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

Rats need the same care as other pets.

Their conditions of detention are as follows:

• Cell. The rodent house should be made of mesh, spacious, have several floors and a ladder. Rats love movement - make hammocks, wheels, and other activities in the cage. There should be a separate house for sleeping.

The rodent needs communication, he will be bored alone. So get two females or two males. Place a litter, a drinker, a feeder, and a bathing container in the cage. Do not use wood litter - it contains essential oils that negatively affect the respiratory system of rats.

• Cleaning. Clean every day in the rodent's habitat: change sawdust, rinse the drinking bowl, remove the remaining food.
• Stroll. Sometimes let the rats out of the cage, let them walk in the room. But keep rodents away from wires or valuables.
• Food. Buy special food at the pet store. 80% of food is based on dry grains and 20% on fresh vegetables. Occasionally serve cooked dietary meats, nuts, and dried fruits. Sprouted wheat grains have a positive effect on their health.

Protect pets from dangers - other animals, electrical wires, poisonous plants. If you are careful and attentive to the rodent, it will live much longer. Proper grooming prolongs the life of rats by one to two years.

Care and maintenance

Since rats are rodents, they should be kept at home only in a special metal cage, the size of which will be sufficient for the animal to live comfortably.

Cages and houses

You should not keep a pet rat in plastic or wooden cages, as the sharp teeth of this animal will quickly deal with such obstacles. It is also not recommended to place your pet in the aquarium, since the glass tank is difficult to clean, and it also interferes with air circulation.

A cage for a domestic rat should have a metal frame and iron bars, the distance between which should be such that the fluffy pet cannot escape. The average parameters of the cage are 60 cm high, 40 cm wide and 30 cm deep. It is preferable to purchase such a cage, within which two floors will be provided.

Usually metal cages are equipped with a plastic tray where the filler will be poured. An important accessory for any rat cage is a wooden house, in which the rodent will sleep and hide from prying eyes.

Rat cage

Optional equipment

In addition to the house and the plastic pallet, the pet rat cage should be equipped with the following accessories:

• 1 or 2 food bowls;
• a special drinking bowl for a rodent with a dispenser;
• wheel, tunnels and ladders for the active life of a rodent;
• a mineral stone with which the rat will sharpen its teeth;
• optional hammock for sleeping.

In principle, a rat can be trained to go to the toilet in a litter box, which should also be placed in the cage. Preference should be given to the corner option, which does not hide the space of the cage.

Care features

The length of its life depends on how and how correctly the owner takes care of his pet.

Keeping a rat properly at home requires regular cleaning of the cage, which means washing the toilet, changing the litter, and removing pieces of leftover food. In order to prevent infectious diseases, once every 3 months, the cage should be treated with disinfectants safe for a rodent.

Install the rat house in a dry place, away from batteries and direct sunlight. In addition, rats are very afraid of drafts. The optimal temperature regime for the content is considered to be the interval from 18 to 20 degrees.

Who's there?

Bathing

Some rodents are big fans of water procedures, this point should be considered when buying accessories in a cage and purchase a special water container for the rat. Bathing is a desirable procedure if the animal smells unpleasant and itches. If the animal does not like water procedures, it will have to be bathed by force.

To wash the rat, use warm water and a special rodent shampoo from the pet store. You should wash the animal with your hands, placing it in a tank of water. You should be prepared for the fact that a rat that does not like to swim will scratch and bite.

During water procedures, it is important to ensure that water does not get into the animal's nose and ears. At the end of the wash, the rat should be gently wiped off with a soft towel.

Features of the

The domestication of the tailed beasts began at the beginning of the last century. Decorative rats have a sharp intellect, have an excellent memory and are perfectly trainable. In this regard, the popularity of rodents as pets is increasing every year. Even those who do not have warm feelings for rats watch with interest the antics of eared animals.
The domestic rat is a compact pet. Adults weigh between 300 and 600 grams, depending on gender. Boys grow to almost twice the size of girls. In most breeds, the muzzle is slightly elongated, the ears are set high and have rounded tips. The body is covered with fur, its density and length depends on the specific breed.

