dumbo males fighting

Question
Hi there - I have two beautiful dumbo males who I bought from a pet store (wont do that again, was very naive) and they are both now estimated as around 8 months old.  The problem is that they fight like crazy and one has grown much larger than the other and is bullying the smaller one - fighting and trying to hump him, sometimes drawing blood around his neck area.  The vet said I should try and hand feed them and build up the smaller one whilst putting the bigger one on a bit of a diet.  I have been religiously doing this along with giving them plenty of play time outside of the cage and keeping them stimulated play-wise.  The vet said neutering them must be a last resort.  Well I don't think I can bear the shrieks of littlun any longer as he gets pummelled yet again - do you reckon it's time to book them both in for the snip or do you find that young andolescents like this grow out of this behaviour?  Any advice would be so welcome.  Many thanks - Carol - Worthing - England

Answer
This is very typical of males at this age when they are going through ratty puberty! :-0   They often outgrow it but it drives us nuts until they do, if they do.   Usually if its constant and if there is indeed bloody injuries involved, its a bit more serious and may be aggression from not being properly bred (inbreeding often causes aggression)


As for neutering being the last resort, why is that? is the vet leary of surgery>  If so, find another vet. You do not want a vet that is afraid to do surgery or that feels that they are at high risk for death if they are ever operated on.  If this is the case this means he has lost his share of rats on the operating table during a neuter, which is a pretty basic surgery with two techniques, either done through the abdomen or done through the scrotum.  Stitches should be internal so they cant pull on them, antibiotics used to prevent post surgical abscesses that are common after a neuter if they are neutered though the scrotum and not give antibiotics.  Pain meds should be given so they are not hurting and also so they are comfortable and dont pull the surgical site. When the rat hurts, he blames the surgical site and picks at it so its good to keep them pain free so they rest and leave the incision alone.  Once they heal, usually in a few weeks their hormones drop and even out and your once aggressive little bullies are sweet as pie.  
If you want, I can give you a few names of vets that are certified exotic vets.  There are only about 12 in the UK, period, which is scary....but the names I have are good vets that have alot of experience with rats and surgery.  

Hang in there!