Post by Mil on Oct 30, 2011 11:47:13 GMT -5
Transferred from the TRRQ Discussion Board Formerly on Facebook
Mil Scott
Several rat lovers from this page have mentioned and/or posted photos of rats who lived 3, 4 or even close to 5 years. Given this is something every rat lover surely hopes for, I thought it might be both interesting and useful if those of you who've had these unusually long-lived ratties shared a little about them. While genetics are, of course, one factor, perhaps there are others linked to diet, environment, etc. that have proved common to them as well. It's hoped that by comparing notes, and sharing your stories and experiences we can all learn some helpful tips and habits that might help improve our ratties lives -- regardless their ultimate longevity.
over a year ago
-------
Clare Whitehead
I love this idea, my two boys turned 1 today and i dread to think that their lives are half over!
over a year ago
------------
Post Deleted
over a year ago
----------
The Rodent Reader Quarterly
Thank you for sharing that, Ashley. How wonderful your son had such a hugely positive introduction to rats...and that Railway had such a hugely positive experience with human love.
If, in time, you'd care to share a bit about Railway's diet, bedding, housing arrangement, etc. I'm sure many here would like to see if we can glean any "secrets" to his longevity.
Either way, thank you again for sharing his beautiful tale. Very much appreciated.
over a year ago
-------
Bethany J Garcia
My Very first rat Rosie lived to be 5 years old! (I so miss her) She was my best friend and we got her because my mom had to get rid of my cat. it turned out both me and my moms bf are highly allergic. So Rosie came to live with us. She was about 7 wks old when we bought her and was solid white with pretty red eyes. After a few weeks she started geting Siamese markings. At 6 months we took her to a vet cause she sounded rattley, and they assured us she was a Siamese rat. Oh and that the rattling was prob just a cold and would go away. Which it did a few weeks later. She was completly spoiled and happy. She had her own cage for alomost 2.5 years. We gave her newspaper to shred and the carefresh litter. She would build massive nests on the side of her cage with the newspaper. She was very smart and would escape her cage almost nightly(NO MATTER WHAT WE DID) But she always crawled down my dresser and up into my bed and went to sleep next to my head under the sheet. SO cute. I played with her for hours each day and she just hung out on my shoulder alot or in my pocket. We feed her either rat food or hampster food and gave her lots of treats(vegies,fruit, eggs, crackers, etc) SHe hatted the rabbit pellets mind u, so we tried to find food with out it. She also didnt like the lab block things.
we bought her a leash and would take her outside in the grass at my grandmas and she would boundfully hop through the grass till she was a very old lady of 4!. When she was about 2 1/2 we got brownie. and Rosie hatter her and would beat her up. COme to find out brownie was pregnant. After she had her babies Rosie had no problem with her and happily shared her cage with her and brownies baby silver.
When she was 3 1/2 she had her first stroke
and started getting cataracts. But she still hopped around the house and climbed into bed with me each night. SHe was happy over all and brownie was her little companion and helped her when needed. She was happiest with me though. Just sitting in my hair and talking in my ear.
at 4 (old lady) she got her first tumors and had another stroke. By now she was almost completly blind. But still each night came into bed with me. Brownie by now learned this trick but would go to bed with my mom.
She slowly after the second stoke was having more trouble with her back right leg and and front paw (I think) Brownie by now would bring her, her food and we put a water bottle next to wear she lay. But still got up and came to bed with me. Finally she had a 3rd stoke and she could not walk anymore, and was in pain. We put her to sleep right after her 5th birthday and gave her the appropriate funeral in the backyard where brownie and Silver got to say there good byes.(brownie got tummors soon after fast and bad, and passed away. SHe was almost 3 yrs I think) Rosie lived a very long happy loved life. I have never had a better rat and she is greatly missed.
over a year ago
----------
Kirstin Neve Smith
my longest living rats came from a breeder out in PA (my current population is all rescues- they are lasting 18-27 months). The girls that lived the longest came from good lines, but were very small, even for females. We had them spayed at 12 weeks old to keep them free from cancer for as long as possible. Both were standard ear.
