If you go by general pet rats – kept by individuals in their homes – then you could say that a rats average lifespan is anything around the 2 years mark.
Many rats will get ill (usually tumours) from 18 months – but some can live well into their 2s (hormone and diet pending if you are to believe the benefits of low-fat diets and neutering).
Luckily, rats love living in groups, and take on new friends very easily – so you can always have a big ever-changing family if you want – rather than ever be left with a single rat.
Common Reasons for a Short Lifespan in Rats:
Rats are fast-living active little monkeys and so – just like with most rodents – they have quite a short lifespan – but that doesn’t mean there aren’t things that you can do to prevent them – or at least delay them.
So, what sort of things are we looking at here to help your rats avoid – ways to extend their lifespan if you like. A way to spend more time with them.
Tumours in Rats:
Rats are VERY likely to get tumours – especially if they are female and are older than 18 months. The most common two tumor types are mammary tumors and pituitary tumors – both are believed to be linked to hormones and obesity and affect up to 50% of all female rats, less so in males.
Now, although you can’t stop your rat being female – or getting old – you can certainly opt to neuter them and/or keep them underweight – both of which can DRASTICALLY reduce their chances of getting these two types of tumor. From figures we have seen on the matter: being neutered can reduce the chances of the latter tumor from a 1 in 5 chance to a 1 in 20 chance. Wow!
Kidney Disease in Rats:
Just like most rodents, a diet too high in protein can affect the functioning of the kidneys. This can happen as young as 12-15 months in rats, and although treatments can be offered to slow its progression, the damage will already be done once clinical signs can be identified.
Ad-hoc feeding of refined (man-made processed) high protein foods alongside an already balanced or high protein chow or treats can have accumulative effects of damage – and symptoms seen can include increased thirst, increased urination and fluid accumulating in the abdominal cavity.
Respiratory Infections in Rats:
Very often talked about – upper (eyes, ears and nose) or lower respiratory tract infections (lungs) – can be very damaging if not addressed properly. Although this might not be fatal in and of itself – the stress that it can put the body under can exacerbate other conditions and combine to weaken their health. Also, the other way around.
Many rats already have low-level infections that they are keeping on top of – but stress from overcrowding, poor diet, poor air circulation and/or build up of ammonia (due to a non-absorbent substrate or poor husbandry) can bring the infection up a notch to something more serious.
As its name suggests – it is infectious – and can be transmitted to others in their sneezing – and so all animals in contact with the infected rat will need to be treated also.
Accidents with Rats:
We know they are called accidents for a reason – but there are some very simple things that you can do to prevent common accidents and therefore increase the lifespan of your rats.
Most common accidents include falls and escapes (easy to keep on top of with simple precautions but so often these still happen) along with contact with other pets (cats and dogs) and non-rat-loving humans. I know cats and dogs can’t help it and so should never be left in the same room as them for whatever reason – but nor can humans with a fear of rats. Never assume someone will love your rats as much as you do – even from a distance. They can so easily be harmed by simple panic.
Poisoning is also common and that doesn’t have to be something ingested – it can be something inhaled or that settles on their coats (and which they groom off). Make sure that all chemicals used in the house and garden are kept well away from your enclosures – and your rats away from them. Never assume that the lawn or garden furniture in your own or someone else’s garden is safe unless you have asked indepth questions (or you live alone). Common garden and household chemicals that can easily make your rat sick or worse are all around us – and often overlooked. These now include essential oils that people are infusing in their homes.
Being More Accountable for Your Rats Lifespan:
As you can see – the age your rats live to is more often than not actually in your own hands.
Yes, there are plenty of things that will be out of your hands – based on their genetics and breeding – but if you reduce their chances of getting tumours, respiratory infections, kidney disease or being involved in a silly accident – they could certainly live longer lives.
Controlling the fat and protein in their diets by taking simple steps from pups can make a huge difference. Yes, you might need to be a bit firmer on yourself – but it will pay dividends later on. Just like chinchillas and degus where they are prone to diabetes and their owners can’t give them sugars AT ALL – finding new ways to feed that are healthy FOR RATS can keep certain illnesses at bay.
Housing them correctly in the right enclosure, with the right substrate and in the right numbers could be the best thing you ever did.
Paying for vets bills to fix things that have gone wrong can end up costing more in time and money than just getting the right set up in the first place. Taking that bit longer to consider new things in the home and garden – and swapping out risky but more-readily available chemicals for those that aren’t harmful to your animals can go a long way.
Also, never trust other people to do the right thing for your rats. Unless they are devoted to rats too – there is always the chance they won’t pay as much attention to detail as you would yourself. If leaving instructions for someone – always go into the fine print – as why WOULD they know what could be harmful to a rat if they don’t have their own?
Always best to be safe – and always best to consider the long term as well as the short term.