What you need to know to properly keep rats at home.

Types of rats with photos and names

The genus "Rats" includes several dozen species that represent certain groups. Some of the species are now considered extinct.

The groups of species include:

• Norvegicus;
• Rattus;
• Xanthurus;
• Leucopus;
• Fuscipes.

It makes sense to focus on the following types:

Gray Rat, or Pasyuk (Rattus norvegicus)

It is considered the largest representative of this species. Pasyuki are found in quite numerous groups on the territory of Russia. The species was introduced by chance, but it is a real synanthropus. Pikelets grow in length up to a maximum of 25 cm, with a maximum weight of almost 400 grams. The tail is relatively short, the muzzle is wide and has a blunt end. Young individuals are gray in color, and with age, the coat acquires a noticeable reddish tint. The guard hairs are shiny and long. The belly has a lighter color.

Black Rat (Rattus rattus)

It has a slightly smaller size compared to the gray rat. Its muzzle is narrower, the tail is longer and the ears are large and rounded at the end. Rats grow up to a maximum of 21 cm and weigh no more than 300 grams. The tail of these rodents is covered with thick hairs. The main color of the animal is represented by a black-brown color with a greenish tint, which extends more to the back area. The sides of the rat are lighter, and the belly is dark gray or ashy. Some individuals have a color similar to the gray rat, while their back is lighter, yellowish.

Small rat (Rattus exulans)

This rodent belongs to a species that is also quite widespread. The species differs from other species in its small (relatively) body size.The maximum body length is between 11-14.5 cm, and the maximum weight averages 70 grams. This rodent has a compact body, a sharp muzzle, large ears and a brown coat.

Long-haired rat (Rattus villosissimus)

The name itself suggests that the rodent has long hair. In addition, this species is highly reproductive. Adults grow up to 19 cm in length, with a tail length of about 15 cm. The average weight of an animal is in the range of 120-150 grams, depending on gender.

Kinabuli rat (Rattus baluensis)

Belongs to a very unique species that has a symbiotic relationship with the tropical carnivorous plant "nepentes Raja". This rather large plant secretes a sweet secret, which attracts the rat. In return, the rats leave their excrement to this plant.

Turkestan rat (Rattus pyctoris)

It is a typical inhabitant that spreads to the territories of countries such as Afghanistan, Nepal, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Adults grow up to 17-23 cm and at the same time their tail length is practically equal to their body length. The abdomen of the animal is yellowish-white, and the region of the back has a reddish-brown tint.

Silver-bellied rat (Rattus argentiventer)

This variety does not differ widely on the planet. Its coat color is characterized as ocher brown, with few black hairs present. The belly is gray, while the sides are light and the tail is brown. The length of adults can reach 40 cm or slightly more, with a maximum weight of up to 200 grams.

Furry rabbit rat (Conilurus penicillatus)

It has an average body size reaching 22 cm. The animal weighs about 185 grams. Often in individuals, the tail is longer than the body length. A bunch of hair grows at the end of the tail. The color of the dorsal part is grayish-brown, with the presence of black hairs. The hind legs and belly are almost white. The coat is quite coarse and not very thick.

Soft-coated rat (Millardia meltada)

Refers to typical representatives living in countries such as Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh. The length of adults is in the range of 90-190mm, while the length of the tail can be in the range of 70-180mm. The species differs in that it has a soft and silky coat, grayish-brown on the back and white on the belly. The upper part of the tail is dark gray.

Tanned Rat (Rattus adustus)

This species became known a little over 70 years ago and was classified as an exceptional species. As far as is known, the species got its name due to the exceptional color of the coat.

What does the dumbo rat eat?

