Facts About Rats

Rats are social creatures, and they need to be kept in groups of two or more. When kept alone, they become depressed and susceptible to disease. They also often engage in self-mutilation. This behavior can even lead to the development of a term, “copped a mouse,” which means “to get a mouse.” A black eye is roughly the size of a mouse. Rats are also extremely wary of predators, including cats and dogs.

Female rats typically mate at just over five weeks of age. The gestation period is about 21 days, and litters typically have two to seven pups. Once the babies are born, the females continue breeding until they are 18 to 24 months old. The newborn rats have no fur and are blind, but they grow very quickly. Pups are weaned at three weeks, and they are sexually mature in three months. Male rats must grow large enough to compete with adult males for the role of leader.

Rats are used extensively in biomedical research. They are the standard model in several fields, including cancer, neurobehavioral research, and toxicology. Approximately tens of millions of rats are used every year in scientific research. They are the most commonly used animals in experiments, making them an important part of the biomedical community.