You get better protection if you use your credit card. The key difference is that when you claim on a credit card under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, the credit card company is legally liable.
A pet rat can live between 2-4 years maybe longer it just depends on how well you look after it.
The average life pan of a pet rabbit is 6 to 8 years, but they can live up to 15 years. I had my last rabbit for about 12 years.