We keep them on lab blocks mostly, but for a long time they were also getting a mixture of fruits and veggies (some of which, we found out after more research, could have been dangerous). those girls also got a minimum of one hour on the floor everyday to play and explore, and be happy little rats.
Both of my oldest girls (3 years 6 months, and 3 years 8 months) had survived SDA brought home by a group of failed quarantine rescues when they were very young. Mel eventually died from a brain tumor- she lived many months longer than the prognosis, and was actually euthanized once the tumor started to push on the back of her eyes, forcing them out of her head Sylvia eventually died from heart failure while we were watching her nighttime television programs together.
MY boyfriend had a rat, Scraps, that managed to live over 4 years but the beginning of her life is kind of unknown to us. He saved her from a neglectful owner who had her living in a year-round outside cage. Her living conditions were totally inadequate and she had such a massive necrotic tumor that she couldn't even walk. We brought her in for emergency surgery, where the vet told us Scraps would not live through the night. We took her home and she lived for another year. Her tumors didn't return until the last few months of her life. She was spoiled rotten and had a "bad" diet. She was allowed on the floor for hours a day and was given any treat that wasn't toxic or could lead to toxin buildup. She loved creampuffs, eclairs, baked lays potato chips, and many other 'fat-kid snacks' as i liked to call them. Once her tumors started to return she was too old for another surgery and she began to slow down and only want to cuddle and eat creampuffs. Her exact age is unknown to us, but her papers show her being well over 4 years old. Scraps was a dumbo.
One of our girls is celebrating her third birthday today- but due to an invasive cancer, she probably won't be with us too much longer.
Right now I'm finding the more time they get to play on the floor and explore the happier they are and the longer their bodies seem to last. once they start to get sedentary their timelines really start to shorten.
over a year ago
---------
Kirstin Neve Smith
ps- i use kaytee paper bedding, it seems to be less dusty than the carefresh.
they also have extra large cages, and have their room temperature controlled throughout the seasons.
we also have a water filter in the room that puts some moisture into the room for them.
over a year ago
-----------
Scarlett Miller
I had a rattie in the mid-90s while living in Santa Barbara. His name was Ballsy. (Let's just say he was a big, big boy!) I adopted him from the local pet shop.
Ballsy lived to age 5. His diet was mainly organic peanut butter dog biscuits. He also had a lot of table scraps (meat, potatoes, etc.).
Ballsy wasn't the playful type. He had a very serious personality and was quite the loner. His favorite activites were eating and sleeping. If I didn't have a yummy morsel for him, he just wasn't interested. He did enjoy an occasional scratching, though.
He was a spoiled rotten Rattie Boy! He is greatly missed.
over a year ago
--------
The Rodent Reader Quarterly
Bethany -- how beautiful Rosie's story is. Thank you so much for sharing it here.
Ditto that to Kristin. Scraps story is particularly interesting, given her "bad" diet (which, from her perspective I'm sure was very good!)
And, Scarlett, sorry your little gentleman wasn't more cuddly for you -- but so glad he was obviosuly loved greatly and lived such a long, healthy life. Again, thanks.
over a year ago
---------
The Rodent Reader Quarterly
Just copying and pasting this reply to the topic from the Wall page, since it's part of this discussion...
It's by Tabatha Ann Tysick-Martel:
I don`t know how to get the boards from my mobile, but I have had several rats to be over three, and one to over 4.
Right now I have one three year old rat who was born with me. He is last surviving in a litter of 6. His littermates all li...ved to about 2.5 years.
His diet is comprised of wild bird seed, Nutrience dog food, uncooked pasta shells, mealworms, puff wheat, cheerio`s, shreddies, and trail mix (almonds, raisins, sunflower seeds, etc)
I have always fed my rats a non comercially prepared diet, as comercial diets are filled with alfalfa and other fillers, which rats cannot digest. Their diet is supplimented with fresh spring greens, bana, fresh corn, and yogurt. Senior rats are supplimented with jar baby food which they love.
