How many years do rats live and what does it depend on?

Decorative rodents are very popular as pets. It’s easy to care for them. Even children can take care of domestic rats. In addition, rodents have a fairly developed intelligence. Therefore, they are very interesting to watch. But in comparison with many other pets, manual rodents, unfortunately, are not so long-livers. The article will discuss how many rats live and how to extend the life of these animals.

The free life of rodents in the natural environment is associated with constant physical activity. Rats and mice living in the wild have many enemies among predators. They are also hunted by snakes, hedgehogs and many birds. Therefore, rodents need to be alert almost constantly. They are forced to move very quickly, to hide from all sorts of dangers.

Rats and mice have a very fast metabolism, which allows them to maintain body temperature in cold weather. But because of this feature, they require very frequent snacks. Wild animals spend most of their time searching and hunting for food for themselves and their offspring. And if in the territory where the rat pride lives, with food being tight, individuals begin to quickly become exhausted and die. In some cases, rodents from hunger can attack their own kind, that is, rats, mice and their cubs.

Rats very often breed. One brood can contain more than ten pups. But the family does not always live to adulthood. Cubs are very vulnerable and defenseless in the wild. The mother rat is often forced to leave the nest due to food searches.This deprives her of the ability to protect her brood constantly. Young rats do not tolerate heat and prolonged cooling. Power outages also quickly weaken them and lead to the death of immature individuals.

On average, wild rats can live for about a year. Individuals surviving to a year and a half age can be considered long-record champions.

Decorative rats live a little longer than their wild relatives. The lifespan of a manual rodent ranges from an average of 2 to 2.5-3 years. Moreover, most often males live slightly longer than females, even if they receive the same care.

In rare cases, the rats kept in the house, due to good conditions, live up to 4 years. These are only isolated cases, which are considered, rather, an exception to the rule.

In the Guinness Book of Records, a case of a record life expectancy of a domestic rodent was recorded. He was seven years old, which is extremely atypical for this type of animal.

At the age of two, a domestic rodent, in fact, is already aging. This is reflected in his life and health. At three years old, the animal’s body wears out quite a bit, this period can be considered decrepitude.

Many rat species have been bred specifically for use in laboratories for testing any medications or for the study of diseases. Such breeding suggests that when mating individuals, one or another gene necessary for specific scientific purposes will prevail in the offspring.

Therefore, many rats initially have a predisposition to any disease or pathology. This may be a tendency to oncology, obesity, diabetes, etc.

Unfortunately, even rodents that are sold in specialized stores are not always completely healthy at the genetic level.

Poor heredity is also given by related mating. The offspring in this case is born very weak, many individuals die in the very first days. Cubs born from closely related crosses have a tendency to degenerate and live much less than other individuals.

External breeds are taken as a basis for breeding: the color and length of the coat, the size of the individuals, the presence of a tail, the shape of the ears, eye color, etc. But such selection also leaves an imprint on the functioning of the animal’s body.

Relative centenarians among the breeds of manual rodents are blue rats and dumbo. With proper care, animals easily live up to 2.5-3 years. Often among them are centenarians. Husky rodents mimic a popular breed of dog with their color. Most often they are white with beige or gray spots. They can also be attributed to centenarians. Most individuals survive to 3-3.5 years.

The shortest life expectancy in white albino rats. ABOUTnor possess weak immunity. And genetics rewarded them with a tendency to cancer. Animals rarely survive even up to one and a half years.

Exotic sphinx rats have no hairline. Therefore, they require special conditions of detention. The slightest hypothermia or draft can undermine the health of the pet and lead to death. The average lifespan of albinos ranges from one and a half to two years.

Standard and Rex breeds are average life expectancy. The average life span is about two years.

Due to the very fast metabolism, rodents quickly become exhausted in the absence of food. An absolutely healthy individual can die in just two days of hunger.Domestic rats are not affected by negative environmental factors such as cold. But their digestive system and metabolic processes are designed for regular food intake throughout the day.

Sharp strong teeth are almost the main and important tool for the rat. With their help, she crushes and gnaws food. The diet of rodents consists of 80-90% of very solid foods and feed. Having lost teeth, the animal will also lose the opportunity to fully eat those feeds that it needs.

Rats necessarily require periodic physical activity and the ability to be active. In a too small house or cage, the rodent will not be able to move as much as he needs. The result will be a gradual atrophy of the muscle system and obesity.

The cage or house with domestic rats should be in a room with a normal temperature.

