Before deciding to adopt a pet mouse, or screaming and hiding if you find one running around your home, find out more about the life cycle stages of a mouse. Although a pet mouse might make an adorable addition to the family, some mice may be more like uninvited houseguests. Despite having some different habits, the rat life cycle for both species is similar. Despite having some different habits, the rat life cycle for both species is similar. Most species of rats live in nests comprised of an alpha male, several females and the young rats. The estrous cycle has been most extensively studied in laboratory rodents (mice and rats). Laboratory mice are usually of the species Mus musculus. The dominant male will prevent other males from mating with his group of females, and watches out for the family. The laboratory mouse is a small mammal of the order Rodentia which is bred and used for scientific research. Rats are social animals. Life expectancy for rats is … The Life Cycle of A Rat, Habits & Its Diet To get rid of rats it can be easier by understanding more about the way they live. Although a pet mouse might make an adorable addition to the family, some mice may be more like uninvited houseguests. However, in this instance, the focus is going to be on the roof rat and Norway rat. Welcome to our complete guide to pet rat lifespan. Birth and Infancy The first stage of a … They are the most commonly used mammalian research model and are used for research in genetics, psychology, medicine and other scientific disciplines. The maximum life span is three years. In captivity, mice don't have to worry about predators, but they do have to worry about dangers like obesity, which can shorten their lives. Rats are social animals. Rats make intelligent, affectionate, and playful animal companions. Stop the life cycle of a mouse before you have any of these problems on your hands. Most species of rats live in nests comprised of an alpha male, several females and the young rats. Depending on their exact species, wild rats tend to live for just 2 – 3 years, which is still significantly longer than wild mice, which rarely live more than 10 – 12 months. Since small pets like rats, mice, and gerbils have shorter lifespans than other animals like dogs and cats, this can be an important subject. That leaves them with nothing to do but eat through your valuables, spread disease to your family and breed future generations to carry on the scourge. There are several different species of rats, but they generally follow the same pattern with some slight differences worth mentioning. Regardless of their physical differences and eating habits, the life cycle of most rat species is similar to one another. Rats kept separate from males in the laboratory repeat the Estrous cycle throughout the year at intervals of about five days, unless subjected to pregnancy, pseudo-pregnancy (after a sterile mating), or disease. Before deciding to adopt a pet mouse, or screaming and hiding if you find one running around your home, find out more about the life cycle stages of a mouse. Generally, rats can produce seven offspring at one, sometimes 14 as twins.