How frequently does a rat breathe? - briefly
A typical laboratory rat inhales roughly 80–150 times per minute, with the exact rate varying by size, age, and activity level. At rest, the breathing frequency averages about 85 breaths per minute.
How frequently does a rat breathe? - in detail
Rats typically respire between 70 and 115 breaths per minute when at rest. The exact rate depends on several factors:
- Species and strain: Common laboratory strains such as Sprague‑Dawley and Wistar display rates near the lower end of the range, while wild‑caught specimens may breathe slightly faster.
- Age: Neonatal pups can exceed 150 breaths per minute; adult rats settle into the 70‑115 range, and senior animals may show a modest decline.
- Body temperature: As endotherms, rats increase their ventilation proportionally with temperature; a rise of 1 °C can add 5–10 breaths per minute.
- Activity level: During locomotion or stress, the respiratory frequency can double or triple, reaching 200–300 breaths per minute.
- Environmental conditions: Low ambient oxygen or high carbon dioxide concentrations trigger compensatory hyperventilation, elevating the count by 20–30 %.
Measurement is usually performed with plethysmography or whole‑body chambers that record airflow cycles. Data are expressed as breaths per minute (bpm) and often averaged over a 1‑minute interval to smooth transient fluctuations.
In summary, a resting laboratory rat breathes roughly 70–115 times each minute, with deviations governed by genetics, developmental stage, thermoregulation, activity, and ambient gas composition.