# What's the oldest rat you've owned?



## WelshRat (May 3, 2017)

Im fairly new to owning rats and haven't experienced loosing one yet. I was just wondering what everyone's experience was with loosing rats to old age. I always had hamsters as a child and one of them lived to the ripe old age of 5 which is obviously uncommon but got me thinking about rats and their lifespans in captivity.


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## Arrowroot (Apr 9, 2017)

From the 5 rats I owned in total, only two of them lived beyond two unfortunately. Both about 2 years and 2-3 months. A family member of mine had a rat that almost lived 4 years and in one of my facebookgroups there is someone who had a rat that was nearing 6 years! Crazy. I even doubt if that's true because it's extremely old.
I recall reading somewhere that the average lifespan of pet rats is 2 years and 4 months, but I don't remember what the source was. Google says the longest living rat became 7 years and 4 months. I would give a lot for having a rat buddy that would live that long.


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## Fu-Inle (Jan 22, 2015)

3 ( and still alive). Merry is in great health for her age, she might make it to 4.


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## Wildblood69 (May 21, 2017)

Queenie and ceaser are both 3 next month ceasers showing no signs of aging or ill health queenie is a Lil bit poorly but hoping she'll pull through but ive had a previous rattie live to 3yrs 6months lots of love attention playtime does help them to live longer I believe x


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## WelshRat (May 3, 2017)

Yeah I've become so attached to them I've become a little OCD with their care (the best food/cage/playtime) as I know I'm gonna be utterly devestated when they pass and want them to live as long as possible.


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## ARatNamedCleo (May 12, 2017)

Welsh I'm with you there. We've had our number 1 since July of 2015 and I'm not sure how old she was when we got her. So she's 2-2+... It seems like over night she went from spry to tired, it breaks my heart. Over the past two-three weeks she has gone down hill so fast and it seems like now all she wants is sleep, food, and to be held, not even to play. I thought she was sick, but there are no signs that she is other than those listed above.
I'm just trying to love on her and give her as much attention as she wants atm. It's a hard friendship to have to let go of, but I think she's still got a bit of time left. Not sure how it looks as they get closer, this is our first time to experience it.


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## Smatty-Beau (May 23, 2017)

I've had a dwarf rat that lived to 3 years and 6 months. Overall my rats have averaged living to about 3, which is a good lifespan for them


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## Kira united rats (May 25, 2017)

Hennry Age 7 and still kicking he lives At an animal shelter but he's unadoptable the shelter will not let him go now but he was adoptable for the first 2 years of his life I met henry because i was originally at said shelter trying to up my veterinary skills (more on the "nurse" side of things then the doctor side of things) and that's where the vet i was working with to acquire said skills sent me when i met hennry he was in real bad shape 10 weeks old missing half an ear broken tail according to the persion who dropped him off he was in a fight with the father of the liter he was born in. took 2 months before he was actually able to travel from one side of his cage to the other by 6 months he was ready for adoption on his 4th birthday the shelter declared him not to be adopted and his cage was moved to the front office where its never left and he still runs around in err sorta as of recent(last month) he was getting less active

that's the oldest rat i know

oldest rat i owned are as follow(note any female i own over the age of 2 is "fixed")
hanna age 5 (cod old age)
lanna age 5.5(cod depression took 5 months after Hanna to finally cross over likly be sooner if i left it alone)
dave 4.5 (cod old age my first castrated male in reality dave was a she sold as a he)
Giga 6 (cod old age)
meme and helen age 6 both still alive
danny age 5 (cod murder she was my first to reach 5 years old [realistically it wasn't murder it was theft with intent to make feeder])
outside of those listed i have yet to have a rat get older then 4 usually they pass between 2.5-4 years old


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## WelshRat (May 3, 2017)

Wow that's amazing! Isn't the world record 7yrs 4mths has he beaten that yet? The shelter should def contact the world record people when he passes.

Your rats live pretty long lives are they from a breeder? I'm guessing most pet store rats don't live that long.


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## InsideSunrise (Apr 28, 2017)

That's amazing! (What's your secret haha)


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## Coffeebean (Jan 6, 2017)

My first rat lived the longest, who I received at about 2 weeks old from someone who couldn't convince their reptile to eat him. His name was Bunny (albino with no tail) and he lived 4 yrs 5 months.


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## Fu-Inle (Jan 22, 2015)

Funny how its always the pet shop rejects that end up living extraordinary long lives.


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## Coffeebean (Jan 6, 2017)

Fu-Inle said:


> Funny how its always the pet shop rejects that end up living extraordinary long lives.


I've found after owning many feeder babies that they tend to be a lot more hardy and long-lived than most people would believe them to be.


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## comprar (Dec 4, 2015)

I've had a rat that lived to 2 years and 7 months.


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