You cannot argue with the genetics and characteristics of each particular breed. But the owners of domestic rodents are quite capable of at least slightly extending the life span of their pets. Who knows, perhaps, thanks to your care, a manual rodent will become the next record holder for life expectancy among its relatives.

The appearance of a domestic rodent in an apartment begins with the arrangement of his home.

Regardless of whether it is a cage or a cardboard house, the main thing is that the animal has enough free space for movement. For females, high cages with several levels of hammocks or shelves are best suited.

In the house you need to highlight the area where the rat can take refuge and feel safe. It can be a small tunnel, a box with a hole for entry, or a corner curtained with fabric. Rats are pretty shy by nature. Therefore, they need to periodically retire in a quiet enclosed place. Over time, you will notice that the sleeping animal most often chooses its own nook.

Take care that the rat is not frightened or disturbed. Consider the appropriate location of the cage in the apartment. Do not put a pet's house in a room where loud sounds are often heard. It’s better not to put the cage in the room where you watch TV or listen to music.

Hand rat is required to be active

It helps to keep muscles in good shape, is a good prevention of obesity and other health problems. Therefore, in the house you need to equip 1-2 rides, where the animal could stretch.

Also, at least 1 time per day, and better and more often, if possible, the domestic rat must be allowed to run around the apartment. Only such walks should be carried out only under your close supervision.

In the natural environment, rats live in whole flocks or at least in pairs

Therefore, the content of one individual in complete isolation from relatives does not have the best effect on its general condition. Like other animals, rodents need to communicate and play with their own kind. Do not deprive this of your pet. Share 1-2 friends with him.

So that your pet is not afraid of you and does not feel stress during your manifestation, often interact with him

Rats are quite social animals, therefore contact is important for them, including with the person, side by side with whom they live.

Hand rats love to sit on the shoulder of the owner. They also love affection and talking. There are frequent cases when these animals were even trained in teams and could perform various tricks according to the symbol of a person.

There is an opinion that rats, including domestic ones, are completely omnivorous, and they can be fed anything

But this is not so. The nutrition of these animals should also be given attention if you want your pet to live as long as possible and not get sick.

The diet of rats should consist of at least 80% cereals. This is the main source of trace elements for them. In addition, rodent hard grains grind their teeth, which allows them to quickly grow new and stronger. For the same purpose, a tree branch should be attached to the rods of the cage. The animals gnaw at her with pleasure to keep their teeth in order.

Also in the menu of a manual rodent, you need to add raw vegetables, fruits and greens daily. Do not get involved in feeding domestic rats, as they say, “off the table”. Many individuals really enjoy chewing cheeses, pasta, boiled potatoes and other dishes from the human diet. But such products for rats are neutral, that is, they do not contain the substances and trace elements necessary for them. And their excess in the diet can disrupt the digestive system of the rodent.

Rats can be given a little boiled lean meat. It is allowed to eat nuts, but infrequently and in small quantities.

In nature, rats are very clean. But since the domestic content of rodents involves the limitation of their living space, then the responsibility for maintaining the hygiene of their home lies mostly with the owner.

Untimely cleaning, food debris in the cell provokes the active development of pathogens. In other words, the poor sanitary condition of the home of a manual rodent significantly increases the chances of a pet having any disease.

It is not recommended to use filler for a toilet from coniferous sawdust. They contain a large amount of essential oils, which are not very useful for rodents. The filler must change in a timely manner as it becomes contaminated.

Periodically, the cell needs to be washed with cleaning and disinfecting agents.

Periodic bathing is necessary for the animal itself. If the size of the cage allows, you can install a kind of bath in the rat’s dwelling. It can be built from a small plastic container by filling it with water. The animal will wash and clean at its bathtub, and you will get considerable pleasure watching it.

Once a month, a domestic rat should be washed with special shampoo for rodents. It can be found in veterinary pharmacies and pet stores. Using human shampoo and soap for bathing rats is contraindicated. After washing, the animal needs to be dried a little, getting wet with napkins or a towel. During the drying of the coat, the hypothermia of the pet should be excluded and it should be protected from drafts.

Veterinarians who specialize in providing medical care to rodents are called ratologists.

So far, such a specialist can not be found in every veterinary clinic. In any case, an ordinary veterinarian can also conduct an examination and consult you about the health status of your domestic rodent.

Therefore, if you find any signs of deterioration in the health of your rat, or if there are obvious symptoms of a particular disease, seek medical help. Rodents are quite hardy, and in most cases, mild forms of the disease can be successfully treated in the same way as in other animals.

On the pros and cons of keeping domestic rats, see the next video.