A rat has 206 bones in its body – that’s more than we have! Just like us they have a skeleton made up of a skull spine ribs and legs. Their bones are different to ours in some ways though. For example they don’t have a collarbone and their skull is more flexible.
Rats are born with most of their bones but there are a few that don’t appear until they’re around 4-5 weeks old. These are usually found in their skull and include the Newborns don’t have all of their bones yet. For example they don’t have their wisdom teeth or a bone in their nose. Interestingly they also don’t have kneecaps!
rats are able to break and re-grow their bones. They can do this because they have a lot of blood vessels in their bones which helps to keep them healthy. If a rat breaks a bone you’ll often see a lump on their skin where the injury has happened.
Just like us as rats get older their bones can start to weaken. This is because they lose minerals from their bones which makes them less dense and more likely to break. You might notice that older rats start to move a bit slower and are less active than they used to be.
There are lots of different diseases that can affect a rat’s bones. For example osteoporosis is common in older rats and can cause their bones to break more easily. There’s also a condition called ‘slipped capital femoral epiphysis’ which affects young rats and causes their hip bones to break.
If you’re worried about your rat’s bones it’s always best to take them to see a vet. They can give you advice on how to keep your rat’s bones healthy and help to treat any problems that they might have.
How many bones does a rat have?
A rat has 206 bones.
How many bones does a human have?
A human has 206 bones.
How many bones does a cat have?
A cat has 244 bones.
How many bones does a dog have?
A dog has 319 bones.
How many bones does a snake have?
A snake has 400 bones.
How many bones does a bird have?
A bird has more than 200 bones.
How many bones does a mouse have?
A mouse has 193 bones.
How many bones does a crocodile have?
A crocodile has more than 200 bones.
How many bones does an elephant have?
An elephant has more than 200 bones.
How many bones does a giraffe have?
A giraffe has more than 200 bones.
How many bones does a turtle have?
A turtle has more than 200 bones.
How many bones does a lizard have?
A lizard has more than 200 bones.
How many bones does a zebra have?
A zebra has more than 200 bones.
How many bones does a horse have?
A horse has more than 200 bones.
How many bones does a cow have?
A cow has more than 200 bones.
