a vet fund built up right now. I am hoping someone will help me fund getting him neutered if he really does need it. I am not sure how much it is going to cost so I put my goal at $300 anything extra will go to starting a vet fund. If I end up not needing to get him neutered then anything I get will go towards a vet fund. Please help me get my boy neutered! Anything you can give will help no matter how small the amount and I will be forever greatful.


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## lovemyfurries

Oh gosh, it must've been so hard for you to have posted that. I really wish I could help you. Being in South Africa though the most I'd be able to give would only amount to about $10 ! I know each little bit counts but... Well let's hope for the best.


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## Hagguu

http://www.ratforum.com/showthread.php?50985-Spay-Neuter-prices

I think it would only cost up to $100 to get him neutered, here in the UK the most is around 60 - 80. Ask around, I'm sure some good vets will do good prices.

I don't mean to be harsh, but I think it's quite strange asking for others to pay for your animal. Don't get pets if you can't pay for them...I know it's a horrible situation and aggression in any animal is a handful, but you need to be prepared. Start putting money away for him when you get it, that's what I've been doing for my babies and I've got quite a bit saved over the last month in case anything does happen. A lot of us on the forum have houses and children to look after and can still support our animals vet bills. Might take a while, but I don't think you'll need as much as you think. 

Phone around local vets and get quotes and let us know


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## CatsRatsVeggies

I called my local Monday to be curious for my "vet price list" I keep and its £52. So I'm guessing thats a pretty good price considering you said £60-£80 DokkaJane?


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## Hagguu

That is a good price, my vet unfortunately is a bit high priced (25 for a check-up and 20 - 30 depending on medication) but myself and my family have used this vet practice for most of my life and they are absolutely amazing, so I don't mind paying a bit more for my babies if they're being looked after by those guys  I think they do it for 65, but it all depends on the area. I mean, we have another vet in my town and I know they're cheaper but I've known nothing but bad treatment come from them and one of the staff laughed at me when I cried having my syrian hamster PTS (had a huuuuge tumour in his stomach, injection straight to his heart, zero anaesthetic, it was awful for both of us)


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## Hagguu

And a vet price list? I should actually get on that instead of just calling up and paying on the day


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## Zabora

Wow I would have gone all WWE on someone who laughed when I had to put an animal to sleep. They would not have walked away and I would have claimed temporary insanity. Grief is not something to be laughed at. Its $80 for a rat to be fixed here. Not horrible. $300 is way over shooting it...


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## Hagguu

Yep, my mum was there (luckily, I swear that woman is just the best person to have around when someone steps out of line) and went absolutely crazy with her. I was only 13 at the time unfortunately, but adult me wants to go back and rugby tackle her into a volcano.
And I thought as much, checked the internet for us prices and the most anyone quoted was $100 (unless it was a spay, but obviously that is a more complex procedure to neutering)


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## Zabora

Lol your mom sounds like me  my friends always joke that I'm like Mrs. Weasley...red hair and all. Ya gotta cut me off early or I build up steam and just knock people back in line


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## ksaxton

You might have better luck getting donations if you had something to offer, even if it's small. For example if you're crafty or artistic you could give everyone who donates a picture of their rats (if you can draw) or whatever else you're good at making


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## CatsRatsVeggies

Oh my gosh thats HORRIBLE! I would have fly kicked her right there, seriously. My mums like your mum and I kind of took after her from a young age so my temper flares are quick and I take no rubbish haha! Yeah I have like a piece of paper on the wall that has all my cat/rat vet prices on it so I can cover all my costs and I know exactly how much will be needed  Keeps my money in check!


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## ksaxton

I'm not familiar with how these funding sites work, but if it's possible then if he doesn't need to be neutered after all it might be better if you could give everyone who donates their money back instead of keeping it for a vet fund


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## Hagguu

Zabora, I think you and my mum would get along so great. It would be like a crime fighting duo of sorts :')


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## Hagguu

And cats, ROUNDHOUSE KICK! Go all chuck norris on insensitive people haha! And I am so on that list thing now 

ksaxton, it just doesn't make any sense to me. I don't recommend people owning animals, if they have no way of covering them. I mean, it is an awful situation, but it isn't right asking for that much then saying that you'll keep the rest for future vet funds....it's just letting other people pay for what you should have there in the first place. I'm not trying to be awful or mean for the record, I'm just looking at it logically and trying to give some advice (I have gotten into so much trouble trying to be honest that it gets confused with being a bully. I wish you could portray tone through text xD)


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## lovemyfurries

Zabora said:


> Wow I would have gone all WWE on someone who laughed when I had to put an animal to sleep. They would not have walked away and I would have claimed temporary insanity. Grief is not something to be laughed at. Its $80 for a rat to be fixed here. Not horrible. $300 is way over shooting it...


