Sweet and brave. What is the character of a rat and how to appease it?

Visual orientation

The rat's vision has its own characteristics, complemented by the characteristics of the brain and thinking. The animal is well oriented in the space familiar to it, since it remembers the location of objects.

A study was conducted where rodents moved through a maze. After the structure was turned over, the animals strayed from their intended course. When the objects were moved along with the maze, the rodents behaved as usual.

Pests can clearly see objects located at a distance of 50 cm. They distinguish whether the path ahead is clear within 75 cm. To determine the closer location of objects, they use the organs of touch - the mustache.

What kind of vision do rats need to know in order to outwit rodents and get rid of them in a timely manner? It is also worth considering that as animals age, their vision decreases. Rats do not live long, so their vision begins to deteriorate after 2 years of life. This explains the fact that older individuals are more likely to fall into a trap.

Why have a rat at home?

Many people ask a similar question, because it is much more common to see a cat or dog next to you. However, rats are no less wonderful pets; they are very smart, affectionate, and will always welcome your attention. Caring for these animals is somewhat easier than for larger animals. However, keep in mind that some animals, due to their temperament, can engage in domestic pests.

Did you know? Rats are extremely fertile: one pair of animals can reproduce
offspring reaching 150-160 pups per year! In addition, these rodents have a gene that protects them from STDs.

Do rodents see colors?

The human eye contains two types of light receptors:

• rods (perceive dim light, provide the ability to see in the dark);
• cones (catch bright light, distinguish a range of colors).

The rat eye contains the same receptors, but unlike human ones, they are located less closely to each other. This feature is reflected in color perception. The retina of the animal’s eyes perceives the following types of spectra:

• medium wave;
• shortwave;
• ultraviolet.

Rats can only distinguish between green and blue colors, and do not recognize shades.

The density of receptors is not the only difference between the retina of humans and rodents. Another difference is the ratio. If humans have cones 5% of the total number of receptors, then rats have only 1%. Thus, 99% of rat receptors are rods.

It is worth noting that the structure of the eyes does not allow rats to distinguish colors. The world for these animals does not play with bright colors. Vision in rats is based on the perception and assessment of the brightness and dimness of light radiation.

What color are a rat's eyes?

Albinism is a genetic defect. The animal's body is not capable of producing melanin, or coloring pigment. It is absent from the iris of the eyes, and the blood vessels are translucent. The eyes look red and scary.

Albino rats suffer from poor eyesight. To catch the picture, they slowly turn their head. It is difficult for them to focus on any object. White pets are practically blind, and have poor color saturation perception with a value of 20/1200. By comparison, individuals with normal pigmentation have 20/600 vision.

Briefly about people born in the year of the Rat

• Year of the Rat: 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020;
• Strengths : Assertive, persistent and frivolous;
• Weaknesses : harsh, critical and fussy;
• Blessed Careers : Education, Financial Services, Economics and Travel;
• Ideal Partner : As ambitious and money-oriented as they are.

Although they can often be rude and blunt, they still know how to make friends and people really like them.

Visual orientation

In the studied territory, the animal orients itself well - visual memory is responsible for this, where the location of surrounding objects is recorded. That is, if you rearrange objects around the rodent, it will lose orientation in space.

In conclusion, it is worth noting a few more interesting features. The animals see well within half a meter. They can see obstacles in their path only at a distance of up to 75 cm. The older the individual, the worse it sees - only animals under two years old have good vision by rat standards.

Rat Woman: Witty and sociable

The Rat woman is thrifty, wants to save for rainy days and spends only on what she needs most.

And she will be the same with her family, which means she can be unbearable at times. Only if the situation gets critical and someone in the house just becomes desperate for money will she change her habits and give them some.

This girl is a smart wife and a good mother, taking care of her loved ones without bothering her husband with everything. She will take the children to football and violin lessons.

This lady is sociable, but can become dependent on those she loves most. She wants her children to have everything they need and is a good child to her parents. ► Rat Woman: key character traits and behavior

Features of Ultraviolet Vision

The rat's eyes are under study. In the course of numerous studies, some features of how different types of rats look at the world around them have become known.

