Spay or Neuter or Both?

[blytherue]

I only have 2 boy rats at the moment. But being on this forum and seeing everyone's awesome rats and hearing people's great rescue stories has been turning my head gears.
1- i want more rats. everyone here goes through this right?
2- i feel horribly guilty for getting my 2 from a breeder and definitely want to help ratties in need
If I ever have the chance to help ratties in need (doubtful to be soon since i only have 1 cage and can't afford another anytime soon...but one might come with a cage or something...), there is no telling what sex I might need to help. I will not have a girl in this house that is capable of being pregnant and I don't want to ever turn down helping one for that reason, so I would obviously have to spay her before bringing her in (this is all hypothetical!). Or I could neuter my boys...but they have really great personalities and I don't know if I want to possibly change that. So I guess my question is for people who have mixed gender cages, do you prefer to spay the girls or neuter the boys or both? Does a preference even exist or is it all on a rat by rat basis, due to aggressiveness or other factors?

 

[Callie<3]

spaying females helps reduce some health issues.
Neutering males does help sometimes with aggression

 

[eagle]

There are much more health benefits to spaying the females. I have males and females and the males will be neutered (less of them).

 

[jorats]

Spaying females is a huge benefit to them health wise. It reduces the risk of tumors from 90% to 5%.

But... if one can afford it and has a really good exotic vet, I'd get all my rats altered. Currently, all females get spayed and aggressive or bully boys get neutered.