How Long Do Rats Live?

NOT TOO LONG WHEN EVANS PEST CONTROL IS NEARBY

Pet rats can live for four years or more, but a rat in the wild generally only survives between 1 to 3 years, and many won’t make it past their first, especially if Evans Pest Control is around. Overall rat longevity varies by species and is highly affected by the availability of food, water, and the prevalence of predators.

Rats are social creatures and prodigious breeders. Even if they live out a fast and hard life, they can leave behind a legacy of several litters. Understanding and interrupting the life cycle of invasive rats is key to keeping rats from becoming an infestation in your home or business.
Rats come into the world blind, hairless and helpless, but they don’t stay that way for long. Litters average from 6 to 10 pups who adapt and mature quickly. The pup’s eyes open after 12 days and within three weeks they will be fully grown and weaned. This means a whole batch of young, eager, and hungry rats set loose on the world in a very short time.

Rats reach sexual maturity after three months and will breed for about a year. The gestation period for a pregnant female is 21 days, then the cycle begins all over.

On average, a female rat will be able to produce five litters during her lifetime. Multiply that by ten pups/litter and you quickly realize that a single rat can be responsible for 50 new rats within the span of a year. This exponential growth in a rat population is what drives an infestation. It is why extermination is so difficult and is why we see so many rats in Philadelphia. Breaking the chain of exponential population growth is essential. Catching the rat problem early allows this cycle to be broken. Once established, the rat population in each area will continue until all food and water is exhausted. Call Evans Pest Control as soon as you see a rat, and we will exterminate the rat problem quickly – which is needed to control this health hazard.