How fast do rats run? - briefly
Brown rats can reach sprint speeds of roughly 8 mph (≈13 km/h), while house rats typically top out near 5 mph (≈8 km/h). Their rapid bursts enable quick escapes and efficient foraging in confined spaces.
How fast do rats run? - in detail
Rats can reach sprint speeds of 8 – 9 m/s (approximately 18–20 mph) in short bursts. This maximum is recorded for the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) and the black rat (Rattus rattus) under laboratory conditions on a smooth surface. Sustained running velocity drops sharply; over distances of 30–50 m, typical pacing falls to 3–4 m/s (7–9 mph).
Factors influencing locomotion include:
- Age: Juveniles achieve peak sprint speed earlier but lose endurance faster than adults.
- Sex: Males often display slightly higher maximal speeds, linked to larger muscle mass.
- Body condition: Overweight individuals exhibit reduced acceleration and lower top speed.
- Surface texture: Rough or uneven terrain decreases speed by up to 30 % compared with a slick laboratory runway.
- Motivation: Escape from predators or pursuit of food triggers higher sprint outputs than exploratory movement.
Measurement methods vary. High‑speed video analysis provides frame‑by‑frame velocity calculations, while treadmill tests yield controlled, repeatable data for both sprint and endurance phases. Radio‑frequency tracking in natural habitats records average travel rates of 0.5–1 m/s during foraging.
Comparative data: House mice (Mus musculus) top out near 6 m/s, while larger rodents such as beavers (Castor canadensis) reach only 2 m/s. Thus, rats rank among the fastest small mammals relative to body size.
In summary, rats demonstrate a brief high‑velocity capability of roughly 9 m/s, but their ordinary locomotion is considerably slower, governed by physiological, environmental, and motivational variables.