INFORMATION. Due to previous attempts of inappropriate automatic machine searches on this website, we now restrict the number of searches you can do in a period of time. The set limit should not prevent any human user from using the dictionary for legitimate purposes.
Wild Rats. In the wild, the life expectancy for a rat is much lower: 95 percent of wild rats die before they reach their first birthday. A 1-year-old rat would be around 30 years old in human terms. The most common cause of death in wild rats comes from predators, such as owls, hawks and foxes.
Ferrets typically have longer life expectancies than many other small pets. Rats, for instance, generally stay alive for between 2 and 3 years. Pet hamsters have even briefer life expectancies than rats -- in the range of 1 and 2 years. Chinchillas, similarly to ferrets, can live for a maximum of around 10 years. Ferrets have much shorter life expectancies than larger domestic animals such as dogs and cats, however.