My male is currently showing signs of age related nerve degeneration in his hind legs, but he`s still managing alright. It`s hard to watch him struggle to use his rear legs. This is my 6th rat to suffer from age related nerve degeneration.
I had one female survive to four years. She got her first tumor just shy of her fourth year, and for this reason she was euthanized at four. Her quality of life was decreased, and it was the only thing we could do for her. Given her advanced age she would have never tollerated surgery. She was the sweetest little rat, and I am blessed to have had her for four years.
All my rats are fed the above mentioned non commercial diet. Which is mixed up once a month in a rubbermaid tub.
over a year ago · Delete Post.Kirstin Neve Smith
we go the baby food route as well when they start to get old. beech nut seems to be the most healthy without the onion powder that gerber seems to sneak into everything.
over a year ago · · Report · Delete Post.Samantha Margeson
I got my boys of now 2 years (next month). They are from the same litter of 15. Marley is a normal sized good weight black/white semi hooded and his brother Zombie is the runt. He is quite a bit smaller also a semi black and white hooded bu...t a little on the thin side (not sure if it just seems that way as Marley is so much bigger). They were 6 weeks old when I bought them and was in contact with the pet store about when they would be there so I got first pick. I got them fixed around 1.5 years old. I have had unfixed female rats before and one had the tumor thing and lost her to that at after 3. I have to say my fixed boys have more energy and play hard. I am not sure if its due to only knowing eachother and really only knowing me (not sure what they remember before 6 weeks old). I have a 5 foot tall custom cage (if you want pics let me know)..They are healthy other than the normal respirtory issues that they are born with and are on meds when needed. I hope they live a long life. I wish I didnt support the pet store and give breeders the right to keep making babies that may not sell and be killed but I really wanted rats with no past issues and have thier first bond to me and his brother and I really REALLY wanted 2 boys. Other than Marley's random temper tantrums and out birsts of hyper moments (which are cute untill I am trying to clean the cage and he wont stop chasing my hand and licking it..cant help but laugh though) I love both of them and wouldnt trade it for the world.
over a year ago
-----------
Karyss Crowfeathers Vickerstaff
I had a couple of girls live to 5 years sisters , I got them from my local pet shop died of natural causes. Although ive had my fair share of my darlings dieing too early because of tumors and breathing problems...
Jack was one of my best boys 4 yrs old.... so close me and him.... he waited for me to get home from work and died 5mins later in my arms
about 11 months ago · · Report · Delete Post.Ashley Ann Atkinson
Rats from pet stores seem to last a lot longer. We first rescued some lab rats and they barely lived over a year. However, the ones we bought from PetCo lived twice that long and seemed healthier overall as well.
about 11 months ago · · Report · Delete Post.Samantha Margeson
I got mine from a pet store and like all of them they had mycro. My little runt got pnemonia on the 22nd of november and passed away December1st. I still have his blood brother and he seems to be doing fine. They both turned two in September. I had two rats before them and they lived 3 years. I think it just depends on breeding and health. They arnt ment to live long so spend as much time with them as you can. You just never know.
about 11 months ago
---------
Merika Dopler
I have 2 boys currently that I believe are 3, both rescues and approx. a year old when I got them 2 years ago. They are housed with one other male in a single Ferret Nation unit, I have a deep bin with carefresh bedding, the diet is mixed lab blocks Harland Teklands 2014 and 2018 with Oxbow Regal Rat always left out for them, twice a week they get a fresh salad or other mixed veggies (my vet recommended bell peppers), twice weekly they get various fruit (no citrus ever!) once sometimes twice a week they have pasta (cooked with a tiny dash of sauce if I am having some) various baby food/cereals randomly, I sometimes do a 'pot luck' night depends on what I'm cooking that they might get some and of course the junk food treats they get pretty sparingly. Yes they are spoiled rotten, and eat better than I do but that's a-ok with me.
about 9 months ago.