Photo: Rat dumbo at home

Dumbo rats are not picky - they happily consume almost any food, but, unlike their predecessors living in the wild, domestic rodents are less adapted to consuming low-quality food. Small dambics are prone to allergies and gastrointestinal disorders, so it is strongly recommended to adhere to generally accepted norms in feeding the rodent.

So, the diet of dambiks is as follows:

dry grain feed is the main element of the menu for every day. The ideal option is wheat with the addition of sunflower seeds, pumpkin and flax; proteins and foods with a high calcium content in them - boiled or raw chicken meat, sea / river fish, low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir. But sour cream, milk and condensed milk are on the list of non-recommended products; greens - wheat sprouts, oats, parsley, dandelion leaves, dill; vegetables, fruits, berries - both fresh and dried

Give them all only without seeds and with the utmost care (development of an allergic reaction is possible), all citrus fruits are prohibited.

Please note that it is strictly forbidden to eat: sweets, alcoholic beverages, cheeses, sausages, spinach, as well as white cabbage, unripe bananas, sprouted potatoes, fatty and fried foods. About the frequency of feedings

Eating should take place 3-4 times a day, if we are talking about a "baby" or teenager.For adult rats, 2 meals a day are enough. Be sure to remove any food leftovers from the cage in time to prevent spoilage. Check the drinking bowl for clean water every day.

Regarding the frequency of feedings. Eating should take place 3-4 times a day, if we are talking about a "baby" or teenager. For adult rats, 2 meals a day are enough. Be sure to remove any food leftovers from the cage in time to prevent spoilage. Check every day for clean water in the drinker.

Historical reference

Based on paleontological studies, scientists have concluded that the homeland of such rodents as rats is the Indo-Malay region. These territories simply swarmed with these toothy animals, while the population was constantly increasing. Which, in the end, forced them to move to conquer other continents. For movement, the only transport available at that time was used - merchant sea vessels. It was in this way that rats got to Asia, America, Australia, Europe. They also appeared on the islands of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Interesting! Today, rodent migration also takes place. However, the possibilities for travel have expanded significantly - auto, railway and air transport.

Pasyuk

Even children know what wild rats look like. Pests can often be found near the house, near garbage cans, in damp porches. Private traders see rats in the vegetable garden, garden, outbuildings, sheds, chicken coops.

Appearance

Pasyuk, he is a gray rat, the largest rodent among all the wild mice in our area. What rats are in size is of interest to many people. Since the dog-sized gray monsters are legendary.

The body length, excluding the tail, reaches 35 cm. The weight of an adult is from 400 to 500 g. According to some reports, the largest rat can weigh up to 0.900 kg. The tail occupies 80% of the body length. Rounded, barely noticeable ears, oblong muzzle, round eyes on the sides.

The coat is short and smooth. Pasyuk colors differ depending on the place of residence. You can find a gray, ocher, red rodent. They all belong to the same family of Pasyuk.

Gray rat

A rodent has 2 types of teeth:

• 12 molars, 3 on each side on both jaws;
• 4 incisors, a pair on each jaw.

Molars erupt from the first days of life, after 20 days incisors appear, which continue to grow for 50 days. They have a characteristic yellow color, strong enamel. The predator sharpens solid objects with incisors, gnaws through the bones of other animals.

Power features

A rat needs to eat up to 50 g of a variety of foods per day. Replenishment of the body with protein is imperative.

• What wild rats eat at home is clear. They are practically omnivores. They eat grain, cereals, vegetables, fruits, tree bark. They drag eggs, destroy chickens, kittens, puppies. They gnaw paper, cardboard, plastic, brick, wood, burlap, concrete structures.
• In the wild, the pasuk hunts for small mammals, amphibians, molluscs, and fish. A wild rat can swim well, build burrows near water bodies. Although he prefers to be more on land. The Pasyuk is able to swim in water for 70 hours, can dive, and gets its food at depth.
• Pasyuk destroys bird nests. It hunts for small rodents, in emergency situations it eats its congeners. The rat does not tolerate hunger. Without food, the animal dies on day 4. But nature has made sure that the animal is rarely without food. An omnivorous creature adapts to any conditions of existence. In the city he feeds on waste, gnaws at weak dogs and cats.
• From plant foods willingly eats everything. Prefers grains, juicy parts of the plant. The rodent never makes reserves. Lives for today.

