Hormonal Aggression in Rats
Hormonal issues can present in rats from as young as 4 months up until typically around 1 year old and can affect bucks and does and is commonly referred to as hormonal aggression. In my experience it's usually more obvious in bucks as they tend to be more openly aggressive to cage mates but both sexes can suffer with hormonal aggression. Any corrective surgical procedures will not be undertaken by vets unless the affected rat is at least 5 months old and of a decent size so their odds of going through surgery are good.
Bucks
Hormonal issues can present in bucks from around 4 months of age and can look like they're being aggressive to cage mates. Typical signs of this can be puffing up, side stepping defensively around other rats in the cage, pulling at other rats, for example pulling their tails or ears, rat balling, full on attacking them and even biting their owner. In the beginning this might look like they're trying to establish themselves as the alpha of the cage but will likely progress in severity if it is left. The only real solution to any hormonal aggression issue is a vet visit and further action. Further action will be to stop the hormones surging and there's two main options vets will offer for this:
1. Castration. This would require the rat to undergo a general anaesthetic and surgery. This is usually my preference when I've needed to consider it. While there is risk in any surgery, this guarantees a buck to be sterile and if introductions are still problematic back into the group you then have the option to introduce him to a group of does. In my experience a castration is cheaper than an implant.
2. Suprelorin implant. This implant releases a hormone suppressant over a period of time which should calm the affected rat down. The implant is much faster for a vet to place and the rat will likely only need a small amount of anaesthetic and be out for 5-10 minutes before coming round. This procedure is considered much faster and safer than surgical castration however, not all vets seem to like the implant. The implant is not 100% guaranteed to last for the lifetime of the rat and therefore any implanted bucks shouldn't be homed with does as pregnancies could still happen. I've also found it to be slightly more expensive than general surgery.
Does
Does can also suffer with hormonal issues which lead to hormonal aggression.
In my experience people seem to dismiss some signs as simply a hierarchy issue and go back to intros with a group. While intros should be tried to make sure this isn't all it is, hormonal aggression issues in does can present quite mildly for example by one rat simply seeming to pick on a cage mate. Unlike bucks, I've never seen full on aggressive fights between does but this can also happen. Other signs of hormonal aggression in does include biting an owner, pulling at cage mates ears and tails, relentlessly chasing cage mates. They may also side step, puff up and rat ball, but the more tamer signs of singling out other rats and hounding them shouldn't be dismissed. As with bucks, you have the same options from vets but it's good to be aware of other benefits a spay can give if you need to consider a neuter:
1. Spay. A spay should not be undertaken lightly. I've found quite a lot of vets aren't as confident with a spay on a doe compared to a buck castration due to the operation being more complex due to the invasive nature of it and the size of the animal. A spay is a much more invasive surgical procedure than a buck castrate but it does have additional health benefits if you choose to go down this route. Hormonal issues can also present an increased risk of mammary tumours due to hormone levels. If there are already signs of hormonal aggression, a spay would massively reduce the hormones also associated with tumour growth and reduce the incidence rates of tumours. Also for this reason, if you do have a doe with a mammary tumour, I'd also really recommend considering a spay at the same time as a lump removal if you choose to go down the lump removal route as this can reduce reoccurrence.
2. Suprelorin implant. As with bucks, you can also opt for the implant. Much less risk than a spay the same as bucks as they are only under for a very short time. Again though, I personally would never add an implanted doe into a group of bucks as there's not a 100% guarantee they won't get pregnant. Compared to a spay though, the implant should work out significantly cheaper.
Post surgery - what to expect.
When you collect your rat from the vets after surgery you'll want to make sure they've fully come round ok. A vet should not be discharging a rat from care that is still very out of it from anaesthetic as this can be dangerous. Rats will need to be kept warm for the next day or so, especially if they've undergone a castrate or spay as the anaesthetic can temporarily impact their temperature regulation. Also make sure the vets discharge the rat WITH PAINKILLERS. This may sound like an obvious thing, especially after having a surgery, after all, if you had an operation, you'd be on painkiller after. However, I've seen some people state in rat groups that their rats had been discharged without any meds (ideally metacam/loxicom) and have been in obvious pain after which can lead to them chewing a wound and needing further vet attention. Please make sure if you're not discharged with some form of pain management that you already have some at home you just get a dosage confirmed by the vet before you leave. Any wound re-opening or any other issues should be followed up with a vet.
You should see your rat calm down considerably after surgery or the implant has been fitted. You can attempt to reintroduce the rat to the group over time but it may take up to 8 weeks for hormones to fully subside. I would recommend trying introductions from 4 weeks and if it's unsuccessful, try again after another two weeks.