Mil Scott
Several rat lovers from this page have mentioned and/or posted photos of rats who lived 3, 4 or even close to 5 years. Given this is something every rat lover surely hopes for, I thought it might be both interesting and useful if those of you who've had these unusually long-lived ratties shared a little about them. While genetics are, of course, one factor, perhaps there are others linked to diet, environment, etc. that have proved common to them as well. It's hoped that by comparing notes, and sharing your stories and experiences we can all learn some helpful tips and habits that might help improve our ratties lives -- regardless their ultimate longevity.
over a year ago
-------
Clare Whitehead
I love this idea, my two boys turned 1 today and i dread to think that their lives are half over!
over a year ago
------------
Post Deleted
over a year ago
----------
The Rodent Reader Quarterly
Thank you for sharing that, Ashley. How wonderful your son had such a hugely positive introduction to rats...and that Railway had such a hugely positive experience with human love.
If, in time, you'd care to share a bit about Railway's diet, bedding, housing arrangement, etc. I'm sure many here would like to see if we can glean any "secrets" to his longevity.
Either way, thank you again for sharing his beautiful tale. Very much appreciated.
over a year ago
-------
Bethany J Garcia
My Very first rat Rosie lived to be 5 years old! (I so miss her) She was my best friend and we got her because my mom had to get rid of my cat. it turned out both me and my moms bf are highly allergic. So Rosie came to live with us. She was about 7 wks old when we bought her and was solid white with pretty red eyes. After a few weeks she started geting Siamese markings. At 6 months we took her to a vet cause she sounded rattley, and they assured us she was a Siamese rat. Oh and that the rattling was prob just a cold and would go away. Which it did a few weeks later. She was completly spoiled and happy. She had her own cage for alomost 2.5 years. We gave her newspaper to shred and the carefresh litter. She would build massive nests on the side of her cage with the newspaper. She was very smart and would escape her cage almost nightly(NO MATTER WHAT WE DID) But she always crawled down my dresser and up into my bed and went to sleep next to my head under the sheet. SO cute. I played with her for hours each day and she just hung out on my shoulder alot or in my pocket. We feed her either rat food or hampster food and gave her lots of treats(vegies,fruit, eggs, crackers, etc) SHe hatted the rabbit pellets mind u, so we tried to find food with out it. She also didnt like the lab block things.
we bought her a leash and would take her outside in the grass at my grandmas and she would boundfully hop through the grass till she was a very old lady of 4!. When she was about 2 1/2 we got brownie. and Rosie hatter her and would beat her up. COme to find out brownie was pregnant. After she had her babies Rosie had no problem with her and happily shared her cage with her and brownies baby silver.
When she was 3 1/2 she had her first stroke
and started getting cataracts. But she still hopped around the house and climbed into bed with me each night. SHe was happy over all and brownie was her little companion and helped her when needed. She was happiest with me though. Just sitting in my hair and talking in my ear.at 4 (old lady) she got her first tumors and had another stroke. By now she was almost completly blind. But still each night came into bed with me. Brownie by now learned this trick but would go to bed with my mom.
She slowly after the second stoke was having more trouble with her back right leg and and front paw (I think) Brownie by now would bring her, her food and we put a water bottle next to wear she lay. But still got up and came to bed with me. Finally she had a 3rd stoke and she could not walk anymore, and was in pain. We put her to sleep right after her 5th birthday and gave her the appropriate funeral in the backyard where brownie and Silver got to say there good byes.(brownie got tummors soon after fast and bad, and passed away. SHe was almost 3 yrs I think) Rosie lived a very long happy loved life. I have never had a better rat and she is greatly missed.over a year ago
----------
Kirstin Neve Smith
my longest living rats came from a breeder out in PA (my current population is all rescues- they are lasting 18-27 months). The girls that lived the longest came from good lines, but were very small, even for females. We had them spayed at 12 weeks old to keep them free from cancer for as long as possible. Both were standard ear.