Reproduction

Pasiuki tolerate heat and cold well.Everywhere they find secluded places for themselves. Under favorable conditions, they breed all year round, reproduce 8 litters each. Each of them contains about 10 rat pups. The female's pregnancy lasts 24 days.

Behavior

Rodents are very aggressive creatures. Rats attack a person, being cornered. They do not give up in battle with dogs, cats, leaving deep bites and scratches on their bodies. Rodents are able to bite a bedridden person, a sleepy child. If there are many pasyukov, they boldly rush at the enemy, large animals - a pig, a cow, a goat.

Control methods

The extermination of rats is carried out in different ways, methods. They set traps, traps for rats, poison with poisonous substances, scare off with the smell of plants, strong-smelling substances. Difficulties often arise in connection with the ability of rodents to sense danger, to bypass the bait. Despite poor eyesight in rats, they have good visual memory and developed mental activity. Having sat his kindred in a trap, he will not repeat his mistakes. If she detects the death of a relative after a certain food, she herself will not touch it.

Wild rodents

Those who have never met a rat "face to face" before may argue that rodents have a bad temper. And only the owners of the tailed weasel can say with confidence: this is a loyal and intelligent pet. In terms of intelligence, ornamental rodents are compared to dogs. And for good reason: these are very intelligent animals.

The rat is an animal that knows how to smile sincerely. Of course, her smile is not very similar to a human one, but scientists have proven that by showing the lower teeth, the rodent expresses the joy of meeting you.

It is also curious that rodents readily respond to their own name. If the mouse gets lost in the bowels of the apartment, you do not have to go through all the closets in search of it (as, for example, in the case of a selfish hamster). Calling the tailed beast by name, you will immediately see its ubiquitous muzzle. After all, communication with your beloved owner is more important than any intrigues.

And rats love to communicate. For her, there is nothing so much adored as “her” person. The rat will choose the one who will give it the most attention to its "own". She will not offend the rest of the family, but she will not hand over the championship medal either.

By the way, adult pets treat strangers with caution. You may not recognize your polite mustachioed friend when he grabs the finger of a nosy guest. Rats are terribly loyal and loyal, and they don't even try to get used to a new person in the event of a change of owner, often remaining "an abandoned loner" until death.

Care and maintenance of domestic rats.

While researching the rat character, the future owner can be given a few tips:

1. When buying a pet, be prepared to interact with it daily. Communication involves contact, play, and hand-feeding. This is the only way your mouse will be happy. Let your pet sit on your shoulder, lightly taste your teeth and steal small trinkets from you.
2. Immediately introduce the pet to all family members, so that later there will be no misunderstandings.
3. Give the rat a name and refer to it more often. An intelligent rodent remembers not only some words, but also perfectly captures the mood by the intonation of his voice.
4. Equip the "hole" according to all the rules (they will be described below). This will prevent the animal from constantly trying to escape from the cage. A rat in love with his home will happily return there after a walk.
5. As you already understood, walking is a must for a rodent. Of course, you don't have to take the rat out to the park. It is enough to release it from the cage once a day. If you have a female, then leaving her unattended is not advised. Girls are very housewives and their whole life consists of trying to "build" a nest. Your personal belongings will become the material for the kennel, so watch your pet carefully if you are not ready to sacrifice socks as a building material.

The most common species of wild rat, called a parsyuk, belongs to mammals of the rodent order. They inhabit almost all the continents of the planet, except for Antarctica. They spread everywhere several centuries ago, thanks to ships sailing across the oceans around the world.

