About To Get A Pair Of Rats But Am Interested To See How long They Will Live For
2006-10-27 03:53:33 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
The vast majority live to 2-3 years with a rare exception living to five. The world record for a domesticated rats is not 12 years - it is 7 years 4 months, held by a rat named Rodney.
I know of someone who had a rat for 6 years. He claimed the reason why his rodent lived so long was because he fed his guy blueberries every day. Blueberries are high in cancer fighting compounds, which science has proven. My longest lived rat lived to be 3 and a bit. If you get a rat from a breeder who knows what they're doing and tries to breed long lived rats, you should have a decent companion that will last many years.
Hope that helps :-)
2006-10-27 07:56:18 · answer #1 · answered by white_ravens_white_crows 5 · 11⤊ 2⤋
They have a life span of about 2-4 years. Female rats sometimes grow tumors which shortens their life if not treated correctly. On occassion a rat will live up to 5 years but that's very rare. Most of my rats make it to about 3 1/2 years.
2016-03-28 09:14:17 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Rats don't have very long lifespans, and they only live for about 2-3 years usually.
2017-01-02 17:22:03 · answer #3 · answered by Audrey 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know specific numbers, but most of mine lived between 1.5-3 years. I did lose one at an early age while under anesthesia, though. I think typically, the ones from pet stores like Petsmart and PetCo are kept in horrible conditions. They come to you with health problems from the start, and live shorter lives than rats kept in better conditions. I've only had one that isn't from a regular pet store (we got her from our vet) and she was noticeably healthier than the others. I think she would have lived much longer than them if she hadn't developed a tumor.
2015-04-13 11:18:02 · answer #4 · answered by Christy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my rats only made it to 3
2014-12-08 06:15:08 · answer #5 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my friend had a rat who he gave homemade treats to once a week high in cbd it lived almost 10 years
2016-08-06 11:58:14 · answer #6 · answered by nunya 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rats usually live for around two years, although some make it to three and beyond.
http://www.quite.co.uk/rats/#Growth%20and%20Lifespan
Check this link for loads of info
2006-10-27 03:56:55 · answer #7 · answered by richard_beckham2001 7 · 5⤊ 2⤋
Normal life span is about 5 years, however rats begin to develop senility, and fail to thrive. Some rats have lived up to 12 years but that is exceptional. Feed a good diet (Purina makes an excellent one) and do offer treats such as carrot and other vegetables and some fruits. Make certain they have an adequate supply of water. Vitamin E seems to prolong their life and there are several pet vitamins that contain Vitamin E. However, when your pet begins to lose weight (after having lived a long life), is lethargic, and begins rather staggering, it is time to end its suffering. Make certain you provide a chewing toy so that they can wear down their growing teeth....cages with screen mesh bottoms are easy to clean but a little rough on their feet. With daily care, they are fairly odorless. Unless you choose to breed them, it is best to get two females...more compatible and less odor.
2006-10-27 04:18:42 · answer #8 · answered by Frank 6 · 0⤊ 7⤋
Mine have all lived to around the ripe old age of 4 or 5, one of them actually made it to the 7 year old mark. If you take care of them properly they can live an average of 3 to 4 years
2006-10-27 06:42:34 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 4⤋
They can vary. 1 - 3/4 years if your lucky.
Like mice they are very prone to different types of cancer. When a rat gets cancer it really isnt worth spending the money on an operation because not many rats survive.
Lydia
xxx
2006-10-27 06:00:07 · answer #10 · answered by Cow Girl Hart 2 · 2⤊ 6⤋