We keep them on lab blocks mostly, but for a long time they were also getting a mixture of fruits and veggies (some of which, we found out after more research, could have been dangerous). those girls also got a minimum of one hour on the floor everyday to play and explore, and be happy little rats.
Both of my oldest girls (3 years 6 months, and 3 years 8 months) had survived SDA brought home by a group of failed quarantine rescues when they were very young. Mel eventually died from a brain tumor- she lived many months longer than the prognosis, and was actually euthanized once the tumor started to push on the back of her eyes, forcing them out of her head
Sylvia eventually died from heart failure while we were watching her nighttime television programs together. MY boyfriend had a rat, Scraps, that managed to live over 4 years but the beginning of her life is kind of unknown to us. He saved her from a neglectful owner who had her living in a year-round outside cage. Her living conditions were totally inadequate and she had such a massive necrotic tumor that she couldn't even walk. We brought her in for emergency surgery, where the vet told us Scraps would not live through the night. We took her home and she lived for another year. Her tumors didn't return until the last few months of her life. She was spoiled rotten and had a "bad" diet. She was allowed on the floor for hours a day and was given any treat that wasn't toxic or could lead to toxin buildup. She loved creampuffs, eclairs, baked lays potato chips, and many other 'fat-kid snacks' as i liked to call them. Once her tumors started to return she was too old for another surgery and she began to slow down and only want to cuddle and eat creampuffs. Her exact age is unknown to us, but her papers show her being well over 4 years old. Scraps was a dumbo.
One of our girls is celebrating her third birthday today- but due to an invasive cancer, she probably won't be with us too much longer.
Right now I'm finding the more time they get to play on the floor and explore the happier they are and the longer their bodies seem to last. once they start to get sedentary their timelines really start to shorten.
over a year ago
---------
Kirstin Neve Smith
ps- i use kaytee paper bedding, it seems to be less dusty than the carefresh.
they also have extra large cages, and have their room temperature controlled throughout the seasons.
we also have a water filter in the room that puts some moisture into the room for them.
over a year ago
-----------
Scarlett Miller
I had a rattie in the mid-90s while living in Santa Barbara. His name was Ballsy. (Let's just say he was a big, big boy!) I adopted him from the local pet shop.
Ballsy lived to age 5. His diet was mainly organic peanut butter dog biscuits. He also had a lot of table scraps (meat, potatoes, etc.).
Ballsy wasn't the playful type. He had a very serious personality and was quite the loner. His favorite activites were eating and sleeping. If I didn't have a yummy morsel for him, he just wasn't interested. He did enjoy an occasional scratching, though.
He was a spoiled rotten Rattie Boy! He is greatly missed.
over a year ago
--------
The Rodent Reader Quarterly
Bethany -- how beautiful Rosie's story is. Thank you so much for sharing it here.
Ditto that to Kristin. Scraps story is particularly interesting, given her "bad" diet (which, from her perspective I'm sure was very good!)
And, Scarlett, sorry your little gentleman wasn't more cuddly for you -- but so glad he was obviosuly loved greatly and lived such a long, healthy life. Again, thanks.
over a year ago
---------
The Rodent Reader Quarterly
Just copying and pasting this reply to the topic from the Wall page, since it's part of this discussion...
It's by Tabatha Ann Tysick-Martel:
I don`t know how to get the boards from my mobile, but I have had several rats to be over three, and one to over 4.
Right now I have one three year old rat who was born with me. He is last surviving in a litter of 6. His littermates all li...ved to about 2.5 years.
His diet is comprised of wild bird seed, Nutrience dog food, uncooked pasta shells, mealworms, puff wheat, cheerio`s, shreddies, and trail mix (almonds, raisins, sunflower seeds, etc)
I have always fed my rats a non comercially prepared diet, as comercial diets are filled with alfalfa and other fillers, which rats cannot digest. Their diet is supplimented with fresh spring greens, bana, fresh corn, and yogurt. Senior rats are supplimented with jar baby food which they love.