This rodent has gray fur, strong hind legs, teeth that gnaw at everything and a fairly developed intellect. The length of the body of the gray rat is 15-25 cm, weighs up to 400 g, the length of the tail is up to 19 cm.

We offer you to familiarize yourself with Reproduction and development of earthworms

In the wild, pasukas settle closer to water sources one by one or in groups. However, most of them move to housing closer to the person, where you can find plenty of food and warmth. The lifespan of a rat living in basements, garbage cans and other places in settlements is only 1-1.5 years, and occasionally they can live up to 3 years.

Wild rats

In nature, a wild rat eats:

• small animals: fish, frogs, mice, molluscs;
• plant food: seeds and grains of plants;
• near settlements with all edible products and waste.

Often settles in landfills and garbage dumps. During periods of famine, cannibalism is observed in their colonies - they eat their relatives.

How long a rat lives in nature depends on nutrition, the type of rat, mortality at a young age, the presence of predators and the actions of people who have been trying to fight rodents for many centuries.

Rodents living in uninhabited areas usually bring offspring 2 times a year, but urban dwellers and domestic breeds, which have better nutrition and warm houses, can breed up to 8 times a year, giving birth to 1-20 babies each time. Part of the brood is eaten either immediately by the parents: weak and sick individuals do not live long, or they die in the young stage. Baby rats reach sexual maturity at 3-4 months of age, and fertility peaks at 1-2 years of age.

average life expectancy

On average, rats live 2.5 years at home. This is considered the normal lifespan of the animal: long-lived rats can reach the mark of 3 years, but by this age they are significantly decrepit and weakened.

Life expectancy of 2-2.3 years is also within the norm. If the pet died a few months later - a year after the establishment, most likely it was kept in unsuitable conditions or was ill unnoticed by the owner.

The lifespan of certain varieties of decorative rats

A characteristic feature of rats is the lack of differentiation by breed: this animal does not have them, there are only varieties.

Life expectancy directly depends on the type of animal, or rather its appearance. Individuals with a thick fur coat are more viable than hairless and short-haired rats, as well as tailless "Manx".

There is no generally accepted world standard for the classification of domestic rats, therefore domestic experts rely on the systems adopted by the oldest breeder associations: the American Fancy Rat & Mouse Association and the British Fancy Rat Society.

White rats

Albino rats with snow-white fur and a scarlet iris of the eyes can appear in common gray beads. Such animals have a pronounced dysfunction in the production of melanin in the body.

White rats have weakened immune defenses: they often get sick and are difficult to treat. Fluctuations in room temperature and even the slightest draft can cause your pet to catch a cold.

Their life expectancy varies from 1.5 to 2 years. In rare cases and under the most comfortable conditions, white rats can live for 2-3 years.

Rats can also be born incomplete albinos: with a white coat, the iris of their eyes is dark.The lifespan of incomplete albinos is about 5-6 months longer: this is due to the fact that they are not so susceptible to diseases and can freely come into contact with sunlight.

White rats are actively used as a consumable experimental material in medicine: genetics, microbiology, virology, toxicology, etc. This is due to the fact that their set of chromosomes is similar to that of a human.

If the animals survive after laboratory tests, they are often taken to live home as pets. Surprisingly, even after the shocks they have endured, they can safely live a full-fledged rat life with a person.

Problematic rat species: sphinx, manx

According to the British Rat Club, there are several “problematic” varieties of decorative pies. Due to the presence of certain mutations, they are more susceptible to diseases than others and have a higher premature mortality rate. Among these species are the sphinx hairless rat and the Manx tailless rat.

The main problems of the "sphinx" variety:

• hypersensitivity to cold (they need to be constantly warm);
• constant negative impact of the environment on defenseless delicate skin;
• twist of the century;
• skin problems caused by hyperplasia of the sebaceous glands;
• tendency to cancer and infectious diseases;
• underdeveloped mammary glands, which prevent female sphinxes from feeding their offspring.

