Neutering Males... how early?

[Deedles]

Ive been considering getting males instead of females... in that case, I do want them neutered, for several reasons.

How early can they get neutered? I keep seeing neutered males in the petshop, and they look no more than 6 weeks old or so... is this healthy?

Thanks!

-Debi

[Idarat]

Although many may disagree with me, the theory at the humane society I worked at was "If you can see them, we can take them off"  There is no reason that I know of to wait for a healthy, socialized animal of any type to reach a certain age prior to spaying/neutering.  Finding a vet who is comfortable neutering small animals is another story, so many may prefer them to be larger.  

[Nellybird]

After they're weaned, probably. Maybe around 6 weeks? I know you shouldn't spay females before that, so maybe the same applies to neutering males.

[Tracy]

Find a competent vet that has done rat surgery before and is comfortable with it. Mine likes to wait till 3 months so they are fully developed and there's no chance of leaving some behind. However, he has done them at 2 months.  It's basically the age your vet feels s/he can do the operation comfortably with the minimal amount of risk.
Tracy

[amymckee]

Earlier this week I got my little boys at the SF shelter, and they said I had to bring them back in one month to be neutered. They are 5 or 6 weeks old right now.

[Dearpie]

They're already neutered and in a pet store?? HMMMM I've never heard of that!  Are ya sure they're not GIRLS?  What is the price on them?  IF indeed they're neutered males, selling for a 'normal' price, that would be quite amazing .....

[Deedles]

They're already neutered and in a pet store?? HMMMM I've never heard of that!  Are ya sure they're not GIRLS?  What is the price on them?  IF indeed they're neutered males, selling for a 'normal' price, that would be quite amazing .....

Well.. the sign said "neutered males" I even asked one of the people working there about it.
They where more expensive though. I believe almost $20, as opposed to the regular ratties, that were around 5-8 dollars.

-Debi

[Dearpie]

wow ... considering it's typically at LEAST $50 to get a male neutered ... I REALLY wonder if they're females though!!!!!!  I'd find out who neutered them and why they're in the pet store.

[Deedles]

Its a really good pet shop, so I doubt they would sell females as neutered males.

I tried finding out who their breeders are... but they said they have a policy against giving out the name and contact info. I tried looking in the yellow pages but no rat breeders listed. I dont know how to find my towns breeders, as a search on the internet doesnt give any results either.

-Debi

[Valerie]

Do you by chance live in Portland, OR??  There is a local breeder here who also works at a vet.  The boys that she sells to the petshop are neutered before  they leave her control.  This way she says that she can keep control over "her genetics".  She neuters them herself at the vet that she works at around three weeks old.  She told me that she had about a 99% sucess rate.

Valerie and the Brood de Brux

[Deedles]

nope, I live in santa barbara, CA.

Perhaps there is the same kind of set-up for the breeder here? Since they only get the neutered only once in a while.

-Debi

[Dearpie]

hey I grew up at VAFB/Lompoc!!! smallllllll world!!!!!!!

[Deedles]

You mean Lompuke?

Hehe... no offence... I HATE that place.

ewwwwww

[Dearpie]

Maybe cuz I got out of there early (Cal Poly) I still have fond memories and FAMILY there! hehe  I'll be back for Flower Festival this year, first time in 13 years.

[Jodi]

Do you by chance live in Portland, OR??  There is a local breeder here who also works at a vet.  The boys that she sells to the petshop are neutered before  they leave her control.  This way she says that she can keep control over "her genetics".  She neuters them herself at the vet that she works at around three weeks old.  She told me that she had about a 99% sucess rate.

Valerie and the Brood de Brux

Hi Valerie. I'm in Bend, Oregon, and two of my ratties have come from that breeder. She breeds really sweet ratties, doesn't she?   Only problem I had was, the two "neutered males" I got from her (a friend who travelled to Portland for a weekend picked them out for me and brought them home to me) turned out to actually be one neutered male and one female! I kept thinking Milo looked "different" than Bailey in that area, and when I realized I was also seeing nipples.... But we kept them both, and they're lovely, sweet ratties. And she only charged me $30 for the two of them, even with the neutering.

[Raven Paw]

It's very important that ferrets not be nuedered/spayed before a certain age, but about rats I have no idea.  I'd be a little worried about altering an animal too young, but then again, I don't know too much about it.

[scout]

With rats it's okay to neuter anytime after they're weaned, I believe, as long as the vet is familiar and competent with the procedure. As an earlier poster said, "If you can see 'em, they're old enough". The important thing is the vet who knows how to do the operation successfully!