Life Expectancy Of Roof Rats

Just one adult female can create more than 40 new rats in a year.

Life expectancy of roof rats.

Life expectancy for rats is about two to three years. Roof rats are prolific breeders and multiply at a frighteningly fast rate. The rat lifespan may be shortened by predation. Sexual maturity is attained within 5 weeks and they start mating to produce a new generation of rats.

The rodents reach sexual maturity in about five weeks and begin mating soon after to produce the next generation to start the rat life cycle over again. However there are reports of black rats living up to 4 years under captivity. Rarely do rats live for more than a year in the wild. During that year however they can create a lot of new rats and a lot of damage.

The maximum life a rat can have is three years yet the majority of the rats found in populated areas live for maximum one year due to inter species conflict and predation. However many rats die after the first year due to predation and interspecies conflict. The average rat in the wild will live for around one year with female rats often outliving the males. Common causes of death for a rat include vehicles domestic cats and some dogs winged animals such as hawks or owls coyotes foxes weasels and snakes.