Neutering/Spaying. Is there a point to it?

[jessica_4482]

Veterinarians will say that neutering is benificial for non breeding animals it gives them a longer life, improves their temperment and overall controls the population of unwanted pets. I can understand it for dogs and cats because both of those animals can be pretty problematic as pets without it. Chinchillas on the other hand are caged pets and will only reproduce if they are paired with the opposite sex. Also they aren't the most aggressive animals so doing it for temperment reasons doesn't quite add up. Does anyone think there is a point to this surgury on chins?

[wallride]

I have heard it being beneficial to reducing stress between two males.

I however don't agree with it, or think it will do much good.. I think it just furthers the problem and emotional/mental stress.

When the male is neutered, he loses his social status, and with another male, that would just, IMO, make the situation worse. I'd think there would be even MORE bossing around, even MORE possessive-ness over cage territory, and mentally be more straining for the neutered male...

I don't agree with it that much, unless there is a crazy health benefit, but how often does a case like that pop up? Granted it happens, but I think it's just asking for trouble.

If two males won't get along in the first place, then they are meant to be caged together.

[Ashleigh]

I'm not sure what everyone else will say on this but to me, if you have a same sex pair keep them intact. A chinchilla will live a long life while still being intact. we had one live for 29 years.. and he was all there, believe me. But if you have a female pair and a male with them or in a differet cage and dont want to breed, maybe get the male fixed if you are worried about him maybe getting loose (if caged in a different cage) and getting to one of the girls pregnant.
* remember they can breed through the cage wire, we had it happen here.*
But to me I wouldn't fix a chin to make it live longer or to change the temperment of it. Iv seen fixed chins and they acted the same way intact ones did. at least when i watched and played with them they did. but eh thats just me.

[Chinchillagrl06]

My male was missexed when I got him and I ended up with a male female pair. I researched and decided neutering worked for me. I dont think it changed his personality at all, but he is very happy living with his girl now. They were both so sad when I seperated them. They were so happy when they moved back in together. :) As long as you have an experienced vet, the surgery is not a big deal. Mine was eating and drinking and playing as soon as I brought him home. :)

[TWHchinchillas]

I've had three males nuetered. One because the person I got him from informed me that his mother had maloccluded. Since I was rehoming him I felt it was my responsibility to see that he was never bred no matter where he ended up. The other two were nuetered for a friend who wanted to keep both males with the female. One was her mate and the other her son so definitely didn't want any breeding going on in there.

Nuetering however does not change their temperment or how long they will live. That's usually only true in females of certain species.

[Gcc]

When the male is neutered, he loses his social status, and with another male, that would just, IMO, make the situation worse. I'd think there would be even MORE bossing around, even MORE possessive-ness over cage territory, and mentally be more straining for the neutered male...

Are you then saying the other male knows his buddy is minus testicles? Because neutered males can still get erections.

[Gcc]

I've had three males nuetered. One because the person I got him from informed me that his mother had maloccluded. Since I was rehoming him I felt it was my responsibility to see that he was never bred no matter where he ended up. The other two were nuetered for a friend who wanted to keep both males with the female. One was her mate and the other her son so definitely didn't want any breeding going on in there.

Nuetering however does not change their temperment or how long they will live. That's usually only true in females of certain species.

Positively agree with you here. One of my chinchillas here is a the first chin I ever bought, he is a Pet chinchilla, purchased from a pet store. He is gorgeous, but because I don't have background info on him, I wouldn't dream of breeding him. He gets frusterated around other chins because he is 2 years old and VERY anxious to make little chinnies. I have considered neutering him to 'take the edge off'. I assume that similar to male humans, the testicles are responsible for levels of testosterone. If the testicles were removed it MIGHT take his mind off pro-creating.
Also, I would consider neuter/spay for kits I produce that are not excellent quality, and that I am selling as PETS ONLY. This prevents people getting $ $ in their eyes and breeding even though we agreed the animal was for pet only.
This is a personal view about it, and those are the only reasons I woud spay/neuter a chin. Otherwise, populations can be controlled by pairing same sex chins.

[Chinchified]

I don't know. I know that I currently have 2 females and one male and am now deciding that maybe breeding isn't soemthing I want to be into right now. But Chilli is so attached to Pepper and is very social. He gets very depressed when he is seperated from the girls. So I am considering getting Chilli neutered. I don't think there is anything wrong with it. There are just so many chinnies in bad homes and that need rescuing right now, that i kind of feel bad making even more of them.

[Mystic]

I'm ok with it as long as the owner takes into consideration what can happen. I really think for my Cheyenne it is best to neuter him because 1) he has cataracts and is not even a year old 2) I could keep him with a not ready to breed female while my other boy is with breeding females so Cheyenne doesn't get lonely
My main problem is finding a vet that has done it before. That is not common around here I'd have to got to a town 2 hours from here to even find one that has done it. Right now its not possible, and I don't have any idea how much it would cost even. But yeah I think its a good idea if it is to keep them from breeding and not for personality changes or anything.