I'm with you on the WWE!!! That's terrible! When I had to have my first dog PTS I cried so hard that the vets secretary cried with me and the next week I received a huge bouquet of flowers from them and the card read : in celebration of Andy's life.

Well then I cried something horrible. 

My new vet now, the other doesn't do ratties. Every time I've had to put one down she gives me a bit of time and then she gently takes them from me, wraps their little tails around them and gives them a kiss. It means so much that she cares about them as much as we do.


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## ksaxton

dokkajane said:


> And cats, ROUNDHOUSE KICK! Go all chuck norris on insensitive people haha! And I am so on that list thing now
> 
> ksaxton, it just doesn't make any sense to me. I don't recommend people owning animals, if they have no way of covering them. I mean, it is an awful situation, but it isn't right asking for that much then saying that you'll keep the rest for future vet funds....it's just letting other people pay for what you should have there in the first place. I'm not trying to be awful or mean for the record, I'm just looking at it logically and trying to give some advice (I have gotten into so much trouble trying to be honest that it gets confused with being a bully. I wish you could portray tone through text xD)


I've seen it a lot actually (people asking for medical funds for their rats) and I can understand that sometimes you find yourself in a less than ideal financial situation and you just need help. I think that even if you can donate a little, then hopefully one day of you were ever in the same situation someone would help you out too. It is best to have a vet fund set aside of course, but sometimes things do happen. I do agree however that any money you don't need or if you end up not needing the medical procedure after all, the donations should go back to the donators. 

Night goddess, see if you could get a quote from your vet so you have an idea of how much you'll need to raise. Also, when I tried to click on the donate now button something weird happens and the page doesn't come up. Maybe it's just me though, I'm on an iPad


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## thenightgoddess

I was quoted around $150 by someone that knows a vet near me cuz they do it for there rescue for $80 and that doesn't include that they might make me take him in for a check up and the fact that it isn't that close and would be a ton of gas. I sent emails/Facebook messages to four places last night because it was to late to call and I can't today either cuz I am working till 6. One very close to me said they don't do them and the other told me to call for a quote. I am planning on trying to save $20 from my checks which is only two a month so I was hoping someone would help so I can be done sooner then a few month to a year from now depending on the price. We only have $200 right now in our checking and no savings and rent and our electric bill is due tomorrow when we get paid again. I wouldn't be asking for help if I thought I was able to pay for this myself.


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## Hagguu

ksaxton said:


> I've seen it a lot actually (people asking for medical funds for their rats) and I can understand that sometimes you find yourself in a less than ideal financial situation and you just need help. I think that even if you can donate a little, then hopefully one day of you were ever in the same situation someone would help you out too. It is best to have a vet fund set aside of course, but sometimes things do happen. I do agree however that any money you don't need or if you end up not needing the medical procedure after all, the donations should go back to the donators.


But I don't get the concept, I mean I study, rent a house and do graphic design work for my income so money isn't steady, and can still afford to put odd 20's into a vet fund. I just can't condone an animal suffering because no planning was done. The only thing I can really recommend is to either rehome to someone who can pay for him (worst case scenario of course, I'm not going to force you into rehoming your baby), or keep your boys separate and keep saving. I know it's hard and I have so much sympathy for you, but like I said, you shouldn't have animals if you can't look after them or afford them. I've known people with zero income get dogs, rabbits, cats etc, not be able to pay for their vet bills, and the animals have suffered and died, been sold on to people who also can't afford the treatment, or sent to kennels etc.


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## Hagguu

I'm really not trying to be mean sweet, I'm just trying to look at it logically.


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## Kitterpuss

Is there any way you can work with this ratties behavioral problems so that you might avoid a neuter? I know how you feel - my vet advised me to neuter all three of my rats to avoid fighting, and at a total cost of just over £200 its an expense I could really do without. I'm still recovering from a tax bill that took me way into the red. 
Anyway, right now I'm working hard with my boys to help them understand that I am the alpha and I won't put up with fighting in my mischief. Sometimes I wish I could talk rat and tell them that their nuts are on the line here!


