Rat Information

Rat Information

Rats make wonderful pets as they are social animals which are intelligent and playful. They are easy to look after and don't smell, provided their cage or container is cleaned regularly. Many people associate pet rats with the infamous black rat and brown "sewer" rats. These rats are wild and are pests for humans, as they soil and destroy food and other things, and were responsible for the death of over twenty-five million people in the14th Century who died from the bubonic plague. Pet rats, however, are clean, cute and cuddly, and are simply enjoyable to have.
If you would like more information than that provided here, you can connect up to the Rat Mailing List or elsecheck out the RMCA Homepage

Pet Rat Facts

Order: Rodentia

Family: Muridae

Genus: Rattus

Species: norvegicus

Maximum Life-Span: 2000 days

Average Life-Span: 1000 days

Length of Head and Body: 80-300 mm

Length of Tail: 80-200 mm

Weight (Adult): 250-400grams

Weight (Weanling): 40-50 grams

Weight (Birth): 5-6 grams

Heart Rate: 260-600 beats per minute

Blood Pressure: 115/90

Respiration Rate: 65-115 breaths per minute

Temperature (Rectal): 38.2 degrees C

Age at Puberty: 45-75 days

Breeding Season: any time

Gestation Period: 21-30 days (normally 21)

Litter Size: 2-24 (normally 8-12)

Sex Ratio: 46% female, 52% male

Weaning Age: 25-30 days

Female Breeding Life Ends: 15-18 months