FINALLY!!!!!! oh and another LUMP

[Melissa's ZOO]

Jo, I took you advice. :lol:

Last night I did intros with Rose, Willow and Sunflower and everything went well. It really helped that Rose was in heat so the babies just chased her everywhere. Then i took them into where they free range and they were still getting along. So when it was time to go up I just put everyone in the cage gave them some peas and green beans and let them be. Everyone was eating and being nice and hour later Rose was chasing Sunflower but once she got her she just groomed her and went on about her business when she was done. (Sunflower had figured out that if she doesn't run Rose will be nice) I left them in there all night and did not hear one fight. Other than I need to get another wheel they fight constantly over it to run.

This morning everyone was happy, running around playing, and everyone came to the front of the cage for a cheerio and no fights. I checked the babies no bites or scratches.

FINALLY, I can get all of the other cages out of the room and organize it. Just one cage to clean WOO HOO.

Oh and poor Flower has a lump just below her armpit. :cry: So I will be waiting until the 1st of November to have it removed so I can get some more funds in the vet savings. But if it grows to fast between now and then I will get it removed sooner.

 

[Melissa]

I'm glad to hear it went well! Sorry about your little one and her lump.

 

[jorats]

Great the girls are getting along.

Those damn tumours.
Have you thought about spaying your girls, it great reduces the chances of mammary tumours?

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

Yes, and I am going to do so, I think that when I get Flower's removed I will have Willow and Sunflower spayed since they are still young. Is it okay to do it at 10 weeks? Do you think that if Flower does well during surgery to remove the tumor I should ask him to go ahead and spay her?

 

[user 78]

Flower will already be under for the tumor removal, so it's usually suggested to go ahead and get the spay done at the same time. That way they're only under once, instead of having to go under multiple times.

As for getting them all done at once, I highly suggest it. It was much easier for me to go through it once with both of my girls than twice with each. I only had to bug my poor vet a million times in one day, too, which I'm sure she appreciated. Whether your vet will do it at 10 weeks or not is up to them. Some don't feel comfortable doing it until later on, some will do it as early as a couple months.

I'm so glad to hear that everyone's getting along so well! It's always nice when a plan comes together, especially when one less cage to be cleaned is involved.

 

[jorats]

I agree with javakittie, I'd get them all done at once too.

I've had rats go through tumour removals and spays at the same time. It's best to have them go under just the once.

My vet is an exotic vet so she does spays and neuters as young as 3 weeks. But it's up to the vet how comfortable they are.

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

The rest of my girls are well over a year, will spaying help in preventing or is it to late?

 

[mamarat]

I've had rescues spayed at 20 months and they are still without tumors.

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

Okay, that settles it.

I am going to get Flower, Willow, Sunflower and Rose spayed the beginning of November.

And then in December I am going to get Lilly, Clover, Ivy and Jazmine spayed. Since Lilly and Ivy both just went through tumor removals I will let them have a breather from surgery so soon again.

And this time no staples, just glue :wink:

 

[jorats]

In the beginning, we all thought that an early spay is the only thing that works but because we have mixed colonies here, me, mamarat and Nickelrat have all our females spayed no matter the age, anywhere from 4 weeks to 21 months old. Although we've had 4 with a tumour recurrence, the tumours grow slower and for all the other girls that never got any tumours, it was a benefit.