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## Hagguu

Yeah nightgoddess, kitterpuss has a point. There may be alternatives, can you get rat trainers? Is that a thing? The only image I have in my head is ceasar millan opening credits with him running with rats instead of dogs hahaha he is the rat wheesperer. But I do hope you get this sorted soon sweet.


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## Kitterpuss

RatDaddy should make a TV show


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## ksaxton

Kitterpuss said:


> RatDaddy should make a TV show


He could be the Rat Whisperer!


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## Hagguu

Oh my god. Let us hope he sees this thread. RatDaddy AKA Rat Wheesperer.


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## thenightgoddess

My boys are still in the same cage he was bullying him a ton when then were in the smaller cage but they have seemed to be fine in the larger one the younger guy(the bully) doesn't like the top part of the cage and my older male does so he can go up there if he is getting grumpy. My biggest problem is he is completely fine outside the cage his problem is when he is inside the cage and there isn't much I can do inside the cage because he bites now. I am worried he is going to end up biting my husband because he isn't like me and isn't going to tolerate that and might make me get rid of him.


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## DustyRat

I was gonna kick in a few bucks but when it wanted a credit card number. Well forget that. I thought I could just use paypal. If you have paypal let me know.


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## EmilyGPK

What do you mean by "bullying"? If there is no physical damage being done this may just be normal rat behavior. I have never heard of neutering being used to manage rat behavior in this way.


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## gotchea

I took my rat to 3 different vets all said it would be 280-300 to get my male rat fixed. Plus I had to pay 60-80 for each vet appointment just to get a price. My vets don't give prices over the phone -_- it sucks! Have you tried credit care? When my dog got her teeth removed they told me it would be 1,000 something, it ended up being closer to 2grand... They let me do payments each month.


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## Hagguu

Wow who's doing the surgery at the vet practices near you? Audrey Hepburn's ghost? That's a fortune. Do they ask for your first born child as a first payment? That's pricey gotchea. Honestly, you'd think the anaesthetic was liquid diamond for what they're asking.


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## kksrats

Seriously...I've seen the prices of most of the anesthetics, medications and equipment they use (having worked in a lab that handles rats), and I can tell you that you're probably paying mainly into the vet's Mercedes fund. Honestly, there should be a regulated way in which practitioners determine their prices based on the price of the supplies they buy and how long those supplies last; prices would be soooo much lower. But, just like everything else, they'd find some other way to jack up prices, I'm sure -_- /grumblegrumble


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## gotchea

dokkajane said:


> Wow who's doing the surgery at the vet practices near you? Audrey Hepburn's ghost? That's a fortune. Do they ask for your first born child as a first payment? That's pricey gotchea. Honestly, you'd think the anaesthetic was liquid diamond for what they're asking.


 I'm in the Bay Area, everything is crazy prices! But I do think the teeth removal was expensive but he called me in the middle of the procedure saying they had to remove more teeth and clean out infections. So that's why the price went up. 300 for getting the rat fixed and 45-70 is pretty normal here.


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## Hagguu

That would make so much sense. People get too greedy with money and think they can charge what they want. But there will be the excuse of 'payment for labour'....about 200 for performing the tiniest op for a half hour.


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## Hagguu

I guess, having your pups teeth out does sounds like a long procedure. Poor pooch. At least they let you pay monthly or that would have been a huge blow to the wallet.


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## gotchea

Yea it sucked! I paid the 1,000 down. So I was still hurting after. My poor toothless dog! Haha But it's all off topic anyway  I've heard a lot of people say their rats are still the same after getting fixed. I'd hate to see you stress over getting the money for no reason. I would pm ratdaddy before anything else. He is pretty anti neutering. He and a few others convinced me not to do Wilder. But that was a different situation. Maybe he can help you.


