Rats might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but to those who love them, they are everything. Time spent with these quizzical, hilarious, parkour, and stunt master rats is time well spent. Their life is nowhere near as long as most other pets. Though many will see the adorable rats as gross nuisances that carry diseases, the rats have accumulated a considerable following in the pet trade. People who own fancy rats often find themselves wondering how to make them invincible and immortal. Let’s find out how long rats live.
The Evolution of the Rat
Rats have existed for over 54 million years and have only minimally evolved. They play an important part in nature and the world. The ancestors of the first rats were also small rodent-like mammals called Anagalids. The Anagalids are descendants of Lagomorpha, ancient rabbits and hares. The finding of their fossils concluded that the evolved ‘Rattus’ family did not appear until 34 million years ago.
Approximately 25 million years ago, during the Miocene era, the first rat (what fancy rats look like today) appeared. Today, rats exist in the wild, laboratories, and people’s homes, where they live out their days as beloved pets. Not everyone loves the sight of a rat, especially when they are not expecting to see one!
The Lifespan of a Rat Depends On the Breeder
The stigma surrounding these super-clean creatures is entirely incorrect. Some people absolutely hate rats and will kill one on-site for simply being there. It isn’t easy living the life of a wild rat, but as fancy rats, we accept them as pets and invite them into our homes. Other house pets, like dogs, might surprise you and make friends with the fancy rats. Supervision is always required.
Most rats live between 1.5 and 3 years old, though the Guinness World Record has a rat that lived to be 7 years and 4 months old and went by the name of Rodney. In the wild, rats are lucky to make it 2 years. Their extremely sensitive noses and satellite-like ears help to keep them out of danger’s way.
Many rats are adopted through pet stores that choose to support low-end breeders for quantity, not quality. Sadly, many of these easily acquired rats have genetic flaws and mutations that are neither desired nor healthy and are often from extensive inbreeding. Most of the rats from pet stores are diseased, may have dangerous mutations, carry contagious life-long viruses from overcrowding, or have several other mental or physical issues, making them a poor choice for adoption.
Other behavioral issues that can arise in mass-produced rats, literally from a rat farm, are. A person adopting rats certainly doesn’t want to take home an aggressive animal, no matter how small. Rats with poor temperaments are prone to being skittish, aggressive with other rats and humans, territorial over food and home, and sometimes aggressive when they want your attention and you give it to another rat.
Lifespans: Good Breeders vs. Bad Breeders
Whether we are talking about rat breeders, Bengal cat breeders, or sugar glider breeders, they all have a few things in common: some of them are awful and only in it for the money, and some are excellent, have tons of positive reviews, and showcase a variety of different coat types. Having a rat as a pet can become expensive if they become sick. The defects could have been handed down for generations depending on their genetic anomalies. Rats multiply quickly, and it doesn’t take long to reach 10 generations.
Bad Breeder
Many households have reptiles and amphibians that need to eat, just like everyone else. On one hand, the nourishment these pets need to thrive in their captive worlds also happens to come alive or freeze. Rats just can’t seem to catch a break, and rats indeed are one of the most unloved pets a person can adopt. But hey, don’t worry about them because there are plenty of others who made the list even higher, like spiders, beetles, snacks, monitor lizards, and so forth.
No breeder is perfect, but adopting from one instead of a big box or small town local pet shop is essential. Pet shops are supplied with rats in bulk from not-so-nice breeders. The breeders are not overly concerned with the health of any one rat because they have hundreds more that can replace it. The rats often inbreed and cannibalize one another in extreme overcrowding situations where the rats are barely being fed. This is horrific for many reasons, but one that stands out is that rats are extremely smart and should never be treated this way.
These large breeders are also responsible for breeding “lab rats.” Lab rats need to meet the lab’s standards, and they typically will not accept sick rats. Guess what happens to any sick rats? This may also be the case for rats that just don’t fit the standard for one reason or another.
Good Breeder
Enough can not be said about adopting from a good breeder and passing on supporting cruel pet stores selling rats from rat farms where inbreeding and disease run rampant. It is common for these poorly treated rats to come with lifelong viruses; you must medicate twice daily.
Breeders can be good or bad. Good breeders have plenty of reviews online to check if anyone else has any issues with them. A good breeder will be friendly and kind and answer any questions you might have about your adoption. They will only state that you can always contact them with any issues, and they will do their best to help you out. Instead of the cold shoulder and lack of knowledge, you get the complete package. You will know when your rat was born and who its parents are.
The breeder will likely send you home with a sample of the food they have been feeding the rats and tips on which snacks they like best. Another fun perk to adopting from a breeder is the length of time a rat lives compared with those from high-stress, overcrowded situations. A rat from a great breeder could live to be 2 – 3 years old or older. This is not the case typically with rats bought from a pet store.
Having a healthy rat is essential. Vet bills can be expensive because rats are considered exotic pets. Adopting healthy rats that are easy to handle, remain calm in your hands, and do not bite is so important. You don’t want to end up with biters, so never feed through the enclosure bars. Do not bring treats every time you visit with them, or they might rush your hand, thinking a finger is a treat. Rats can bite hard and deep, leaving you needing stitches.
