spay and neuters

[tempeltontherat13021]

hello. I have a few questions:

Spay/Neuter
1. what vet in new york near auburn does rat spay/neuters?
2. Does is cost the same (arm/leg) like for a dog/cat?
3. what are the benefits?
4. One of my males is older, is it too risky to get it done?

Food
what is the best thing to feed rats? Mine will eat anything as they ate a hole in my degus food. They get the blocks occassionaly fruit/veggies.

Bathing rats?
I bath only my males usually they tend to smell worse than my females if not given baths? is that okay to do?

 

[Chel]

You can find many answers to your questions in various spots on the forum.
Check the vet listings on the forum for a vet in NY, I don't know of any, or someone may post
around here (Fredericton NB) a neuter is 80$ but I've heard of much more. and spays are much more expensive (230$? is that right?)
Benefit to a spay is that it SIGNIFICANTLY reduces the chances of a mammary tumor for females, I don't have males but many neuter to curb aggression and I think it can also reduce the smell but they will still produce more than females (correct me if I'm wrong).

Food: a good lab block such as Oxbow Regal Rat, or Harlan should be 80% of your rats diet, the rest should be fruits and veggies.

I bathe my females maybe once a month, only if I think they are getting smelly. I don't do it often because I don't want to dry out their skin. Males smell worse because of the buck grease, if that is really bothering you you could have them neutered but I don't know how much difference it would make. Good luck and if you don't get all the answers to your questions try the search feature on the forum!

 

[Moon]

Spay and Neuter costs can be drastically different from area to area. For some people a spay is $50, for others $250. You need to call around a bit, sometimes.... hopefully someone can refer you to a good vet in your area. You need to also be prepared to travel a bit sometimes. The only vet I'll allow to do surgeries on my rats is an hour drive from me.

An older male can oftentimes be safely neutered but only if they are in good health. Good health is more important than age. And, you always need to be going to a vet who does the surgery safely.

As for food...
Lab blocks and complete diets as opposed to seed or mixed diets are the best way to go. Harlan Teklad is one of the best, most people use the 2014 or 2018 formula. Oxbow regal rat is a high quality food but many rats don't like it. Mazuri is another option, and I have heard that Kaytee has come out with a new formula that's much more suitable than their old ones. Daily veggies and a bit of fruit are a must, preferably fresh or frozen, not canned.

Most rats don't need to be bathed unless they've gotten older and are not able to care for themselves properly. And that's only for seriously dirty rats usually. If you have someone who's on the icky side a wipedown with unscented baby wipes would be fine, even on a daily basis. Also keep in mind that neutered males will typically be less greasy and have a bit less of an odor than their in tact counterparts

 

[lilratsy43]

In Baldwinsville there is Dr. Spindel at Animal Ark, he is an excellent rat vet but he is not cheap! I have been quoted $350 for a neuter and I never asked about a spay. I had an internal mass removed on my girl Vixey and that was $585...

For my 5 boys that were just done, I used Cornell University. They are a bit more reasonable each male was $95, a spay there costs $175....

 

[Moon]

$350 USD is obscene, no matter how good the vet. Holy Moly!!

 

[lilratsy43]

$350 USD is obscene, no matter how good the vet. Holy Moly!!

AGREED!

This is why I went else where, and I am glad I did because if Rhys had not been kept overnight I am not sure if he would still be with us today... :sad3:

 

[tempeltontherat13021]

In Baldwinsville there is Dr. Spindel at Animal Ark, he is an excellent rat vet but he is not cheap! I have been quoted $350 for a neuter and I never asked about a spay. I had an internal mass removed on my girl Vixey and that was $585...

For my 5 boys that were just done, I used Cornell University. They are a bit more reasonable each male was $95, a spay there costs $175....

wow, thats more than my vet charges to neuter a dog!!