PSA: Neutering

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Introduction

For those who don't know, neutering is the act of removing a male animals, in this case a rats, sexual organs rendering them unable to sexually reproduce. Neutering can be a tempting choice for many rat owners.

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Things to Consider

You'll have to make sure the vet you've chosen to neuter takes exotics aswell as neuters them. Most vets will charge around $50-100 dollars for the procedure. Rats cannot be neutered till they're at least six months old and should be separated, until after about a week since the operation, from their cage mates, meaning you'll need an extra cage. If you plan on introducing them to a group of females, you'll have to wait at least three weeks after the surgery.

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Right Reasons to Neuter

~ You're in a situation in which you need to house a male rat with females

~ You have an aggressive male rat who refuses to be introduced to other rats

~ The neutering process will raise your rats quality of life

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Risks

As with any surgery, there are a couple risks that come with the neutering process. There's a chance your rat can have a bad reaction to the metal used to preform the surgery, causing their skin to swell. This can lead to more surgeries needing to be preformed in order to fix the issue. There's also a risk of your rat not waking up from the anesthesia due to their small size. Internal bleeding and infections are also something to consider but are generally rare.

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Recovery

After the surgery, your rat will need time to recover. They will need about a week away from their buddies to recover, preferably in a smaller cage to minimize physical activity for the course of recovery. Inspect the incision daily for this period of time and report back to your vet if you notice anything unusual. When you take your rat home, you will likely be given medications to aid their recovery.

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Conclusion

Whether or not you decide to neuter your male rat is entirely up to you. After the neutering process, your male rat will likely be less territorial. Don't neuter your rat just because you want them to smell better, neutering should be done only if necessary to the quality of their or their cage mates life.

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