How Long Do Feeder Rats Live? How to Keep Them Until Feeding

The short answer

How long do feeder rats live? Rats live 18 to 36 months on average, per the Merck Veterinary Manual. Mice live 18 to 24 months. You'll likely only hold feeders until feeding day. For that, you need a ventilated bin, safe bedding, water and rodent food. Keep them at 68 to 79°F. In Tucson summers, keep them indoors.

That's the core of it. The rest of this guide shows how to keep feeder rats alive from the day you buy them to feeding day.

Still deciding between live and frozen? Both are fine choices. Our honest live vs frozen comparison lays out both sides.

How long do feeder rats and mice live?

Here's the quick answer from the Merck Veterinary Manual:

Animal	Average lifespan
Rats	18 to 36 months
Mice	18 to 24 months

So how long do feeder mice live? About the same as other mice, 18 to 24 months on average. Being a feeder doesn't change how long a rodent can live. What changes is how long you'll keep it.

If you buy close to feeding day, the hold is short. The shorter the hold, the less setup you need. But even a short hold needs the basics.

A simple feeder rat cage setup

You don't need anything fancy for a short hold. Here's a simple feeder rat cage setup based on the Merck Veterinary Manual's housing advice.

[ ] A sturdy, chew-proof bin or cage. Merck says the best cages are easy to clean and can't be chewed through. Rats chew. Thin plastic won't last.
[ ] Good airflow. Merck says aquariums aren't good cages for rats and mice. The air doesn't move enough, and ammonia builds up. Use a bin with plenty of air holes or a wire top.
[ ] Enough height. Merck lists minimum cage heights of 12 to 15 inches for rats and 7 to 8 inches for mice.
[ ] Safe bedding. Merck warns against wood chip bedding, like pine and aspen, that hasn't been heat treated. It gives off fumes that can bother the lungs.
[ ] Room to move. Don't crowd them. Merck notes that fewer animals per cage helps keep ammonia down. Split big orders into more than one bin.
[ ] A cool, quiet spot. Away from sun, heaters, and your snakes' room if you can.

Food and water

Food. Use a pellet or block food made for rats and mice. Merck calls formulated pelleted diets for lab rodents "convenient and nutritionally balanced." For a short hold, keep food in the bin at all times.

Water. Give fresh water every day. A water bottle stays cleaner than a dish. Merck says to check water bottles daily. Make sure the tip drips.

That's it. Food, water, a clean bin, and the right temperature cover how to keep feeder rats for a short hold.

Temperature: the Tucson rule

Rats and mice do best in a narrow band. UCLA's animal research office lists 68 to 79°F for rats and mice, with humidity between 30% and 70% (UCLA RSAWA). The Merck Veterinary Manual gives a close range: 64 to 79°F.

Tucson makes that hard in summer. The National Weather Service says Tucson averages 68 days a year at 100°F or more. It had 112 of them in 2024 (NWS Tucson). The first 100°F day comes around May 18 on average.

So here's the Tucson rule: keep live feeders indoors, in the air conditioning, from spring through fall.

Spot	Good for holding feeders?
Indoor room with AC, out of the sun	Yes
Closet or spare room that stays 68 to 79°F	Yes
Garage in summer	No. Check it with a thermometer, but it's likely far above 79°F
Patio, shed or porch	No
Parked car, even for a few minutes	Never

Not sure about a spot? Put a simple thermometer in it for a day. If it goes above 79°F, move the bin.

Getting them home safely

The trip home matters as much as the bin. Cars heat up fast.

In a National Weather Service test, a parked car went from safe to 94.3°F "in just over 2 minutes" (NWS). It says it's "NEVER safe" to leave a pet locked in a car, even in winter. Cracking the windows doesn't help much.

Arizona law covers this too. Under A.R.S. 13-2910, "animal" includes any mammal. It's a crime to leave an animal unattended and confined in a car when injury or death is likely. It's also a crime to fail to give an animal necessary food, water or shelter.