My male is currently showing signs of age related nerve degeneration in his hind legs, but he`s still managing alright. It`s hard to watch him struggle to use his rear legs. This is my 6th rat to suffer from age related nerve degeneration.
I had one female survive to four years. She got her first tumor just shy of her fourth year, and for this reason she was euthanized at four. Her quality of life was decreased, and it was the only thing we could do for her. Given her advanced age she would have never tollerated surgery. She was the sweetest little rat, and I am blessed to have had her for four years.
All my rats are fed the above mentioned non commercial diet. Which is mixed up once a month in a rubbermaid tub.over a year ago · Delete Post.Kirstin Neve Smith
we go the baby food route as well when they start to get old. beech nut seems to be the most healthy without the onion powder that gerber seems to sneak into everything.
over a year ago · · Report · Delete Post.Samantha Margeson
I got my boys of now 2 years (next month). They are from the same litter of 15. Marley is a normal sized good weight black/white semi hooded and his brother Zombie is the runt. He is quite a bit smaller also a semi black and white hooded bu...t a little on the thin side (not sure if it just seems that way as Marley is so much bigger). They were 6 weeks old when I bought them and was in contact with the pet store about when they would be there so I got first pick. I got them fixed around 1.5 years old. I have had unfixed female rats before and one had the tumor thing and lost her to that at after 3. I have to say my fixed boys have more energy and play hard. I am not sure if its due to only knowing eachother and really only knowing me (not sure what they remember before 6 weeks old). I have a 5 foot tall custom cage (if you want pics let me know)..They are healthy other than the normal respirtory issues that they are born with and are on meds when needed. I hope they live a long life. I wish I didnt support the pet store and give breeders the right to keep making babies that may not sell and be killed but I really wanted rats with no past issues and have thier first bond to me and his brother and I really REALLY wanted 2 boys. Other than Marley's random temper tantrums and out birsts of hyper moments (which are cute untill I am trying to clean the cage and he wont stop chasing my hand and licking it..cant help but laugh though) I love both of them and wouldnt trade it for the world.
over a year ago
-----------
Karyss Crowfeathers Vickerstaff
I had a couple of girls live to 5 years
sisters , I got them from my local pet shop died of natural causes. Although ive had my fair share of my darlings dieing too early because of tumors and breathing problems...Jack was one of my best boys 4 yrs old.... so close me and him.... he waited for me to get home from work and died 5mins later in my arms
about 11 months ago · · Report · Delete Post.Ashley Ann Atkinson
Rats from pet stores seem to last a lot longer. We first rescued some lab rats and they barely lived over a year. However, the ones we bought from PetCo lived twice that long and seemed healthier overall as well.
about 11 months ago · · Report · Delete Post.Samantha Margeson
I got mine from a pet store and like all of them they had mycro. My little runt got pnemonia on the 22nd of november and passed away December1st. I still have his blood brother and he seems to be doing fine. They both turned two in September. I had two rats before them and they lived 3 years. I think it just depends on breeding and health. They arnt ment to live long so spend as much time with them as you can. You just never know.
about 11 months ago
---------
Merika Dopler
I have 2 boys currently that I believe are 3, both rescues and approx. a year old when I got them 2 years ago. They are housed with one other male in a single Ferret Nation unit, I have a deep bin with carefresh bedding, the diet is mixed lab blocks Harland Teklands 2014 and 2018 with Oxbow Regal Rat always left out for them, twice a week they get a fresh salad or other mixed veggies (my vet recommended bell peppers), twice weekly they get various fruit (no citrus ever!) once sometimes twice a week they have pasta (cooked with a tiny dash of sauce if I am having some) various baby food/cereals randomly, I sometimes do a 'pot luck' night depends on what I'm cooking that they might get some and of course the junk food treats they get pretty sparingly. Yes they are spoiled rotten, and eat better than I do but that's a-ok with me.
about 9 months ago.