Difference introducing males and females, spayed or neutered

[lap rats]

I love learning everything i can about rats. It never ends.
I've been trying to gather info on the differences in behavior of males and females, intact or fixed.
I think i remember reading that a male's aggression and territorial-ness is linked to his hormones, therefor getting him neutered would usually take this away and make him more placid and indifferent, thus make introductions much easier.
But is a female's aggression and territorial-ness NOT related to her hormones? Though spaying has great health benefits, it doesn't seem to me that it alters their "mood" any, is that right? A territorial female would be just as territorial if she was spayed?
I seem to have a harder time introducing females to females, than fixed males to females or fixed males to fixed males.
I did have a spayed female once (i usually keep males and have recently started keeping mixed groups) and she was very placid and accepted any new rat, but i don't know if that was her personality, or because she was spayed.
Any info, thoughts, experiences with this would be appreciated.
(Please note i plan on always spaying my females, whether it helps with intros or not. The ones i have now where too old when rescued to get spayed.)

 

[jorats]

In all the females I've had, all spayed, I know of only 2 who had their behaviour change due to the procedure so I really don't think spaying has any effect but if I had a really aggressive female, I would still give spaying a try to see if it might help.

 

[lap rats]

Interesting. So then in general, females are hard to introduce.
Mine also scent mark everywhere (i don't mind just more laundry!) I used to think only intact males scent marked.
So then a spayed female would probably still scent mark? Weird!
It's so interesting how the same territorial behavior in males and females can be related to different things, males to hormones, females to... something else.
I do love learning about them!

 

[BlueSkyy]

If they're anything like most rodents, it depends on their placement inside the mom before they're born. A female baby sandwiched between two males in the womb will be much more aggressive than a female next to two females. In the same manner, a male sandwiched in between two female babies will normally be very placid and less dominant than a male in between two males. So if you could have access to the gender ratios in the litters your guys/gals came from, you could guess at how dominant/masculine they might become.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prenatal_t ... e_transfer

 

[Joanne]

I have introduced new rats to my established colony at different times. I spay and neuter everyone. I find intros really depend on the rat's personality, not their gender. With one boy I intro'd, it was a full month before I discovered him in a rat pile. He just needed to learn to get along (proper rat etiquette). LOL He was young too, so it was surprising it took him so long, as generally the younger they are, the easier I expect the intro to be.

 

[lap rats]

Oh my word, BlueSkyy, that is SO interesting! I'll research that further!
And Joanne, it's true, i'm sure most of it has to do with their personalities. It's just i normally have neutered males, and i'm having a hard time with these 3 girls and thought it might be because of their sex. Pippin bites and annoys Bean, and Bean huffs and bum wrestles Sepia. And the 2 boys are in the middle of it trying to stay sane! :gaah:
It's just good to know everything to somewhat plan which rats i get first and which in the future. For example, it might be easier to try to avoid introducing adult females to other adult females, and try to stick to females that grew up together. Even though i'm sure alot runs on their personality too.
I wonder who takes better to baby rats, males or females? I've had the most experience with males and babies, which always went well, except for this one intact male who tried very literally to kill a baby rat! I know now i should wait till the babies are several months old.
Thanks for the help everyone!!

 

[jorats]

8 weeks old is the ideal age to intro. But if you have a big bully male, then it's best to wait longer.