The essentiality of water to every living organism cannot be denied. It helps prevent dehydration, aids with food digestion regulates body temperature and gets rid of toxins from the body. So, like you, your pet rat needs to drink water too.
So, how long can rats go without water? Not more than two weeks!
If you own two or more pet rats, you might be wondering how long your pet rat can go without drinking water. Typically, rats get their water from the foods they consume and the action of drinking water.
How Long Can Rats Survive without Water?
How long can a rat live without water? Rats can go 14 days without drinking water because they derive enough moisture from their food.
These rodents have a quick metabolism, which causes them to need to consume food often. While most mice can only last two to fourteen days (2-14 days) without eating, they can only last long periods without drinking water as they often get the required amount of moisture and water they need from the food they consume.
How Rats Consume Water
Rats can consume water in two ways – direct and indirect means of consumption!
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Direct water
Rats can get their water directly from sources such as puddles, streams, lakes, and other natural water sources in the wild.
In homes, wild mice and rats can get their water from the ones left behind in sinks, drains, condensation around pipes in the walls, or generally from overlooked sources of water such as pet water dishes.
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Indirect water
Like it or not, rats can survive without directly consuming water for 3 weeks or more. They nourish their body with liquids derived from the food they eat as their way of hydrating themselves.
Even meals that are too dry for humans to warrant chasing it with one or two glasses of water will contain enough water to sustain rats or mice.
How Much Water Do Rats Drink Daily?
A sufficient supply of clean water should be made accessible to pet rats on a daily basis. Ensure you supply water for rats in an adequately sized bow or water bottle for the size of rats in the cage.
If the weather is hot, an adult rat will need approximately 24 -35 ml of water daily. The average daily water intake, however, is approximately 10ml per 100 grams of body weight for an adult rat.
How to Provide Water For Your Pet Mice
You can either choose:
- Water bowls
- Water bottles
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