Capricious rats "sphinxes" live on average one and a half to two years.

The second problematic species is the "Manx" or tailless rat. Official communities of rat lovers consider manxes disabled and have a negative attitude to the practice of breeding them for several reasons:

• the tail for the rat is a balancing part of the body; without it, the work of the entire musculoskeletal system is disrupted;
• without a tail, the animal's thermoregulation is disturbed: it can die from the slightest overheating;
• the absence of a tail is a complex mutation, as a result of which the internal organs of the animal are affected in some individuals: the bladder and intestines.

Manx rats often die immediately after birth. The remaining individuals can survive until the age of 2 years.

Genetics

The lifespan of a domestic mouse is influenced not only by lifestyle, but also by genetic predisposition.

The fact is that in pet stores, rats live in packs of different sexes, which does not happen in the wild. Animals dwelling in a crowd mate uncontrollably, after which they live in cramped conditions unsuitable for normal existence. It is very difficult to trace the genetics of such an animal, therefore, it is impossible to say how long such a rat will live and what kind of life awaits it.

A completely different situation develops when animals are bred by a breeder. Mating in such cases is planned, and partners are selected depending on the temperament. For sale as pets, rat pups are prepared from peaceful, sociable parents. Such babies are brought up in a favorable environment, which excludes the manifestation of aggression in the pet in the future.

Females in nurseries bring cubs no more than twice a year. Frequent pregnancies wear down the animal, as a result of which it produces weak, non-viable droppings.

In order for the pet to be healthy, delight the owners and live a long life, you need to acquire it only in special institutions.

How to make the life of a domestic rat comfortable, you will learn from this video.

Selected species of rats

There is a group of certain types of rodents.

Albino

Albinos are bred in a laboratory way: it is almost impossible to get them at home. In addition to white hair, they are distinguished by red eyes, due to the lack of pigmentation. As laboratory animals, albinos are human-oriented. The owners believe that this breed of rat is the smartest and kindest. Rodents:

• rarely bite;
• love to play with a person;
• learn the necessary skills easily.

Albinos are resourceful, and a simple latch on the cage is no obstacle for them. Animals are sensitive to their relatives, they know how to empathize with them.

The albino rat breed can be called the most tame

This species of decorative rats lives less than their relatives, on average, 1.5 years. Rodents are not too resistant to adverse environmental conditions.

Odd-eyed

Animals with different eyes are a mutation that is not passed on to the next generation: the discordance gene is recessive. You can achieve cubs with such a feature after systematic breeding work. As a rule, one eye in a rodent is pink and the other is black or ruby. The more contrast in the color of the eyes, the more valuable the animal is. The odd-eyed individuals can be in a fur coat of any color and texture.

Variety of rats - odd-eyed is valued for pronounced contrast of the eyes

Husky

The Husky breed of rats is named so for the similarity in color with the Spitz-like dog. Both rats and dogs have a characteristic mask on the face in the form of an inverted V. Rodents differ from their counterparts in that they change their coat color all their lives. This complicates the choice of a thoroughbred animal: it is not known what color the adult rat will become. There are two types of Badger and Bandad. In one case - Banger - dark wool covers the entire back, leaving the belly light, in the other - Bandad - the animal has only a dark hood. Babies are born monochromatic and fade begins at 4-6 months. The color of salt and pepper is appreciated in the breed.

Pure white spots are unacceptable. Another feature is the color of the eyes, they cannot be black. Variants from red to ruby ​​are possible.

A variety of decorative husky rats discolors with age.

Mosaic and tricolor

It is generally accepted that tricolor rats do not exist, but rare cases refute this. Typically, there is a leading color that goes with white. In the history of rat science, at least twice in the hands of a breeder, a rat of 3 colors was found.

One of the famous rats was born in 2002 in Alaska. It was a male named Solaris. He did not pass on his unique colors to either children or grandchildren. Another case, when a three-color girl with a champagne-colored hood, along which black spots walked, was accidentally acquired at the Bird Market. She was named Dusty Mouse or Syabu-Syabu.

