Rats- best sex?

RE: Rats- best sex?

Holly Norman — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 14:56:11 GMT

I used to see lots of rats at my previous practice. Had some brilliant owners that were highly motivated and some very friendly rats!

We never castrated males as they would often live together happily but would castrate if happier in a group of females or if any fighting. We would do them with bilateral scrotal incisions and a bit of glue.

We regularly spayed females, sometimes at 6mo, sometimes at first sign of a mammary mass (would spay and remove mass). Very simple to spay, easier than a cat midline.khje

RE: Rats- best sex?

Utlendigur — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 15:53:11 GMT

[quote user="Kate Richardson"]

Sorry to ask again, but does/has anyone neutered male rats or of no benefit?

[/quote]

I had two rats for a while - unwanted pets handed in to practice - one male, one female. I castrated the male for obvious reasons! No problems with GA or op and have done a couple more since. Great pets - much more people-orientated and intelligent than hamsters or degus, less skittish than guinea pigs and having met a few rabbits that seem to feel they were auditioning for Monty Python I'm a bit wary of them as children's pets.

RE: Rats- best sex?

Marie Kubiak — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 07:33:34 GMT

Rarely castrate rats - we only tend to do it in healthy rats if a pair/group of males start fighting. It does help but I also often start management changes at the same time so may give a better outcome together.

Testicular tumours are occasionally seen and these get castrated and seem to do well.

I do distal scrotal incisions- I think one of the bsava manuals has adescription and some photos for rodent neuters

Marie

RE: Rats- best sex?

David Mills — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 18:27:19 GMT

[quote user="HERETIC"]RSPCA castrates absolutely everything before rehoming so someone ought to have the information[/quote]

Not small furries. We leave them be. Can't justify the benefits vs the GA risk.

RE: Rats- best sex?

HERETIC — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 17:43:48 GMT

Sorry,I've been meaning to get back on this for a couple of days. Yes neutering male rats is possible and actually easier than rabbits or guinea pigs. Altogether tougher beasties, better tissue handling etc. Also I think better anaesthetic risk inspite of the CRD.( I have done several massive mammary lump removals on quite elderly females.) Big adult males have big balls and it is easier if they are babies when the bit you are removing is smaller in relation to the patient.

Does it have any benefit??? I'm not sure that I have met enough castrated males a year down the line to know.The few I have met have been fat slobs but un neutered male rats tend that way anyway.Owners just call them cuddly. The RSPCA castrates absolutely everything before rehoming so someone ought to have the information.

Not for nothing did my reception staff refer to me as the rat lady

RE: Rats- best sex?

Anthony Dennison — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 17:08:05 GMT

[quote user="Kate Richardson"]

Sorry to ask again, but does/has anyone neutered male rats or of no benefit?

[/quote]

Can't remember if it was mice or rats that one of our old vets castrated, but we had 2 in. Similar to a rabbit castrate I think, scrotal incisions. One rat survived GA, the other didn't.

RE: Rats- best sex?

Kate Richardson — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 16:57:06 GMT

Sorry to ask again, but does/has anyone neutered male rats or of no benefit?

RE: Rats- best sex?

Bob Russell — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 17:22:38 GMT

Rats are a mugs game IMO! They are wonderfully social, friendly and great company. A bit like a nice dog.

Then they die at about 2yrs old. Like losing a pet dog or cat every other year.

Why would any sane person put themselves through that every 2-3 years. Bad enough doing it every 15 years.

RE: Rats- best sex?

Kate Richardson — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 21:59:25 GMT

Does anyone neuter male rats? Or no indication?

RE: Rats- best sex?

HERETIC — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 21:15:27 GMT

Rats make really great pets. They are charming, intelligent,friendly, interactive etc.

Female rats nearly all get mammary tumours although I have been told that the incidence is reduced by early spaying. They may be under pituitary control so perhaps not entirely true.

