How long does a mouse live after poisoning? - briefly
A mouse generally survives only a few hours to about one day after receiving a lethal dose of poison, depending on the toxin and amount ingested. Sublethal exposures cause symptoms within minutes, with death usually occurring within 12–24 hours.
How long does a mouse live after poisoning? - in detail
The interval between toxin exposure and death varies widely with the chemical class, dose, and the mouse’s physiological condition.
Fast‑acting agents such as zinc phosphide, strychnine, or certain neurotoxins can cause fatal collapse within minutes to a few hours. Typical signs include rapid respiratory distress, convulsions, and loss of consciousness; death often occurs before the third hour after ingestion.
Anticoagulant rodenticides (e.g., brodifacoum, difenacoum) act more slowly. They interfere with blood clotting, leading to internal hemorrhage that may not become lethal until 2–5 days post‑exposure. Some second‑generation compounds can extend the lethal window to 7–10 days, especially at sub‑lethal doses.
Metabolic poisons such as bromethalin disrupt mitochondrial function. Clinical deterioration usually appears 12–24 hours after ingestion, with death occurring between 24 hours and 4 days, depending on the amount consumed.
Brodifacoum‑based baits may also cause delayed mortality because the compound accumulates in the liver; lethal effects can emerge after several days, sometimes up to two weeks if the mouse ingests a marginal dose.
Factors influencing survival time include:
- Dose relative to body weight – higher concentrations shorten the interval.
- Age and health status – juveniles and weakened individuals succumb faster.
- Species variations – laboratory strains may differ from wild mice in metabolic rate.
- Environmental temperature – colder conditions can slow toxin metabolism, extending survival.
- Concurrent exposure to other chemicals – synergistic effects may accelerate death.
In practice, observation of a poisoned mouse typically shows one of three patterns:
- Immediate collapse – death within 0.5–2 hours (highly toxic neuro‑ or respiratory agents).
- Rapid decline – onset of symptoms within 6–12 hours, death by 24–48 hours (moderately toxic metabolic poisons).
- Gradual deterioration – symptoms appear after 24 hours, mortality between 2 and 10 days (anticoagulants, low‑dose metabolic agents).
Thus, the post‑exposure lifespan ranges from a few minutes to up to two weeks, contingent upon the specific poison, dosage, and the mouse’s condition.