One of several famous mosaic rats of Syabu Syabu or Dusty Mouse

Mastomis or natal rats

Mastomis have nothing to do with rats, even they belong to the Mouse family and to a separate genus of Mastomis. Scientists could not immediately determine the family, so the rodents traveled from rats to mice. These inhabitants of Africa live next to humans. They were imported recently, so there is not much information on them. Outwardly, they look like both mice and rats. Rodents reach a size of 17 cm with their tail and weigh about 80 g. Thus, they are larger than a mouse, but smaller than a rat. They have few colors: ticked agouti with black eyes and argent (amber) lightened with pink eyes. The animals are nocturnal, live in flocks. Mastomis are bouncy creatures, this must be taken into account when keeping at home.

Mastomis look like rats and mice at the same time

White rat nutrition

This animal is omnivorous. But this does not mean that he can feed everything that comes to hand. It is worth remembering that the rat has intelligence.

Therefore, she can be offered several options for food, from which she will choose exactly what she will most like and like. Rats lack a sense of proportion. They love everything tastier and more delicious. This should not be allowed, overfeeding the rat is undesirable.

With the established regime and diet, you can not worry about the health and well-being of your pet. In the diet of the animal, cereals should prevail more. They are found in specialty foods, non-oil cereals, pasta, bread crusts, and boiled corn.

It is imperative that a pet should receive vegetables and fruits, they contain a lot of vitamins and substances useful for it. A lot of protein is contraindicated for rats, so it will be enough for them to get a small piece of boiled meat or cheese once every seven days.

Rats are gentle enough creatures, the products for them must be clean and of the first freshness. In no case should you feed your pet with food immediately from the refrigerator; too cold food can make the animal sick. Hunger strikes are contraindicated for an animal. Without food and food, rats barely survive for 2 days.

Average lifespan of rats

The lifespan of a rat is very different, depending on which species the animal belongs to and where it lives.

Wild

Nature has made these animals very prolific and for good reason. 95% of Pasyukov do not live up to one and a half years.

The life span of a wild rat is no more than 3 years. This kind of enemies has too many.

Gray rat

Therefore, the question of how long rats live in nature can be answered: from one and a half to 3 years.

And this is on condition that the cub was born healthy, since the weak and sick are destroyed by the mothers themselves, eating them.

The lifespan of decorative rats, of which there are also many, is longer. Caring owners will not allow the animal to starve or die of thirst.

Decorative rat and its food

Thanks to the fashion for these animals, breeds have appeared that differ not only in color, but also in the type of hair.

Decorative

Decorative rodents are less aggressive, more calm behavior - this is a consequence of the constant selection of individuals with the desired behavioral qualities.

Domesticated Pike Standards, developed by the American Rat and Mouse Association.

There are rodents with different coat colors:

• homogeneous;
• ticked - each hair is colored in several colors;
• combined - there are several colors in the color with the exception of white;
• silvery - the hairline contains silvery hairs.

There are differences in the number and location of spots. But all these differences do not affect the lifespan of decorative rats.

Man with a rat in his palms

The most important thing here is proper care, balanced nutrition, timely veterinary care and the attention of the owners. The question: how many years do domestic rats live, it is difficult to answer unequivocally

Much depends on the conditions of detention. Biologists give a domestic rat about as many years of life as a wild one - 3 years

The question: how many years do domestic rats live, it is difficult to answer unequivocally. Much depends on the conditions of detention. Biologists give a domestic rat about as many years of life as a wild one - 3 years.

Nevertheless, many owners extend the life of a pet to 5 or even 7 years. Decorative pies have no natural enemies, and comfortable conditions of detention allow them to live longer.

Among all the variety of decorative rats, white ones stand out - laboratory and sphinxes.

White

The white harrier is the albino form of the common domestic rodent. They began to breed more than 100 years ago and were originally used for scientific purposes.

