Should I Spay/Neuter my Rat? When we adopted our first rats, we were against having our girls spayed. We felt the surgery was dangerous and unnecessary. Now, though, after gaining much experience, we have changed our minds. Having to remove multitudes of mammary tumors, putting our girls through surgery after surgery, started to change our opinion. However the clincher was when we lost our girl Jojo at a young age to a completely preventable health problem if only she had been spayed. We now see spaying females as a necessity to guarantee them a healthy life, and although it is a lot of money to pay up front, it is cheaper in the long run, as opposed to the cost of having several possible tumors removed. Spaying a Female... Intact females have a 75% chance of developing one or more benign mammary tumors in their lifetime. (We've had to remove up to seven from just one rat.) These tumors, if not removed, can grow quickly to enormous sizes and can lead to having no choice but to euthanize the rat, often cutting their life short. Spaying a female practically eliminates the possibility that she will develop these mammary tumors. This is what can happen to a female rat that is not spayed. This hairless female is riddled with tumors - - including one giant one on her belly. Spaying a female also practically eliminates the chance that she will develop a pituitary tumor. A pituitary tumor, not uncommon in rats, is a tumor of the brain, and is completely inoperable and terminal in rats! Spaying a female completely removes the chances of ovarian, uterine, or cervix cancer, or infection. (This is how we lost Jojo.) Some studies have shown that spayed females live longer. A spayed female can safely intermingle with male rats without the risk of getting pregnant. A female should be spayed between 3 and 4 months of age. (It can be done when they are older as well, however the older they are, the more the benefits will lessen.) You shouldn't spay a pregnant female. Neutering a Male... Males have a much smaller chance of developing mammary or pituitary tumors, however neutering a male all but eliminates that chance. Neutering a male completely removes any chances of cancer or infection of the testes. Neutering a male lessens the chance of kidney degeneration and prostate disease. Neutering a male can greatly reduce aggression in an aggressive rat. (This can take up to 8 weeks to take affect.) A neutered male will not feel a need to urine mark. Neutering a male will eliminate the production of buck grease. Neutering a male will soften a male's hair. Neutering gets rid of a males unsightly goolies (their large scrotum.) A neutered male without his goolies. A neutered male can safely intermingle with female rats without the risk of getting them pregnant. A male can be neutered at any age starting from 3 months old. A male can still be fertile for up to 3 weeks after having the surgery. Be sure to keep your male on antibiotics after surgery, as abscesses are not uncommon to develop in his genital area during recovery. Miscellaneous... It is a complete myth that fixing your animal makes them fat and lazy, no matter what the species is! Their are obvious risks to putting any animal through any surgery. These are both complicated procedures. I strongly recommend you get "The Rat Health Care Booklet", by Debbie Ducommun. You can buy it from her site at The Rat Fan Club for only $5 plus shipping. This book goes into the detail of what needs to be done. It is critical that you use a vet that is knowledgeable and has successfully performed these operations.