Is this too much for a neuter?

[gizandcharlie]

I'm ready to get my boy chinny neutered so I don't need to worry about more babies while I'm in college. As much as I enjoy it, it takes too much time.. My vet here in Dutchess County of NY is asking for about $350-$400 for neutering my male chinny. Do you think that price is high or reasonable?

Thanks!

 

[Snickers]

It might be cheaper to get another cage. I have paid $150. I can only tell you to have an experience vet do it.

 

[Cass C]

I paid 300 for my boy's neuter, but I would not do it again as there is the risk of him getting killed from it. My boy got a major infection that almost killed him because he kept pulling out stitches. If your goal is to keep a bonded pair together remember the still have to be separated for a couple weeks while he recovers and it could very possibly break the pair anyway. I had to rebond my chinchillas after the neuter and it sucked!

 

[gizandcharlie]

I understand! I just feel bad because my boy loves his partner so much. They've had to be separated after two births and they are completely inseparable after they're put back together. Never had an issue rebounding. He seems so depressed all by himself. Not sure what I'm gonna do. I don't mind paying the $350 but it's not worth it if he's going to get sick or pull out the stitches.. And knowing him he would definitely try to rip them out. I'm so conflicted! I'll have to think a bit more about it.

 

[gizandcharlie]

Oh and thanks for the help!

 

[Smidgeyy]

Definitely don't neuter him. Unless there is a medical problem that neutering will fix, don't.
Some chins who do manage to make it through the surgery die during the healing process.

Buy another male if you really want to give him a friend but know they may not bond at all. The chins will get over being separated. I would honestly just get another cage and leave it at that. You don't know what kind of genetic issues you could be passing on if your chins are not breeding quality. No need to risk the males life over it, just separate them.

 

[Amethyst]

To answer you question no, that price range sounds pretty normal, I've heard $250-$550+ for neutering, it all depends on the vet and where you live. But I agree with the others about not getting a chin neutered, it's not a simple snip like with a cat or dog, chinchilla's bits are normally held inside the body, so it's more of an invasive surgery. There are no health benefits like with cats and dogs either, but recovery can be very hard. Some chins refuse to eat, so they need to be hand fed round the clock, there is a chance as said of infection and other complications which aside from being life threatening can become very expensive. Anytime a chin goes under there is also a chance they wont wake up since with such a small animal even a tiny bit off on measurement can mean too much anesthesia. I guess it would also depend on if the vet has a lot of experience neutering chinchillas, if it something they do or have done a lot then the risk is less, but even cats and dogs die under anesthesia sometimes. Not saying spay/neuter is wrong, just that I have lost a cat when she went in for a spay and chinchillas are much most sensitive.

They will get over being separate. So long as they are in the same room they can still chat, see and smell each other so it's not like they are completely alone. You could also try cuddle buddies for them so they still have something to cuddle with.

 

[Lovelywhiskers]

I wouldn't neuter my male chins. I was thinking last year whether or not to neuter him, after reading it might do more bad then good it was out of question. I love my little male chin Kai, and would never let anything bad ever happen to him.

Taking him away from his mother, and sister as he got older was a terrible experience for him. He cried every night, and he called for them and no one answered back (his sister sometimes did). He sat in bed most of the time, and didn't want to get out. You could tell he was really depressed I had to remove his mother and sister.

I thought of other ways to make his life better. After a month of seeing how his pain was, because it took me that long to decide what to do. I had then planned to get another male chinchilla partner for him. I ordered him a ferret nation cage which has dividers between the top and bottom (I still had the old cage he was previously in). So I put him in there to begin with. Kai is a very calm, and very non-aggressive chinchilla sorta a mommy's boy (He really loves me). Took me a bit to find the right male chinchilla for him. I wanted a younger chinchilla then he is, because of his attitude towards (non-dominant) other chins. I thought if I got him someone older it might just beat up on him, and stress him out tons. So eventually got him a male partner which was very young (toby was so skinny and small). I put the new male partner in his previous cage with some of the toys kai had to get used to Kai's scent. Put him about a inch or 2 away from the cage Kai was in (so they can't bite/claw each other). I put them in the bathroom together 1 in a carrier and 1 outside of the carrier. If they gotten too crazy (Toby scratched at the cage) I would them swap them. I did this for a few weeks. Eventually when they gotten better they talked to each other from their cages, and sat next to each other. I thought it was about time I try to step it up I took them both out in the bathroom and both out loose. They did not fight, but they established dominance. And turned out the younger chinchilla Toby was more dominant then my older chin lol.

Takes awhile to introduce chinchillas, before you put them in the same cage. Never rush the process, because it could be fatal. Get to actually know your chins behaviour before you know what would be a good match for him. I would think it would be better to match a young chin to a older chin. But this all depends on how your chins attitude is towards other chins.

If this is too much for you to do, then you might have to give him up. If you don't simply have the extra time for this. Try to get a responsible owner to take him or someone who has experience with chins.

My 2 Female chins came previously from a owner who was selling them. But I got the 2 other chins (kisses and Kai) from one of the females I had bought from the owner. I have to admit I'm surprised and happy that they both (Kisses/Kai) are healthy 1 year olds now. And Bella the mom I'm surprised she didn't have more stress due to moving, making her maybe lose the babies or have unhealthy ones. I was a very panic Mother that day (Valentines 2014). All I'm trying to say is if you have to give them up then it's fine. People do.