White rat

At the same time, they became the ancestors of all other types of decorative rats. For many years of selection, they have completely lost the habit of living in the wild.

Therefore, the escaped specimen will inevitably die. White rats have weak immunity, which often does not allow them to live even up to one and a half years.

The same set of chromosomes as humans made this animal ideal for scientific experiments.

Scientific use of white rats

Therefore, to the question: how many years do white rats live in a laboratory, one can answer - as long as the scientific research lasts.

But even if the animal is lucky, and after all the manipulations it survives, the period determined by nature for it is from 2 to 3 years.

Sphinxes

These are exotic among decorative rats.Of the entire hairline, they have only a small fluff in the eye area and a little hair on the wrists, ankles, cheeks and groin.

Sphynx rat

Many lovers of everything unusual give birth to such an animal. They are interested in how long the sphinx rat lives?

Unfortunately, this exotic will rarely please its owner for more than a year and a half. Bare skin is easily overcooled, and the animal becomes a victim of a cold.

Without the protection of the hairline, it is vulnerable and often damaged, which also does not add to its health. Those who have a sphinx rat need to be very attentive to their pet, this will allow him to live longer.

Conclusion

Studies have shown that the number of rats on the planet is almost double the population.

Only a short lifespan does not allow them to fill the earth.

Pasiuki bring significant economic damage to people and are carriers of dangerous infectious diseases, of which 8 can be fatal.

Despite this, many choose a decorative rat as a pet. They are smart, affectionate, attached to the owner. These animals are not difficult to care for.

Our article answers the question: how many years do decorative rats live? This is important for those who are attached to their pet and want to extend such a short life.

How long do pets live?

Decorative rats
Even wild rats, having settled in a human house, significantly extend their life despite the desire of people to destroy them. Several factors contribute to this at once:

• constant availability of food;
• comfortable living temperature;
• decreased sexual activity;
• the absence of predators, especially if there is no cat in the house.

Nutrition and care

You can feed the rat with grain feeds that are sold in stores (check the expiration date before buying). You can give fruits and vegetables, dandelion and plantain leaves, nuts (useful for grinding teeth), boiled chicken bones. Meat can be included in the diet, but in small quantities and "on holidays", that is, rarely, no more than 1 time per week. It will be enough to feed twice a day.

The diet should also contain vegetables and fruits, out of season they can be replaced with dried fruits, this is a very tasty and healthy delicacy for any rodent.

A drinker with fresh drinking water should always be present in the cage. You need to change it at least once a day, while checking the functionality of the drinker (sometimes the tube becomes clogged and the flow of water stops).

The cage must be chosen so that the animal has a place to roam, and equip it with various ladders and accessories. The more active your pet is, the healthier it will be.

Large sawdust is usually used as a filler (small ones can get into the eyes and irritate mucous membranes).

You need to do the cleaning at least once a week, change the filler daily

otherwise an unpleasant odor will be present.

Remember to put a mineral stone in your rodent's cage to provide your pet rat with the calcium it needs.

Why do animals suddenly die?

If your pet walks freely, his life is at risk, the rodent can eat anything and get poisoned, he can also get stuck somewhere or be accidentally crushed by the household. It is necessary to monitor the animal so that it does not fall from a height, does not fall out of the window or from the balcony.

Rats, living all the time in the cage, can suddenly die from suffocation with food or water, get stuck between the rods of the cage, or suffer from some kind of genetic disease. In any case, attention and care must be taken, in this way many dangers can be avoided.

The dangers of the tame rat

Often, decorative rats die through the fault of the owner, this can be either an accident or not sufficient safety.

The most popular causes of premature death:

1. Other pets are attacked by a cat, dog or bird.
2. Eating inedible objects, poisonous plants, detergents.
3. Falling from a height, etc.

It is important to remember the truth: we are responsible for those we have tamed. Responsibility for the life and health of the pet rests entirely with the owner.