Many people think negatively of rats.
However, most rats make excellent pets because they’re smart, highly social, and rarely bite. Unfortunately, these rodents don’t live long, even captive ones.
Ferrets, rabbits, and other small mammals can live up to 10 years, whereas rats usually live for 2-4 years. Therefore, if you’re looking for a long-term companion, consider other animals who live longer.
Below, you can find more details about rats and their lifespan. So, scroll down and learn more about these rodents.
How Long Do Rats Live?
Typically, rats have a short lifespan. For instance, pet rats usually live between 2 and 4 years. However, the longest-living rat indoors lived for seven years.
Moreover, pet rats have a better life expectancy than their wild counterparts. Wild rats often live up to one year because of disease, predation, and lack of proper food, water, and medical care. These things affect the lifespan of wild rats.
Most young rats also have high heart rates (300-500 beats per minute) and high metabolisms, which shorten their lifespan.
Lastly, genetics also affects the lifespan of animals, including rats.
All rats have a short life expectancy. However, some species have disadvantages. For instance, most hairless rats often develop health issues, resulting in earlier death.
Inbreeding can also affect a rat’s life expectancy because of deformities and mutations.
How Long Can Rats Live Inside Your Home?
Rats can live inside a home for an average of about 1-2 years.
However, it’s not recommended for them to live inside your home as they can cause significant damage to the home’s structure, chew on electrical wiring, and be a potential health hazard as they can carry and transmit diseases to humans.
Rats can cause significant damage to a home in many ways, including:
Chewing
Rats have strong teeth and chew on almost anything, including walls, flooring, insulation, and electrical wiring; this can cause structural damage and create fire hazards.
Gnawing
Rats need to gnaw on hard objects to keep their teeth filed. They can chew on door and window frames, wooden beams, and other parts of the home.
Contamination
Rats can leave droppings and urine everywhere they go, which can lead to unpleasant odors and the spread of diseases. They can also bring in outside debris, such as leaves and twigs, which can clog pipes and ductwork.
Disease
Rats can carry and transmit many diseases that can harm humans, including Salmonella, Hantavirus, and Leptospirosis.
Parasite
Rats can carry fleas, ticks, and mites, which can infest the home and cause health problems for people and pets.
Food Contaminate
Rats can contaminate food and kitchen surfaces with droppings and urine, leading to food poisoning if ingested.
It’s important to address any signs of rat infestation as soon as possible and take measures to prevent them from entering the home by sealing off any entry points and eliminating any potential food sources.
If an infestation is found, it’s best to seek professional help to eradicate them.
Signs of Rat Infestation
Here’s a list of signs that you may have a rat infestation in your home:
Sightings
Rats are typically active at night, so you may see them running along baseboards, through attics, or across the floor. You may also notice their droppings, which are dark and cylindrical, around the home.
Noises
Rats can make various noises, such as gnawing, scratching, and squeaking. These noises may be heard in the walls, ceilings, or attics.
Damage
Rats can cause damage to the structure of your home by gnawing on wood, drywall, and insulation. They may also damage stored items or food packaging.
Odors
A strong, musty, or urine-like odor may be present if you have a rat infestation.
Tracks
Rats leave smudge marks along the walls and floors caused by the oil and dirt on their fur.
Nest
Rats typically nest in dark and hidden spaces, such as attics, crawl spaces, and wall voids. In these areas, you may find shredded paper, fabric, or insulation materials.
Grease Marks
Rats use the same routes when traveling through your home, leaving behind dirt and oils from their fur; this can result in greasy smudge marks on walls, baseboards, and other surfaces.
How Old is the Oldest Rat?
The oldest rat, Rodney, has lived for seven years and four months.
Moreover, some rodents, such as naked mole rats, can live even longer. The oldest one has lived for 28 years.
How Long Do Wild Rats Live?
Outdoor rats don’t live as long as pet rats for many reasons. First, in the wild, they’re at the bottom of the food chain, so they get eaten by predators.
On the other hand, pet rats aren’t at risk of predation, so they live longer. Generally, wild rats can live up to 5-6 months in nature.
Moreover, rats can survive without food for a week, so the diet doesn’t usually affect the lifespan of wild rats. They can also survive without water for longer than a week.
Typically, these rats die because they get caught by predators or killed by people on the road. Wild rats also invade people’s homes, so they get killed by inhumane traps, etc.
What About City Rats?
Wild rats living in less natural territories, such as cities, have the same life expectancy. Although they have fewer predators and more food sources in cities, wild rats don’t live as long as pet rats.
On the contrary, wild rats in cities often find foods that aren’t healthy. Moreover, humans look for rat infestation solutions constantly.
Unhealthy food and people’s actions can result in poisoning. So, it’s safe to assume that city rats don’t live long lives.
Although most pet and wild rats have the same genetics, their lifespan depends on their care and surroundings.
How Long Does a White Rat Live?
White rats live up to two years, but some can live longer, especially if they’re pets. The same goes for the brown rat; brown rat species have a short lifespan.
How Long Can a Rat Live in the Wall?
Rats can survive between 5 and 7 days without food or water in walls. If you suspect a wild rat in your home, you should contact rat control experts and prevent rat infestation.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, wild rats have a short lifespan because of predation. However, inbreeding and genetics can cause health conditions, reducing their life expectancy.
Although health problems and genetics play a crucial part in the lifespan of rats, experts say that the leading cause of death in rats is husbandry (care, diet, and habitat).
City rats walk the same lifepath as wild rats. They don’t eat healthy food and have humans as predators. They enter people’s homes, looking for food, which often results in poisoning.
However, poisoning isn’t humane. Call rat control experts if you have a rat problem in your house.
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