Pet Rats - Males Vs. Females?

Question

Which sex do you think makes the better pet? Which one(s) have you kept and enjoyed more? Please tell me the advantages and disadvantages of each.

also, how much does it cost to get a male rat neutered? and is the surgery low risk?

these would be my first rats.

these would be my first rats.

Answer 1

Both male and female rats make great pets. Whether you decide to get girls or boys depends on which qualities you'd prefer in a pet. I have only ever owned girls and I love them. They love to explore everything and are always on the go, more so than boys. They are inquisitive and fun and like playing outside their cage literally for hours. All rats are social and love each other and their humans, but girls are easier to introduce to new girls than boys to new boys.

I would one day like to have boys as they are more laid back. They still love exploring new areas but they are more likely to find a choice spot and curl up and go to sleep. Because of their more relaxed attitude they make better lap rats than girls. However, they do have a more distinct aroma than girl rats and tend to scent mark everything with their urine (girls do this as well but not as much as boys).

Neutering a male is not advised unless the rat is particularly aggressive. The actual surgical procedure is quite simple; however, all small animals are sensitive to anaesthetic meaning there is a higher chance they will not wake up afterwards compared to other larger animals. Consequently, the risks associated with the surgery are due to the anaesthetic and post-operative complications such as infection. Surgery costs vary from vet to vet.

In my knowledge, advantages of getting females are: they are a bit less smelly, they are easier to introduce to new rats, they are more active and so can be more fun; so better if you think you'd like a larger group of crazy rats. Whereas the advantages of males are: they slower and more cuddly, they are larger and so easier to handle (don't feel so much that you could break them), they are less likely to develop tumours later in life (a common rat problem); so better if you'd prefer to shorter play times and more cuddles.

Answer 2

Whichever sex you decide to get, its best to get at least two rats. They are very social animals and we cant be with them 24/7 or do what another rat would do.

I mostly keep males(10 currently), I did have three girls(sisters) in the past and they were very territorial compared to the 25+ boys I've kept. I find that girls dont want to sit still for more than a minute, they wont to be off exploring. Boys are much more laid back. Girls do tend to be cleaner than boys though. I currently have one neutered girl in with 5 intact boys and she is far cleaner them.
I wouldnt bother getting males neutered. Its not as expensive as getting females done, but its almost as high risk. Its impossible to give an estimate on price as every vet charges a different amount. Males may become a bit more aggressive at around 6 months, this is due to hormones and 9 times out of 10, they will calm down again in a few weeks. If they dont, then its worth talking to the vet about a product called Tardak. This is a medicine that will tell if neutering will calm the rat down.

Answer 3

Male rats are mellower. Females are more active. I have only owned females, but I have prefered my friends males. Neutering a male is expensive and I wouldn't bother paying that much money for an animal that will only live for about 3 years.

Good luck with rats! They are some of my favorite animals to keep and I'm looking forward to getting a new batch soon! Ignore anything bad that people say about them because they have obviously never kept one!

Answer 4

When it comes to the things you listed both genders are capable of all of that. i have had both male and female rats. My male rat was so chill he would hang out on my shoulder while i rode my bike and the females would cuddle in my lap for hours. And all of them loved to play. The personalities of rats are as diverse as people so it's hard to say which gender is better. They both make great pets. However, there is one thing that makes me say male rats are better, and that is tumors. Female rats are much more likely to get tumors than male rats are. That is not to say male rats can't get them it is just less likely. Other than that I would say it doesn't matter. In my experience with them both sexes make great loving pets.

Answer 5

I have always kept female rats, though it's really a personal decision. If you want a rat that will chill on your lap and be a couch potato with you, then get a male. If you want a rat that's more high energy, then get a female.

Answer 6

In my experience, males were always more placid than females. I didn't get bitten very often but if I did, it was always by a female (I bred rats). However, I found I developed a better bond with female rats. They didn't all like me, but those who did really liked me, and would bring me their babies and show them off to me. It was very sweet.
All in all, I think a male would be better, but a female would be fine too. I said I got bitten a couple times but it was very rare, most of my females were just fine. The downside with the males is the balls. Call me crazy, but I don't like looking at those things ;)

I do not know about that type of surgery. I would think it's expensive because it would be rare, and small. I'm sure it's possible but I don't think it's worth the expense.

Answer 7

I work in a pet store in the rodent department. I specialize in Rats.
They are really about equal. Male rats are a lot bigger than females. Males tend to mark where they were by peeing a little more than females. Males will sit in your lap more than a female would ever think about. The really are about the same but you just have to decide if you want a more playful rat (female) or a more cuddly rat.

Good Luck!

Answer 8

Male, they aren't so feisty. I had two male rats and they seem to be a lot more calm than female rats. My friend has a female, and she bites a lot.

Answer 9

I think a bi-sexual, gay, lesbian rat with a limp would be best.

Answer 10

rats are scary!! =O ahhhhh