Pat the pocket mouse officially becomes worlds oldest.
A Pacific pocket mouse named "Pat" in California has won a big title after winning a Guinness World Record for longevity on Wednesday.The small mouse, who is 9 years and 210 days old as of February 9, 2023, was certified by Guinness World Records as the longest-living mouse in human care, according to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
Pat was born on July 14, 2013, at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, where he has lived his entire life as part of a conservation breeding programme.
According to the Guinness World Record, the mouse, who was named Pat after "Star Trek" actor Patrick Stewart, is almost two years older than the previous oldest mouse ever recorded, Fritzy (1977-1985), who was owned by Bridget Beard (UK) and lived to the age of 7 years and 225 days.
Pat is a Pacific pocket mouse, which is North America's smallest mouse species and was thought to be extinct until a small population was rediscovered in 1994. Although Pat has never sired a litter himself, "he still tries," according to Dr. Debra Shier, who monitors Pat at the breeding facility.
"While he displayed good courtship behaviour (sandbathing, a slow approach, and digging), females were extremely aggressive in their mate pairings with him," explained Dr Shier.
"He came closest to mating in his pairing this year as a nine-year-old male and may have mated if the trial wasn't stopped due to a time limit of two and a half hours."
A Pacific pocket mouse can live up to four or six years in captivity, but only one to two years on average in the wild.
The name of the critically endangered rodent, which weighs about the same as three pennies, comes from the cheek pouches it uses to hold food and nesting supplies.
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FAQs
According to the Guinness World Record, the mouse, who was named Pat after "Star Trek" actor Patrick Stewart, is almost two years older than the previous oldest mouse ever recorded, Fritzy (1977-1985), who was owned by Bridget Beard (UK) and lived to the age of 7 years and 225 days.
What mouse lives the longest? ›
In the wild, a Pacific pocket mouse might live a year or two; in captivity, maybe four to six years. Pat is over 9 years old and recently won a Guinness World Record for longevity. “At an age of 9 years, 180 days, Patrick, male No.
Is Pat the mouse still alive? ›
Pat, a Pacific pocket mouse at San Diego Zoo Safari Park, is 9 years old, making him the oldest living mouse in human care.
What is the lifespan of a rat vs mouse? ›
The average lifespan of a mouse is two years. However, some mice can live for as little as one and a half years or as long as three years. The average lifespan of a rat is two and a half years. But rats can live for as little as two years or as long as three.
What is the maximum lifespan of a mouse? ›
Mice in nature live 3-4 months on average and up to 18 months at the most. Hence the biology of mouse aging as studied in the laboratory is not relevant to their life in the wild.
Can mice live up to 100 years? ›
While many factors can affect their longevity, mice usually live for about 12 to 18 months. The presence of food, shelter, and predators determines how long mice live. Rodents infesting a home typically survive longer than mice in their natural environment.
What is the largest mouse in the world? ›
Description. Petter's big-footed mouse is a terrestrial rodent with short forelimbs and long hindfeet. With a head and body length of 150 mm (5.9 in) and body mass of 105 g (3.7 oz) in the only known complete specimen, it is much larger than M.
Do mice have babies? ›
Mouse Reproduction
Mice are prolific breeders with a short gestation period, two factors that combine to make the rodents hard to control. Mouse babies are born around 20 days after mating and are ready to breed in as little as 10 weeks. Females can have 5 to 10 litters, so infestations grow quickly.
How old is the oldest fancy mouse? ›
Even when being cared for by humans, they don't usually live much longer than 7.5 years. Last Wednesday, Pat earned a Guinness World Record as the world's oldest known mouse. He was nine years and 209 days old…and counting.
How long do mice sleep? ›
Unlike humans, mice snooze for about 12 hours a day, and their sleep is condensed into cycles of several minutes to an hour long. Yet the patterns of brain activity during each sleep cycle and the neural pathways controlling sleep and awake states resemble that of human's longer sleep periods.
Mice and rats are both low maintenance, cute pets. However, they do have different needs and personalities. Choose a rat if you're looking for a more social, active and clean pet. If you're on a budget and want a pet that requires little to no handling, a mouse is your best bet.
How smart is a mouse? ›
Mice and rats are so smart that they can recognize their names and respond when called. Mice are choosy. They like variety and enjoy picking around in their food—eating the tastiest parts first and separating out what they dislike. Female mice with litters will vigorously defend their nests and young.
Can mice live for 5 years? ›
Old world mice, rats, and hamsters have maximum lifespans of under 5 years. Similar New World species such as deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) or white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) live up to 8 years, and wood rat (Neotoma albigula), and desert wood rat (Neotoma lepida) live up to 10 years.
What rodent lives the longest as a pet? ›
Chinchillas are one of the longest-living rodents, and many people do not realize that they are bringing a long-term commitment into the house when they adopt one!
Can mice live up to 15 years? ›
House mouse lifespan is between 9-12 month in the wild. Deer mice typically live between 2- 14 months in the wild. White footed mice will survive between 12-24 months in the wild. Western harvest mice will typically live between 6-12 months in the wild.
What is the lifespan of a pet mouse? ›
A pet mouse is inexpensive compared to larger pets, and even many other pet rodents, but mice are comparatively short-lived: typically only 2 to 3 years.