1. They see urine marks. Animals detect traces of urine left by smell and color. In the dark, the discharge is visible under ultraviolet light. Predators mark their territory in this way.
2. They see the body in ultraviolet light. Different parts of the animal and human body emit ultraviolet light of different wavelengths.

Interesting!

In an animal like a degu, the stomach emits longer ultraviolet rays. When he sleeps, he shows his belly to his relatives. During the hunt, the animal is on 4 legs, its back makes it invisible in the dark.

Important!

Rats see the picture blurry. The visual acuity of a rodent is 30 times less than that of a human. Albinos have red eyes 40 times. Depth of field from 7 cm to infinity. In humans - from 2.3 m. This suggests that rodents see only at a short distance.

Lake Kivu, Africa

Lake Kivu, Africa.

About two million people live around the stunning lake, located on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The lake is surrounded by mountains, covers an area of ​​about 2,700 square kilometers, and there is even an island called Ijvi, one of the largest in the world located in fresh water. But the lake itself poses a mortal danger, threatening the surrounding residents.

The thing is that the lower layers of water in it contain large amounts of carbon dioxide and methane, while the reserves of the latter are estimated at 55 billion cubic meters. Earthquakes or volcanic activity can cause a release of gas, from which it will be very difficult to escape.

Characteristics of panoramic perception

To compensate for myopia, rodents are given panoramic perception. The eyes of the animals are located on the sides of the muzzle. This arrangement provides expanded visual coverage of the territory.

It is worth noting that in animals the pictures that each eye sees do not coincide and are not combined into a single whole, as is the case in humans. Thanks to this overview, the animal quickly notices the appearance of an enemy.

The distance of the eyes from each other negatively affects binocular perception. If in humans it is 105%, then in rodents it is only 76%. This low figure is slightly compensated for by a visual feature called motion parallax. With its help, the rodent determines the distance to the object. When you move your head from one side to the other, objects also move. The movement of nearby objects is accelerated. This difference allows the animal to determine the distance.

Love Traits of the Rat

When it comes to love, Rats are hot partners who are very involved in their relationships. But when they feel abandoned or deceived, they will feel like their heart is being torn apart.

When they separate, these people seem to find no peace anymore and wander without any hope. Luckily, they recover quickly because they hate being left alone for too long.

Being very careful about their interests and managing their money, they still do not want to be alone and strive to start a family in a home that offers them all the comforts.

Where did albino rats come from?

In fact, the albino rat is no different from its relative, the gray rat, except for its white fur and often red eyes. Albino white rats were bred in laboratories through scientific research and experiments at the beginning of the last century. It was then that the already well-known decorative rats were bred from these albino rats. Decorative rats were bred by crossing gray rats with albino rats.

The white color of the coat in such animals occurs due to a lack of melanin in the blood. Albino white rats have several types of coats:

• Long wool.
• Wavy coat.
• With a tuft.

Essentially, albino rats have two types of eyes: Regular, like those of ordinary gray rats, and Red. Most people still don't understand and wonder: “Why do some white rats have red eyes? »‎. Because of this, they begin to dislike such rodents. But it’s true that rodents with such eyes look a little scary. The red color of the eyes is explained by the fact that some rats have albino eyes and lack pigmentation. In more detail, the entire eye is essentially transparent, and all the blood vessels in the eyes of a rodent are visible from the outside, which is why they are red.

The look of an albino rat can sometimes be scary

Today, laboratories continue various studies on white rodents. Because they have the same sets of chromosomes as humans. They are otherwise used to conduct various experiments in the field of:

• Genetics;
• Toxicology;
• Radiobiology;
• Virology;
• Microbiology;

In ordinary gray rats, the appearance of albino offspring is a very rare case. Since such genes are recessive in nature and otherwise disappear under the pressure of the dominant genes of black or gray rats.

Important! Due to the uniqueness and spontaneity of the formation of the set of chromosomes responsible for the white coat color, it is extremely difficult to breed an albino rat at home. White rats are widely used in laboratories

Description

For many centuries, relations were established between humanity and these rodents, but they were not always warm. Thus, in the Middle Ages, rats contributed to the spread of severe plague epidemics, so they were exterminated.

In the last century, rodents began to be used for laboratory research, and only in the last few decades have people chosen rats as pets.

