# How can I tell how old my rat is??



## Sky14

I've had plenty of pet store and second hand rats and I don't know how old they are. Is there a easy way to gauge there age?? 

Hehe that last part rhimes. lol


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## Stephanie

best way i have ever judged is size LoL though that is not very accurate


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## cjshrader

I read somewhere that a rat's teeth are naturally yellow, and get darker with age. So if that's true a sort've light yellow would be a younger rat, and a darker orange-ish color would be an older rat.

This seems to be generally true with my own rats.

Of course, size is always a good way to tell too. I wish I knew how old my rats are.


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## Night

I don't know about the teeth thing. Mulligan and Fitzherbert are both 2 and a half years old, and their teeth aren't overly orange 

I go by size and body structure. That way is the easiest in my mind.


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## cjshrader

I wasn't able to find where I originally read that, but I did find this line from http://www.ratbehavior.org/Teeth.htm: 

The incisors are colored with a yellowish pigment. The incisors start out white in the young rat, but by age 21 days the uppers have a slight yellow tinge. By 25 days the uppers are distinctly yellow and the lower incisors have acquired a little yellow. By 38 days these colors are more intense, with the uppers having more color than the lowers. The relationship between more pigmented upper incisors and less pigmented lower incisors remains true throughout the rat's life. In adult rats, the uppers are dark yellow-orange and the lowers are yellow (Addison and Appleton 1915).

So, the point is, it looks to me like the teeth can only really tell you if your rat is a full grown adult, which size should be able to tell you just as easily.


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## Night

Hmph. I think I'll take a second look at my boy's teeth! If they are, in fact, differently colored from my younger rats' incisors, I'll take pictures for comparison


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## cjshrader

My favorite part about learning that was mostly to learn that my rats don't have "gross" teeth, they are supposed to be that color. I was worried maybe they weren't eating well enough or something.


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## Stephanie

my boys teeth are definitely different shades of yellow LoL from oldest to youngest


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## Sky14

All very interesting but I allready know the size and teeth stuff. I was wondering if there is a more efishent way to know thet you can do on your own.

My apoliges if this is rude to any of you.


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## Night

Teeth and body structure are pretty accurate ways to tell age, so I don't know what you're asking for.


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## Sky14

Just wondering if there are other ways.


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## lilspaz68

The way they stand or move can also indicate some things.


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## Sky14

Do tell.


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