How Long Do Rats Live in Captivity?

A rat’s lifespan is determined by genetics and living conditions. In general, rats live from one to two years, though they can live up to four years. The environment and food provided to rats greatly affects the length of their lives. Living in a high-quality environment will extend the lifespan of your rat.

Although determining a rat’s life span is difficult, the average rat can survive up to one week without food. Anything longer than that and the animal would likely starve to death. If a rat is starving, it will eat anything it can find. However, like squirrels and chipmunks, rats store food.

Rats are highly social and intelligent creatures. They can form close bonds with humans. They also have complex needs. Their appearance is varied, and they have excellent senses of touch and smell. They are most active at night, dawn, and dusk. The average lifespan of a pet rat is two years.

Rats live in a variety of habitats. In the wild, they are found in large colonies, each containing a queen. This makes it easy to keep a colony in captivity.