Here's a simple plan for the drive:

Cool the car first. Run the AC for a few minutes before you load the rats.
Use a ventilated carrier. A small bin with air holes works.
Keep it out of the sun. Put the carrier on the floor or the shaded seat, not in the trunk.
Go straight home. No stops with the animals in the car.
In summer, pick a cooler time. Morning or evening is easier. In hot weather, Mike may suggest a cooler time of day when he sets a time and place with you.

More heat tips for keepers are in Feeding Snakes in Tucson's Summer Heat.

How to keep live mice for snakes

Do feeder mice need different care? Mostly no. The same basics apply: a chew-proof bin with good airflow, safe bedding, food, water, and 68 to 79°F.

Two small differences. Mice are smaller, so check that air holes and wire gaps are too small to squeeze through. And Merck's minimum cage height for mice is 7 to 8 inches, lower than for rats.

Mike sells live mice in three sizes. Hopper is 7 to 12 g, Semi-Adult is 13 to 17 g, and Adult is 18 to 30 g. See live feeder mice.

On feeding day

When it's time to feed, keep it safe:

Pick the right size. Many keepers aim for a feeder about 10% of the snake's weight.
Stay and watch the whole time.
Take out any rat or mouse that isn't eaten. VCA Animal Hospitals says never leave prey in the cage for more than two hours. A live rodent can bite.
Never leave a live rodent in with your snake overnight.

For the full step-by-step, read How to Feed Live Rats to Snakes Safely.

Should you buy only what you need?

For most keepers, yes. The less time you hold feeders, the less can go wrong, especially in a Tucson summer.

A few ways to keep holds short:

Buy close to feeding day. Text Mike a day or two ahead to ask what's ready.
Match your order to your feeding schedule. Count how many of each size you'll feed this round.
Get batch alerts. Nothing ready in your size? Get batch alerts, and Mike will email you when a new batch is ready.
Weigh bulk savings against holding time. Bulk prices help, but only if you can keep the rats well. See bulk feeder rats and how much feeder rats cost.

Curious how Mike keeps his rodents? Ask him. His About page puts it plainly. Want to know what they eat or how they're kept? He'll tell you straight.

Ready for your next feeding day? Call or text Mike at (520) 451-4380. See every size on the live feeder rats page. Prices are per animal, plus Arizona sales tax. Sold as feeders, not pets.

FAQ

What do I feed feeder rats while I keep them?

Give them a pellet or block food made for rats and mice, plus fresh water every day. The Merck Veterinary Manual calls formulated pelleted diets for lab rodents convenient and nutritionally balanced. Keep food in the bin at all times during a short hold.

How many can share one bin?

Don't crowd them. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that fewer animals per cage helps keep ammonia down. Give them room to move, and split a big order into more than one bin with good airflow.

Can I keep them in the garage in summer?

No, not in a Tucson summer. Rats and mice do best at 68 to 79°F, and Tucson averages 68 days a year at 100°F or more. A summer garage is likely far hotter than 79°F. Keep them indoors with AC.

How do I bring them home in the heat?

Cool the car first, use a ventilated carrier, keep it out of the sun, and go straight home. Never leave them in a parked car. The National Weather Service saw a car reach 94.3°F in a little over 2 minutes.

Do feeder mice need different care?

Mostly no. Mice need the same chew-proof bin, airflow, bedding, food, water and 68 to 79°F. Make sure air holes and wire gaps are small enough. Mice live 18 to 24 months on average, per the Merck Veterinary Manual.

Should I buy only what I need each time?

For most keepers, yes. Shorter holds mean less can go wrong, especially in summer heat. Text Mike close to feeding day, or get batch alerts so you know when a new batch is ready.

Sources

Every outside fact above links to its source. All were checked on October 16, 2026.

Last updated October 19, 2026. Prices are per animal, plus Arizona sales tax. Sold as feeders, not pets.