Oldest rat?

[Squirrel]

Who is/was your oldest rat? My oldest was Smokey, a silver black, who had to be pts with cancer age nearly 3. I got him as a 10 month old rescue. Next nearest was Morgan, a himy, aged 2 and a half, who also died of cancer. Most only make 2 or slightly over.

[Suebee]

Rimmer's still going steady at 2 years almost 11 months... *crossing fingers* If he makes it to July 22, he'll be three!

[ckhs]

Im on my first set of rats ...i have already lost one...can't do that again...my three girls are gonna live forever...they will write about us in the history books...you'll see.

[Mousie's Mom]

Rimmer's still going steady at 2 years almost 11 months... *crossing fingers* If he makes it to July 22, he'll be three!

YAY Rimmer.  What a great 3rd birthday it will be!

I still have my first ratties and they are 17 months and going strong.

[kmw]

My first rat, Lou, died at almost exactly 2 years old.  She was almost snake food, but doing a guesstimate on age, she'd've been almost 2.  (Hey, I think I've just invented a new word!  she'd've   )

My current lot, Max is the oldest at 26 months.  And still pretty spry for an old man!  

[DragonTamer]

my second rat, a slate blue berkshire with a white head spot.  her name was Blueberry, and she lived to be a little over 3 1/2 years old.  she, unfortunately, was put down with the others back then..   she had bad arthritis in her back legs, though..

[rogermerriman]

Rimmer's still going steady at 2 years almost 11 months... *crossing fingers* If he makes it to July 22, he'll be three!

Are you planning any treats etc for the big day? all being well, my oldest rat will be Two at start of july and I am starting to think about something fun for him. Probably give him some meat as he really like meat!

[luvmyanimalz01]

my very first rat, timothy (a female), lived for 4 1/2 years . she was extremely healthy and happy intil 2 days before i had to have her pts. she had a stroke and was blind, and i had to hand feed her yogurt, etc. but she was a feeder, and i figured that 4 1/2 years for a feeder is great! you can see pics of her on my website, under the missed pages (she's timothy I) http://www.diffuse01.cjb.net

[Ensie]

Our very first rat, Speedy, just hit the five year mark before he died. Really.

[Rachel]

I've had several live around 4 years, and a few live over that, one making it to just over 5 years

[SADCAT]

My oldest, Tortellini, is still alive and is 2 years and 4 months.

[Kristen]

Wow, my girls are younguns!! Anya and Piper are the oldest at 7 months. May they live to be 5 as well  

[scout]

I can only hope that some day mine will live to be 4 and 5 years old! Wazhie, who I lost about 3 weeks ago, missed 30 months by only days. My boy Dakota, now 28 months, will probably live past that. I'm hoping he'll make it to 3 since the two baby boys have made him lively and playful again. He's never needed antibiotics except when he was neutered. Knock on wood he never does!

[DebW]

My oldest girl was Curly.  She made it to 34 months and was active until that  last week when she went downhill very quickly and had to be euthanized.

My oldest boy was Buster.  I lost him several weeks ago at 2 1/2 years, 5 days old.  He slipped away very quietly and peacefully on his own.  He was one of Curly's nephews.

[DragonTamer]

know what?  my vet gave me a little caresheet on rats (why do I need that??) and it said that their life expectancy was 7 years!  I kept thinking... what on earth are we doing wrong if it's 7 years...?!

[WS]

I've had several live around 4 years, and a few live over that, one making it to just over 5 years

WOW!!!!!    
What's your secret? How wonderful to have so many rats who enjoyed such long lives!

That's tremendous!  Much much older than the average life span.

My oldest (Woody) was over 3 years and close to 4.  A friend of mine had a rat live to be 5 years old.   I have heard about rats getting to be 7 years old but I have never met one or heard a credible story about one.  

If there was one thing I could change about the domestic rat it would be the short life-span!!!!  
Some people think that smaller animals with fast metabolic rates live shorter time periods.  But then why do hummingbirds... with a heart rate of 1260 beats a minute live to be up to 12 years old?      It's an infuriating mystery!  

[ruthiechan]

The whole heartbeat thing is a myth anyway.
My Dexter, he's about 3 1/2 years old. He's pushing 4.

[Yresim]

I have heard about rats getting to be 7 years old but I have never met one or heard a credible story about one.  

The oldest rat ever was a lab rat, and he did live to be a little over 7 years old (7 years, and 1 or 2 months).

The oldest rat I've met was almost 6 when he finally died (5 years, 9 months, I think).

I've never heard of a GIRL rat living to be that old.  It seems that male rats have longer lifespans than females (which is the opposite in humans).  I've always wondered about that...

Then again, timothy was a girl, and she lived to 4 1/2, so maybe the female rats are catching up.  

[Ratty Corner]

The oldest rat ever was a lab rat, and he did live to be a little over 7 years old

In Debbie Ducommun's Rat Health Care book it gives the age as 7 years, 4 months, and says it's listed in the 1995 Guinness book of Records. His name was Rodney, and he lived in Oklahoma from 1983 to 1990.

I've looked on the Guinness Records website, but can't find the entry. I don't suppose anyone still has that year's book lying around? It would be fun to see just what it says.

[Panda]

WoW!!! 7 years! That's a Lot! (duh, lol   ) I would LUV 2 have my rats live that long!