# should i nuter my rat and how much $$ is it?



## VayeraGirl93 (Mar 24, 2007)

Hey, just wondering if getting my rat nutered is worth it and how much is it? if i got him nutered then i might get a girl rat--dunno


----------



## Rodere (Feb 26, 2007)

Nuetering can be helpful in a lot of things. It can help deter different types of cancer and behavioral problems. Not to mention it does allow you to put males in with females without worrying about babies.

The cost varies greatly. Some charge as little as $45, others as much as $200. You'll have to ask your vet. Make sure the vet knows what they are doing! And if you do get a male nuetered, he's still fertile for about 3-4 weeks afterward, so you'll still need to keep them seperated until then.


----------



## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

It cost me $35 each for my boys.


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Neutering has minimal health benefits compared to something like a spay, and usually only done for aggression or if the owner wants the male to live with females. But to have him put thru surgery so you could think of getting a female isn't quite fair. I pay $160 Cdn for a neuter here. Plus sometimes they will get neuter abscesses afterwards from undissolved internal stitches and you'll have to deal with that as well.

Is he alone? Why not get him a young male friend and not worry about neutering at all?


----------



## VayeraGirl93 (Mar 24, 2007)

im goin to get another male friend for him anyways--i only got him about 2 and a half weeks ago.


----------



## VayeraGirl93 (Mar 24, 2007)

Also, does getting mr. ratty neutered help solve the urin "dripping". That is, he tends to kinda--make me smell like him. I know it's not a huge deal, it just kinda grosses out some of my friends/family and i heard that guy rats tend to do that when they're not neutered. if i wanted to get rid of that problem, would the surgery really be worth it?


----------



## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

it may or may not stop it. all rats will mark a LITTLE bit. some more then others. i've (and others i know of) have had females that marked just as much or more then their males. sometimes it will lessen it sometimes it doesn't seem to have an effect but i doubt it would stop it completely.


----------



## VayeraGirl93 (Mar 24, 2007)

ok, then at least for now i'll hold off on the procedure. thanks for your advice everyone!


----------



## radical (Jan 15, 2007)

i don't think i'd ever have the heart to put my boys through surgery..


----------



## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

If you want to get a girl rat, you're better off leaving him be and getting her fixed. There really aren't any HEALTH benefits for boys. They just calm down and don't smell as musky. Girls on the other hand, have an 80% chance of getting mammory cancer if you don't get them fixed. If/when you get them fixed, it drops to 10%. I got Da Vinci fixed for about $110.


----------



## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

I can't bring myself to nueter my boys i don't want to take the risk of them not waking up (it happened with a boy of mine that went in for a growth removal) *tear*


----------



## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

I feel bad for gettign my boys fixed...But I wasnt about to give one back to petsmart after what the poor little guy had been through. They were both getting agressive with each other and getting them fixed helped calm them down, as well as lessened the amount of marking they did. THEY USED TO PEE ON EACH OTHER! kinds funny, but gross. lol, I was scared about them going under but I trust our vet (he and most of the people in the vets office owns rats)


----------



## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

well that is good to hear I haven't been able to find a great vet that i can afford all the vets that see rats where i am charge like 70 bucks just for the office visit. The vet i take them to now is ok but he doesn't do nuetering or anything major the worst part is i don't drive so i am very very limited to where i can go LoL


----------

