When you’re first researching pet rats, you might wonder whether girl or boy rats make better pets. They’re actually pretty different from each other. I’ve had both, so I can help you weigh your options!
Whether you get boy or girl rats is up to you! They each have their unique charms and quirks. Females are smaller and often more energetic, while males tend to be lazier and sometimes cuddlier.
If you’ve never had pet rats before, your best bet is to get a pair of two or a group of three of the same gender. (Preferably from a breeder rather than a pet store!) Male and female rats both need company, and males do get along well with each other after proper introductions.
Which still leaves the question of which gender to get. Let’s compare!
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Differences between male and female rats
Every individual rat is a little different. So there are some exceptions to each rule, but these are the general trends you’ll notice:
| Males | Females | |
| Size | Larger, heavier, and “squishier”. There is more size variation between males than females. Males can grow from 450g to sometimes even 1kg! | Females are smaller and more lithe, usually with a longer, thinner body. As adults, standard females weigh around 300g – 450g (when healthy). |
| Appearance | Unaltered adult males have large, visible testicles. They’re a bit oilier than females, and have coarser, “fluffier” looking fur. Typically, they have a larger, wider head and face. | Females have nipples that might be visible or hidden in their belly fur. They often have softer fur than male rats. Females have a more narrow head and lean body. |
| Aroma | Smell like corn chips, & musky. Stronger scent than females, but still generally pretty clean. | Smell sweeter and sometimes even fruity. (I thought my girls smelled kinda like grape juice!) |
| Disposition | Male rats are often lazier. This can mean they’re more snuggly with you because they aren’t darting around the room! But each rat has a different personality. | More energetic, active and independent. Females can sometimes be more interested in exploring their environment than snuggling with you, but don’t worry, they’ll still check in with you! |
| Aggression | Males can become more aggressive if territorial or hormonal. In my personal experience, the males were very calm and chill. But fights can get a little nastier with them than the ladies if your males aren’t getting along. | Females will also establish dominance by scuffling with each other. This doesn’t seem to cause injury as often as with fighting males. Females can also be very aggressive towards new rats if not introduced properly. |
| Lifespan | Male rats tend to live a few months less than females. This is just an average, and there are lots of exceptions and variability in their lifespans. | Female rats have an average lifespan of around 24 – 29 months (2 – 2.5 years). |
| Health | Males are prone to hind leg degeneration, kidney and heart problems in their old age. Keeping them active and preventing obesity can help. | Female rats are prone to mammary tumors, which a vet can surgically remove. Spaying can help prevent tumors. |
| Diet | One study has suggested that male rats shouldn’t eat citrus fruits or mango, because they can cause kidney problems. | Female rats can have a little more protein than males, as they aren’t as prone to kidney problems. |
| Habits | Males are commonly said to mark (pee on things) more. | In my experience, the females were also very much guilty of dribbling. |
Telling males and females apart
It’s dead easy to tell males and females apart when they’re adults. Males are quite a lot bigger and “squishier.” They also have large, obvious testicles under the base of the tail that are pretty hard to miss!
Nope, not a tumor – the image above is definitely a male rat! As rats age, the difference between males and females becomes easier and easier to spot.
It can be much trickier to tell young rats apart. Their bits don’t become super distinguishable from each other until around 5 – 6 weeks old. At this age, some rats are already capable of breeding. Roman Rattery has a fantastic guide.
It’s well worth studying the difference between males and females before you adopt. Pet stores are especially bad for sending you home with groups of rats that aren’t actually the same sex. You can save yourself from the hassle of keeping them in separate cages, having to spay or neuter, or ending up with surprise babies by learning to tell them apart!
Are boy rats or girl rats easier to train?
In my experience, it’s about the same. I’ve heard that girls are more interested in doing tricks, but some of them are too busy running around to focus! It really depends on your particular rats’ personalities. Both genders are very smart and trainable.
Do male or female rats smell more?
Male rats’ smell is a bit stronger and muskier than female rats. I did find I needed to wipe some of my males on occasion with a wet wash cloth, whereas the females were fine cleaning themselves.
With that said, you’ll still need to clean any rat’s cage regularly, and wipe down any surfaces where they play outside their cage. You can litter train both the ladies and gents, but it doesn’t completely stop them from marking their environment.
What is “buck grease”?
Some – not all! – male rats build up an excess of an orange oil on their skin, referred to as “buck grease”. It’s not a health problem, but it can make them itchy sometimes and just looks a bit strange. You can help them remove it with a wet wash cloth if it’s bothering them (or you).
Do male or female rats live longer?
On average, female rats live a few months longer than males. The average lifespan for female rats is around 29 months while males live an average of 24 months. (Females living longer is seen in a lot of animals, including humans!)
Keep in mind that each individual rat is a little different. Their overall lifespan is affected by their genetics, eating a healthy diet, good housekeeping and avoiding accidents.
Rats are unfortunately predisposed to a few different health problems. Female rats are especially prone to mammary tumors. While not always fast growing or fatal, they can become uncomfortable if they get too big. Spaying female rats can help prevent tumors.
On the other hand, male rats are more prone to hind leg degeneration and kidney failure in their old age. Both conditions might need some accommodations like adjusting their cage layout so they can move around more easily, or feeding them less protein in the case of kidney disease.
Are male or female rats more aggressive?
Male rats can sometimes develop hormonal aggression towards their cage mates, and even their owner, around 6-12 months of age. It doesn’t happen with every male, but if it does, neutering can really help.
In general, though, I would say your rat’s background makes a much bigger difference to their personality than whether they’re male or female. If you get your rats from a breeder, they’re most likely to have a calm and loving personality.
Both males and females will develop a hierarchy with their cage mates. Both can be aggressive (and even violent) towards unfamiliar new rats in their territory. Make sure you follow the introduction process carefully when you bring a new rat home.
Both male and female rats need the company of other rats. If you’re new to rats, a same sex pair or trio is perfect. Bringing them home together as babies saves you from doing introductions.
Can you keep male and female rats together?
Males and females can happily live together in one cage if one or both are spayed or neutered. Usually it makes the most sense to neuter the male(s), but your vet can help you make the decision.
If they aren’t, you’ll have to keep your males and females in separate cages. They really can’t play together at any stage of their lives without risking surprise babies – and rats can have a lot of babies very quickly! It can be stressful to make sure they’re always separated when you keep both in the same house, so I would recommend just keeping one or the other unless you’re an experienced rat owner.
Conclusion
Especially if you’re new to pet rats, it’s easier to decide on one sex or the other. Both sexes make fun and lovable pets, so the decision is up to you!