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## ksaxton

kksrats said:


> Seriously...I've seen the prices of most of the anesthetics, medications and equipment they use (having worked in a lab that handles rats), and I can tell you that you're probably paying mainly into the vet's Mercedes fund. Honestly, there should be a regulated way in which practitioners determine their prices based on the price of the supplies they buy and how long those supplies last; prices would be soooo much lower. But, just like everything else, they'd find some other way to jack up prices, I'm sure -_- /grumblegrumble


Yes! I had to have a little mouse PTS for a tumor, and one local vet wanted $65! I then called my regular vet and he only charged me $10


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## KrazyKritterz

I understand the $300 charge my vet here in Watertown NY is approx. 300 more if any issues its $60 just for exam. I have worked at the vet office for 6yrs and another clinic for $2 yrs I see the price breakdown and honestly its almost $200 for the anes. Because its made for exotic animals....I no longer work there now but its the only one that neuters rats and thats why mine are not fixed. I just don't really know why its so much and why anes. Is ridiculously priced. Last time I did a vet visit for exam and a 11$ antibiotic it cost me total $72.00


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## thenightgoddess

What I am planning on doing is today I am going to get a serve card which is like a bank debit card but you can reload it with money whenever you want from places like my work(cvs). There is only a $1 fee a month and what I am going to do is put $20 a check plus an extra one dollar a month in to start a vet/emergency fund. I was told by people on another rat group I am a part of goosemoose for anyone that knows it that this is most likey hormonal behavior and there is no way to fix that threw training the only thing you can do is get them fixed. Like four or five different people said that....people seem really to judgmental and close minded on that site though I rarely post for advise on my rats on there anymore.


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## thenightgoddess

DustyRat said:


> I was gonna kick in a few bucks but when it wanted a credit card number. Well forget that. I thought I could just use paypal. If you have paypal let me know.


i didn't know that it didn't take paypal I just looked up a donation site on google. I do have a paypal account if you really wanted to donate some.


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## Hagguu

thenightgoddess said:


> What I am planning on doing is today I am going to get a serve card which is like a bank debit card but you can reload it with money whenever you want from places like my work(cvs). There is only a $1 fee a month and what I am going to do is put $20 a check plus an extra one dollar a month in to start a vet/emergency fund. I was told by people on another rat group I am a part of goosemoose for anyone that knows it that this is most likey hormonal behavior and there is no way to fix that threw training the only thing you can do is get them fixed. Like four or five different people said that....people seem really to judgmental and close minded on that site though I rarely post for advise on my rats on there anymore.


That sounds like an excellent idea. Hopefully it will get sorted soon lovely. And I would honestly PM RatDaddy like someone said earlier on the thread. He'll be able to help you with some behavioural problems and give some solid advice, and it might work (fingers crossed) or you may have to have him neutered, but exhaust other options before you have to go down that route. Obviously, keep up the vet fund for any future mishaps.


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## Kitterpuss

My boys are going through some hormonal behavioural challenges and Ratdaddy has been giving me some excellent advice on how to manage it. It's been hard work and I've had to really change my own behaviour towards my rats in order to get results.
The theory is that when there is an alpha rat, the other rats have a decrease in hormones as a result. Therefore if you the owner takes on the role of alpha, then your hormonal guy should in turn feel a reduction in hormones as he moves down the pecking order. 

If it doesn't work then I've lost a few weeks hard work, and gained a closer bond with my rats, but if it does work then I save a heck of a lot of money, and more importantly my boys don't need to go through a risky operation. 

As others have said - might be worth pming Ratdaddy, as his advice has helped other members sort out biting rats in the past.


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## thenightgoddess

I'll PM him. I "closed" down the donation thing if anyone clicks the link if you still want to try to help I can take stuff directly threw paypal and it will go right on my serve card. I got the serve card and it has $10 on it already(the smallest amount to can put on to get it) on sunday the next time I work after getting paid I will put another $11 on it.


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## Gannyaan

I got a quote to get Mint neutered, and the vet quoted me $200.... and this is in michigan, so... 

Best of luck


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## DustyRat

Send me yer paypal email addy.


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## thenightgoddess

I just got a quote from a place it is $48 for am initial exam, $110 for a neuter, and it is 35 minutes away from me using a gas estimater for how many times I will have to drive back and forth it would be about $20 for gas. So about $180 if I was going to do it it would take me almost 5 months at my current save rate to get enough money.


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## Jaguar

Please do not use the forum to ask for donations. There is absolutely no way to guarantee the money is to be used for the intended purpose and RatForum cannot be responsible if people are scammed. Other thread(s) asking for donations will be closed. 

I apologize that I did not see this thread sooner.


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