How long does the mating act last in rats? - briefly
Copulation in rats typically lasts 30–60 seconds per intromission, while the entire mating bout, including mounts and pauses, spans roughly 5–10 minutes.
How long does the mating act last in rats? - in detail
The copulatory sequence in laboratory rats proceeds through three distinct phases: mount, intromission, and ejaculation. The entire bout typically lasts between 30 minutes and 1 hour, but the timing of each component varies.
- Mounting phase – the male approaches the female, sniffs, and attempts to mount. This period lasts 2–5 minutes before successful intromission occurs.
- Intromission phase – the penis is inserted, and the male delivers a series of copulatory thrusts. Each intromission lasts about 5–10 seconds, with an inter‑intromission interval of roughly 30 seconds. A typical rat performs 5–10 intromissions before ejaculation.
- Ejaculation – the final intromission is followed by a brief pause (≈10 seconds) and then the release of sperm. The actual ejaculation event is rapid, lasting less than a second, after which the male disengages and the pair may remain together for several minutes before the male retreats.
Overall, the active sexual contact—mounts plus intromissions—averages 15–25 minutes, while the post‑ejaculatory interval extends the total interaction to the 30‑ to 60‑minute range observed under standard laboratory conditions. Factors such as age, hormonal status, strain, and environmental cues can shift these values, but the described pattern represents the normative time course for rat copulation.