Male rats do smell a bit more but not outrageously so unless you are slack about cleaning out. In any case both sexes tend to build a sort of compost heap of bedding and urine which needs a regular clean out to keep ammonia levels down to help delay the onset of CRD.

I have owned lots of pet rats over the years. They do all get CRD sadly young. On average my male rats have been friendlier than the females but either way try to get them from someone who will let you have them really young.(when they are not much more than mouse size) Like puppies very early socialisation is vital and pet shops and fancy breeders who wont let you have them until they are 12 weeks old are doing you and them no favours.

RE: Rats- best sex?

Kate Richardson — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 20:40:31 GMT

No kids (although she is quite childish sometimes ) but one will be my daughter's (keeping it in rat livery ha ha) so she will be handling them so might go for males- do they smell a lot more? I had 2 females when I was at uni, and they were super snuggly but very active and playful as well. I guess it also depends on how much handling they get when little?

RE: Rats- best sex?

Marie Kubiak — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 20:15:31 GMT

[quote user="Kate Richardson"]Do you find one gender better than the other personality wise?[/quote]

Males are generally more soppy - coming out and sitting with people and snuggling into clothing. They are more lazy and happy to just slouch around. Females are more active, tend to be into everything and not as cuddly but more interesting to watch and interact with so it would depend really what would fit better with the kids really.

RE: Rats- best sex?

Kate Richardson — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 19:12:56 GMT

[quote]

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

Guinea pigs are a much better pet.[/quote]

I've always thought guinea pigs devoid of all personality which rats seem to have in spades.

[/quote]

I quite like guinea pigs, but rats win. But that wasn't the question. She lives in a flat so rats a sensible choice. (Am biased as I had 2 when at uni and they were just lovely, personality in bucketload as you say Anthony.

[quote user="Marie Kubiak"] Rats are much more sociable and actually seek out human company and always endeavour not to die on you which I find endearing in my patients.[/quote] LOL

Thankyou Marie Kubiak for actually answering my question!

Do you find one gender better than the other personality wise?

RE: Rats- best sex?

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 19:10:05 GMT

[quote user="Marie Kubiak"]Don't be swayed by guinea pigs, they hate being handled and are hysterical little beasties [/quote]

As a child I used to have one that would come in the house and sleep on my knee while I watched TV. They 'talk' to you. Best children's pet. Take hardly any looking after.

A rat is still a rat. They make my skin crawl.

RE: Rats- best sex?

Marie Kubiak — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 18:50:08 GMT

Don't be swayed by guinea pigs, they hate being handled and are hysterical little beasties that somehow manage to hide their neuroses from the outside world with a furry veneer of snooty apathy. Rats are much more sociable and actually seek out human company and always endeavour not to die on you which I find endearing in my patients.

Male rats are better from a health perspective generally as females frequently develop mammary tumours. if you are happy with rat spays (like a teeny bitch spay) however you could neuter the girls at 2-3 months and massively reduce the incidence of growths. The other common problem in rats is chronic respiratory infections and their is no evident sex predilection as far as I know.

Marie

RE: Rats- best sex?

Anthony Todd — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 15:29:07 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

Guinea pigs are a much better pet.[/quote]

I've always thought guinea pigs devoid of all personality which rats seem to have in spades.

Doesn't male rat urine pong?

I haven't tried many animals for sex [I am from NZ] but, IMHO, you can't beat human females although there are many, many, downsides.

Most of them cost more to maintain than a 747, just for starters.....

RE: Rats- best sex?

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 15:12:28 GMT

Guinea pigs are a much better pet.

RE: Rats- best sex?

Kate Richardson — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 14:55:29 GMT

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]A nice long slow one would be better for a cardiovascular workout.[/quote]

Ha ha

Re-phrase- which gender of pet rat has less health problems?!

RE: Rats- best sex?

Clive Ansell — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 14:47:15 GMT

A nice long slow one would be better for a cardiovascular workout.