The life expectancy of rats
Wild rats living in the streets usually do not live more than a year. Manual rats, comfortably staying at home, live on average from 1.5 to 2-2. 5 years. Among fancy rats meet and centenarians who turned three year mark. Rats rarely live to 4 years or more. The long lifespan manual rats recorded in the Guinness book of world records and is 7 years old. On the life expectancy of rats is affected by two factors: habitat and genetics.
Habitat rats
To increase the chances of a rat to live to a ripe old age, you must create it as a more favorable conditions which include well-balanced diet, timely medical care and competent care.
The diet of rats at 80% should consist of dried whole grain (wheat, corn, rye, millet, rice, oats, buckwheat, barley) and 20% of fresh vegetables and greens (cucumber, carrots, pumpkins, parsley, dill). In the cage should always be fresh water and mineral supplements — a special stone for rodents (without salt). Rats, especially in the period of active growth, it is useful to feed low-fat boiled meat (chicken, Turkey, rabbit, offal) and hard boiled eggs. Also rats can give a small amount of nuts (peanut, cashew, almond, hazelnut) and fruits (apples, bananas, grapes, dates). Chrysologue observed that the positive influence on health and duration of life of rats has added to the diet of sprouted grains.
Veterinarian engaged in the treatment of decorative rats is called ecologom. In many large cities, these doctors are in some vet clinics. They have a highly qualified specialized help, if necessary, can hold the rat in an operation that will save her life. Unfortunately, in small towns doctors catalogo usually not. However, before the institution of the home rats it is advisable to find a veterinarian who will be able to give at least General advice on healing the pet when needed.
The proper care of a rat involves the purchase of a spacious enough cage and her arrangement (houses, hammocks, ladders) so that the rat was interesting to be there. In addition, it is important to use a quality filler — corn or paper. Wood fillers are not suitable because they contained essential oils, which act adversely on the health of rats: they destroy them, the cells of the lungs and trachea, give stress on the liver.
Genetics
In addition to living conditions a great influence on the lifespan of rats having the heredity. Rat it is better to take the breeders who not only get the offspring from healthy parents, but also provide newborn animals competent care. Knit fancy rats in nurseries are always according to plan, not randomly. To produce offspring matched adult healthy individuals do not show aggressiveness and other undesirable traits. Females in nurseries, as a rule, bring no more than two litters in a lifetime. Too frequent pregnancies are undesirable because they Deplete the rat. In addition, as a result of multiple or too early pregnancies are born small rats with poor health.
Manual rats sold in pet stores, are often born as the result of unplanned litters. Healthy parents usually no one was watching. Rats of both sexes live together in cramped cages, which is unacceptable. In normal conditions the male and female rat is put in one cell only for a planned mating. In the rest of the rats should live in same-sex flocks. In most pet stores these conditions are not met, rats uncontrollably and too often mate, which, of course, is not the best way affects the health and viability of offspring.
Dangers manual rat
Sometimes rats do not live their remaining life due to the carelessness of the owners. The most frequent causes of premature death fancy rats: contact with other Pets (cats, dogs), chrysene electrical wires, eating poisonous plants for them. Deadly to rats are following plants: milkweed, nightshade, ivy, Laurel, rhododendron, Kalanchoe, Azalea, fern, aloe, Amaryllis, geranium, hyacinth, cyclamen, Myrtle, dieffenbachia, clove, mistletoe, Tulip, Narcissus, Lily of the valley.