# Help - my rat has no balls!



## scarycat

Hi there, I am new to this forum, and really want some advice about my rat Rodney. I bought him a week ago along with his brother from a breeder, and the whole time we have had him he has had his testes drawn up into his abdomen, or at least I assume that's where they are! I am aware rats do this when scared sometimes and he is a very nervy rat, but even when he is relaxed in his cage dozing off they are still drawn up. Can anyone tell me if this is something I should be concerned about? His brother is sporting a rather huge pair in contrast!! :blush2: Both rats are 7 weeks old. TIA


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## MerlinsMum

Not being funny, but are you sure he's a He? Rats drop their testes early and although they *can* tuck them up again it's not normal....

What's the distance between the little bit where the wee comes from (females have them too) and his anus? If they are close together, then he's a She.

Sorry if you have already ascertained he is a he... If he genuinely has withdrawn them then they may come down again later. I have seen this in very old and very sick rats.... but that doesn't mean an individual young genuine male might not do the same for reasons of his own.


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## LisaLQ

Wet "his" tummy, if "he" has nipples, "he" is a "she".


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## scarycat

Lol! No, I'm pretty sure he's a boy!  I did think of this and had a feel for nipples, and I tried to have a look down below (very hard to do as he is sooo wriggly) - no nipples and from what I could see of his nethers they looked more male than female, the distance between anus and wee bit was quite big. The guy I bought them from did seem to know what he was doing too, I don't think he would have made a mistake like that. 
So nobody has heard of this in a young and otherwise very healthy rat? He is very active, eating plenty, normal poo/wee putting on weight etc. (God, it's like talking about a new born baby lol!) Like I said, he is very nervous compared to his brother, and we have only had him a week, so perhaps even when he appears relaxed and sleepy he is still on edge a bit maybe? New cage, away from other siblings (bar one) etc? My other rat Trigger seems more dominant at the moment (even though he is the smaller one!) could it be something territorial? Thanks for your help :smile5:


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## thedogsmother

LisaLQ said:


> Wet "his" tummy, if "he" has nipples, "he" is a "she".


The vet told me this week that she has encountered male rats with nipples before.


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## Argent

One of my males has really unusual nads like that too- he tends to deflate them when I pick him up because he's such a nervous character. I panicked about it too but apparently it's normal, and I do see them when he's just milling about his cage happy and relaxed. All my other boys have these massive furry balls but not Mako  Your Rodney might just be one of those rats if you're certain he's not a girl


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## scarycat

OK - I've had a REALLY good look (more than I cared to, to be honest!!) at Rodney's rear end, and NO vaginal opening - whole area between anus and wee bit is completely flat and smooth, NO nipples, and still NO balls. Is it possible he has...er...gender issues?? :huh: 
It makes no sense to me - I thought rats were supposed to be easy to sex?! 

Could it be he is just a late bloomer and they haven't dropped down yet? Surely there would be a scrotum though - couldn't see one, like I said, that area was completely flat and smooth. Or could he have been born without them altogether? Or is he a girl with the bits missing? His coat is quite soft and he is very skittish and active compared to his brother...argghh, I just don't know!!


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## SEVEN_PETS

would you be able to take a picture? rats are probably the easiest rodents to sex as males have huge testes by the age of about 4-5 weeks old. i've heard rats that are both male and female, maybe this could be the case with yours?


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## blade100

i read on a well known ratty web site that one of the owners male rats testicles hadn't dropped and he needed to have an operation to make them drop otherwise there could of been problems if not.

don't know if this is true though.


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## scarycat

Hi there, I have attached a picture - not a brilliant one as I used my phone, but maybe someone can tell me from that. 
Like I said the space between the anus and wee bit is flat if you look close enough, but could it be that the vaginal opening is right underneath almost the wee bit - if that makes sense? I'm not that clued up on a rats anatomy! But there are still no nipples - I wet the fur and parted it back and had a really good look, but nothing.


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## SEVEN_PETS

it looks female to me, but then i'm no expert. i've looked at pictures of female and male rats, and the spacing is not that different, it's testicles that really tell them apart.


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## scarycat

Ah, that's interesting blade100 - it does happen in human babies sometimes, so maybe it happens with rats too. I would of thought though a scrotum would be visible, unless they have a way of tucking this out the way neatly too?!


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## MerlinsMum

Eeeek! I can see girly bits! There's a vagina right next to the pee bit.


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## scarycat

Yes, it does look female, I really don't know what to do about this.


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## thedogsmother

Do you keep her with boys , have you got a spare cage?


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## SEVEN_PETS

scarycat said:


> Yes, it does look female, I really don't know what to do about this.


right if she's been in with the male at any stage, she's most likely pregnant, so you will need a spare cage to put her in, and another two cages for her young (male & female) when/if she has them.


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## MerlinsMum

SEVEN_PETS said:


> right if she's been in with the male at any stage, she's most likely pregnant, so you will need a spare cage to put her in, and another two cages for her young (male & female) when/if she has them.


Just one spare cage will do - the girls can stay with their mum. In fact the boys can probably go in with Dad. 
Without being too graphic, can you give her a thorough examination of her girly-part? Rats are one of the few animals that have a hymen. If she seems intact then she won't have been mated. But she will still need to be separated.


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## SEVEN_PETS

MerlinsMum said:


> Just one spare cage will do - the girls can stay with their mum. In fact the boys can probably go in with Dad.
> Without being too graphic, can you give her a thorough examination of her girly-part? Rats are one of the few animals that have a hymen. If she seems intact then she won't have been mated. But she will still need to be separated.


oh yeah, sorry, not got a maths brain.


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## scarycat

Yes, I bought what I thought were 2 boys, so she has been with a boy rat all week and at the breeders before that, and no I don't have a spare cage. I think I will contact the breeder and tell him the situation. 
We have only had them a week, maybe we could swap her for a definite brother and the breeder can take care of her and any pups she has?  Really didn't bargain for this...
She still has no nipples though, or are they very difficult to spot sometimes? Aren't they supposed to have around 12 of them? Would have thought I would have seen one after the thorough search I had...


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