# I have a question.



## smellycato (Apr 7, 2007)

About how long to rats tend to live?


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

2-3 years, on average. Making it over 3 years old is a huge milestone.


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

yup yup 2-3 *nods* the oldest rat i have ever had was almost 4


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## smellycato (Apr 7, 2007)

thanks!


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

Night said:


> 2-3 years, on average. Making it over 3 years old is a huge milestone.


Whats the oldest rat you've had Night? I know that my Beavis lived for almost 4 years. He never had any health problems, I was very surprised becuase he was a feeder rat.


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

My oldest rat was my first, Ferret. He lived until he was around 3 years old - he also surprised me since he was from a pet store.

But, a couple of my current rats might beat him :wink: Mulligan is 2 years and 6 months old, while Fitzherbert is a month younger.


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

Awww!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

I took in 4 boys who were all 26 months except one younger cagemate who was 22 months. No one wanted them and they needed to be rehomed. They were all feeder rats and when I got them I thought they would all pass within 4 months. The first one died young at 27 months due to URI. The 2nd died at 32 months with pneumonia(he was paralysed and huge, and unsocial. The 3rd older boy died at 37 months (over 3!!!) and eventually was pts because of an abdominal tumour. The last boy, the youngest cagemate, was pts at 38 months. He was paralysed, and blind, but a happy little man who loved his harem of girls (I had him neutered). He finally got a small tumour in his throat that affected his breathing and I let him go with his new geriatric girl Rafiki. All these boys were petstore, and feeder stock as well. Never discount the petstore rats, especially the rescues!


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## Nazarath (Feb 20, 2007)

I was in petco once (buying toys) and i was checking out their little ones and the little "info" card said "Rat live to about 7 years and very rearly don't make it to their 5th birthday unless vet care wasn't provided" *rolls eyes* i know they can sometimes get past 3 MAYBE 4ish but telling people 7?!


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

LOL i was at petco yesterday and their info sheet said that aquariums are GREAT enclosures for them *sighs* some people are idiots


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## southpaw (Apr 8, 2007)

Nazarath said:


> I was in apetco once (buying toys) and i was checkingotu their little ones and the little "info" card said "Rat live to about 7 years and very rearly don't make it to their 5th birthday unless vet care wasn't provided" *rolls eyes* i know they can sometimes get past 3 MAYBE 4ish but telling people 7?!


Oh Lord. 8O 
My mom tells me she had a rat live at least 5 years and all she fed it was bologna and cheese. :roll: I'll take that with a grain of salt though because said rat was apparently as big as a cat too. *sigh*

Anyway...I've only had 2 rats total, so the oldest lived 2 years and 4 months. He was a feeder, go figure.


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