Hormonal issues can present in rats from as young as 4 months up until typically around 1 year old and can affect bucks and does and is commonly referred to as hormonal aggression. In my experience it's usually more obvious in bucks as they tend to be more openly aggressive to cage mates but both sexes can suffer with hormonal aggression. Any corrective surgical procedures will not be undertaken by vets unless the affected rat is at least 5 months old and of a decent size so their odds of going through surgery are good.
Bucks
Hormonal issues can present in bucks from around 4 months of age and can look like they're being aggressive to cage mates. Typical signs of this can be puffing up, side stepping defensively around other rats in the cage, pulling at other rats, for example pulling their tails or ears, rat balling, full on attacking them and even biting their owner. In the beginning this might look like they're trying to establish themselves as the alpha of the cage but will likely progress in severity if it is left. The only real solution to any hormonal aggression issue is a vet visit and further action. Further action will be to stop the hormones surging and there's two main options vets will offer for this:
1. Castration. This would require the rat to undergo a general anaesthetic and surgery. This is usually my preference when I've needed to consider it. While there is risk in any surgery, this guarantees a buck to be sterile and if introductions are still problematic back into the group you then have the option to introduce him to a group of does. In my experience a castration is cheaper than an implant.
2. Suprelorin implant. This implant releases a hormone suppressant over a period of time which should calm the affected rat down. The implant is much faster for a vet to place and the rat will likely only need a small amount of anaesthetic and be out for 5-10 minutes before coming round. This procedure is considered much faster and safer than surgical castration however, not all vets seem to like the implant. The implant is not 100% guaranteed to last for the lifetime of the rat and therefore any implanted bucks shouldn't be homed with does as pregnancies could still happen. I've also found it to be slightly more expensive than general surgery.
Does
Does can also suffer with hormonal issues which lead to hormonal aggression.
In my experience people seem to dismiss some signs as simply a hierarchy issue and go back to intros with a group. While intros should be tried to make sure this isn't all it is, hormonal aggression issues in does can present quite mildly for example by one rat simply seeming to pick on a cage mate. Unlike bucks, I've never seen full on aggressive fights between does but this can also happen. Other signs of hormonal aggression in does include biting an owner, pulling at cage mates ears and tails, relentlessly chasing cage mates. They may also side step, puff up and rat ball, but the more tamer signs of singling out other rats and hounding them shouldn't be dismissed. As with bucks, you have the same options from vets but it's good to be aware of other benefits a spay can give if you need to consider a neuter:
1. Spay. A spay should not be undertaken lightly. I've found quite a lot of vets aren't as confident with a spay on a doe compared to a buck castration due to the operation being more complex due to the invasive nature of it and the size of the animal. A spay is a much more invasive surgical procedure than a buck castrate but it does have additional health benefits if you choose to go down this route. Hormonal issues can also present an increased risk of mammary tumours due to hormone levels. If there are already signs of hormonal aggression, a spay would massively reduce the hormones also associated with tumour growth and reduce the incidence rates of tumours. Also for this reason, if you do have a doe with a mammary tumour, I'd also really recommend considering a spay at the same time as a lump removal if you choose to go down the lump removal route as this can reduce reoccurrence.
2. Suprelorin implant. As with bucks, you can also opt for the implant. Much less risk than a spay the same as bucks as they are only under for a very short time. Again though, I personally would never add an implanted doe into a group of bucks as there's not a 100% guarantee they won't get pregnant. Compared to a spay though, the implant should work out significantly cheaper.
Post surgery - what to expect.
When you collect your rat from the vets after surgery you'll want to make sure they've fully come round ok. A vet should not be discharging a rat from care that is still very out of it from anaesthetic as this can be dangerous. Rats will need to be kept warm for the next day or so, especially if they've undergone a castrate or spay as the anaesthetic can temporarily impact their temperature regulation. Also make sure the vets discharge the rat WITH PAINKILLERS. This may sound like an obvious thing, especially after having a surgery, after all, if you had an operation, you'd be on painkiller after. However, I've seen some people state in rat groups that their rats had been discharged without any meds (ideally metacam/loxicom) and have been in obvious pain after which can lead to them chewing a wound and needing further vet attention. Please make sure if you're not discharged with some form of pain management that you already have some at home you just get a dosage confirmed by the vet before you leave. Any wound re-opening or any other issues should be followed up with a vet.
You should see your rat calm down considerably after surgery or the implant has been fitted. You can attempt to reintroduce the rat to the group over time but it may take up to 8 weeks for hormones to fully subside. I would recommend trying introductions from 4 weeks and if it's unsuccessful, try again after another two weeks.