# Healthy weight for rats



## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

Does anyone know the average weight that a healthy (female) adult rat should be? Do any of you weigh your own rats? If so, how much do yours weigh?

I weighed our (almost) 2 year old because, whilst she certainly isn't skinny, I felt she was starting to lose weight and that we should start weighing her, now, with her age. She weighed 375 grams.

I plan on taking her for a health check in the next couple of weeks, both our girls actually, but I'm curious in the meantime as to whether her weight sounds about right.


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## rattikins (Jun 12, 2007)

I would ask Jessu. She recently went to a vet about weight issues, as you know


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

I did, but that's a male rat. I want specifically for females rats and didn't want to hijack someone else's thread too much.


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## rattikins (Jun 12, 2007)

Adult bucks usually weigh 400-700g, does around 200-500g.


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

That's a big range!


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## Sojuuk (Jun 24, 2007)

so rats are generally healthy if you feed them food


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

I think the problem is the range of body sizes.

My smallest male is outside the range rattikins gave, but he seems hale and healthy. (He's so femme! :lol: )

ratguide.com gives the ranges as Male: 250-550, Females: 225-400.


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Sojuuk said:


> so rats are generally healthy if you feed them food


I wouldn't go that far. :lol:


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

Forensic said:


> I think the problem is the range of body sizes.
> 
> My smallest male is outside the range rattikins gave, but he seems hale and healthy. (He's so femme! :lol: )
> 
> ratguide.com gives the ranges as Male: 250-550, Females: 225-400.


Yeah, I guessed there would be a bit of a range, but I didn't expect it to be that much! I've since weighed our one year old. She has a much bigger frame, longer tail and everything - our two year old is dainty compared to her - and she weighed in at exactly 1 pound, or 454 grams.


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## rattikins (Jun 12, 2007)

I was going to say... that's QUITE A RANGE... but didn't at last minute thinking that grams were a bit closer in range.

However, I suppose as long as she falls in this range that's okay... they must be taking everything into account, no?


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

rattikins said:


> I was going to say... that's QUITE A RANGE... but didn't at last minute thinking that grams were a bit closer in range.
> 
> However, I suppose as long as she falls in this range that's okay... they must be taking everything into account, no?


I guess, but it doesn't reassure you too much, does it? I mean, how are you supposed to know where in that range that your particular rat should be? For example, if you have a very small framed rat, and she is right at the top of that range, is that still ok? Is she considered obese? Same as a very large framed rat at the bottom of that scale... is she considered underweight? I mean, 200 - 500g... you could have one 500g rat and 2 250g rats... which of the three rats is in peak condition? I dunno, maybe I'm over-analysing...

We need one of those charts like you see for humans... where you go across for your weight and then up for your height and it tells you if you're overweight or not. :lol:


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## rattikins (Jun 12, 2007)

DonnaK said:


> rattikins said:
> 
> 
> > We need one of those charts like you see for humans... where you go across for your weight and then up for your height and it tells you if you're overweight or not. :lol:
> ...


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Does she have a layer of padding over her bones or can you feel the bones right under the skin? Often oldies bellies will drop making them look overweight but if you feel their spine and hips there's very little padding.

I have had a range of girls here...I had a big girl who at 600 grams was not fat. I also have fat girls who are 340 grams...all depends on the rat herself.

Can you post a pic of your girl? 

I found this last night

www.rattycorner.com

Go to Odds and Ends then Rat Stats.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

I have an excel sheet I made up for all my rat's weights (weighed monthy or more), any meds being given, by month. I can send you what I have so maybe you can make one up for your kids. 

My close to 2's or over 2's weigh;

Moth - 30 months - 382 grams (Moth usually sat at just over 400 grams so I will be watching her closely)
Portia - 23 months (mammary tumor) - 335 grams (always been tiny, but she is losing weight )
Shadow - 28 months (tubby belly) - 409 grams
Bella - 28 months - 411 grams
Lisbet - 28 months - 409 grams
Saffi - 26 months - 359 grams
Fable - 26 months - 353 grams


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

I think if she looks fine, and has a good layer of padding without being WAY too much (rolls, big pot belly, etc) she is alright. I would just worry about weighing her for extreme weight gain/loss at this point in her life.


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

rattikins said:


> DonnaK said:
> 
> 
> > rattikins said:
> ...


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

lilspaz68 said:


> Does she have a layer of padding over her bones or can you feel the bones right under the skin? Often oldies bellies will drop making them look overweight but if you feel their spine and hips there's very little padding.
> 
> I have had a range of girls here...I had a big girl who at 600 grams was not fat. I also have fat girls who are 340 grams...all depends on the rat herself.
> 
> ...


Well, that's what made me start looking into it. The other night, I was petting her and I could feel her hips and ribs. When she moved, I couldn't feel them so much so I think it was partly down to the way she was sitting. She does still have padding up there, but it just got me paranoid and wanting to look into it.

I went out and bought some baby food and Nutri-Cal, then came back and thought "maybe I should weigh her first!" :lol:

I was really surprised when she weighed as much as she did, to be honest. 

She's always been dainty, but she is starting to seem a little frail, now. She's still lively as ever, mischievous and playful, healthy appetite, she sleeps a little longer than she used to, but not excessively so... but I just want to make sure I keep her that way going forward into her aging, you know? 

I'll take a picture of her when she gets up this evening. She's settled in her bed for the day, now, so I don't want to trouble her.


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

Poppyseed said:


> I think if she looks fine, and has a good layer of padding without being WAY too much (rolls, big pot belly, etc) she is alright. I would just worry about weighing her for extreme weight gain/loss at this point in her life.


Yeah, that's my plan. I just wanted to get an idea of the range that is "normal", really. I pretty sure she's doing ok, but I worry so much about her aging and me not having cared for an aging rat before. Information is power is my idea... be prepared and all that. :lol:


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

Forensic said:


> Now I want to weigh and measure my boys. But they're not quite full grown (except Bacardi)


You still can, can't you? Just for curiosity.


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

True. :lol:


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Okay, so measuring squirming boys rats is not easy.  I gave up when I realized I would basically still be guessing. I _think_ Perry's about 12" long, the rest are between 10-11" long, and Bacardi is somewhere around 8".

Weights:
(By Age)
Bacardi: 307 g
Pernod: 602 g
Guinness: 558 g
Baileys: 528 g
Puck: 492 g
Jack: 442 g


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Bacardi is about the same size as Bert! I love cute minature boy rats. He's so squirmy though XD


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Yeah, I love my little mini-boy rat... picking him up is like picking up air and he's very content to sit with me... providing I'm not trying to hold him. Then he gets wriggly.


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## OhBugger. (Apr 6, 2007)

the boys got weighed today.

Gil: 475
Gully: 420


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

Forensic said:


> Okay, so measuring squirming boys rats is not easy.


I'm sorry to find your struggle funny, but this first line made me laugh... stay still, just a minu... gah... wait, stop... ok, I got you now.. no I don't.... grrr! :lol:


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

DonnaK said:


> Forensic said:
> 
> 
> > Okay, so measuring squirming boys rats is not easy.
> ...


That's essentially it, but you forgot the portion where Guinness stole the tape measure and ran off with it to the other side of the table. :lol:


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