Did you know? Rats have truly amazing physical abilities: these relatively small animals are able to move at speeds of up to 10 km/h, in a state of stress or aggression, jump to a height of 2 meters and swim enormous distances (the record is 29 km). If necessary, the animal can cover a distance of up to 50 km within 24 hours.

The size of males on average ranges from 400-500 grams, especially large individuals can reach 800 grams, which is rare. Females weigh less - from 200 to 500 grams.

The character of boys and girls is different: males are more calm and flexible. You can pick them up and caress them without any problems. Girls are more active, restless, and playful. But in general, rats are quite calm and affectionate animals that will happily cuddle in the arms of their owner.

Some behavioral features of decorative rats:

1. Rats love communication and attention, but they have a hard time with loneliness. If you don’t have the opportunity to spend enough time with your pet, you can buy a pair for him: they will be very funny to play and fool around with. By the way, to express gratitude for the company, rodents can lick the hair, fingers, and clothes of the owner. These gestures remind them of maternal care and affection.
2. In a state of anxiety, fear, excitement, rodents can click their teeth. If an animal is very excited or frightened, it may hiss, causing the fur on its back to stand on end. In this state, the rat can attack an object that frightens it.
3. If you keep several of these animals together, you will be able to observe the formation of a hierarchy between them in the form of a small fight. At the same time, there is no talk of serious bloodshed - the “showdown” is reduced to quiet squeals, sniffing and symbolic wrestling. But if you notice that the rats are fighting with cruelty, they need to be separated into different cages.

Important! In natural conditions, rats live only in a pack, so even an ornamental animal vitally needs communication with its fellows. If you want to get a rat, you need to immediately take 2-3 same-sex pets, otherwise the animal will feel extremely bad when alone.

How did albino rats appear?

The white animal is a variety of the common gray rat - pasyuk. Brought out in the laboratory at the beginning of the twentieth century to conduct various scientific experiments. It was by crossing an albino and a gray relative that decorative domestic rats were obtained.

The appearance of albinos in ordinary offspring is a rare case. The genes are recessive in nature and are suppressed by dominant gray or black genes. It is impossible to breed such a rat at home, due to the uniqueness and spontaneity of the resulting chromosomes.

Rat and Chinese five elements:

Features of white rats

White rodents have many different features from simple gray rats. Albino rats usually live about 1.5 years. The reason for this age-related mortality is health problems due to weak immunity. For comparison, the dark relatives of white rats live up to 3 years.

They are practically unable to adapt and survive in the wild, so it is not worth releasing them into the wild - this will lead to the inevitable death of the animals

Sometimes there are individuals with dark eyes and grayish-white shades of fur. These rodents have a stronger immune system than their albino relatives. They are called semi-albinos. Semi-albinos, due to their strong immunity, adapt much better to their environment and get sick less often. If they are crossed with an albino or an ordinary gray rat, then in any case the offspring will appear with dark fur.

The albino rat in the photo is too noticeable on the grass: the lack of camouflage does not give rats a chance to survive in nature

White albino rats are light in weight; they are used to living in captivity and therefore do not need freedom. This is precisely why they are very popular in laboratories. Albinos are also quite fertile. A female can breed 14 rat pups per litter. Also, studies have shown that albino white rats have a very high level of intelligence compared to their wild relatives. In addition, white rats have the ability to sympathize and empathize when their relatives are in danger. There are also known cases when albino rats could give all their food to other weaker relatives.

Breeds of decorative rats

Decorative rats differ in color, coat length, and anatomical features. But there are no breeds of rats; only varieties can be distinguished, including:

1. Standard. These pets are very easy to buy at a pet store and are the most common type of pet rat. They are distinguished by a smooth, glossy coat.

2. Dumbo. People call these animals Mickey Mouse because of their external similarity: round, large ears set on the sides of the head.

3. Downy ones.

4. Sphinx - by analogy with cats with the same name: sphinx rats do not have hair. However, a small amount of hair is allowed in the groin, around the eyes, and on the ankles.

5. Tailless. From the name it is obvious that the key feature of the species is the absence of a tail.

6. Satin. The fur coat of animals of this species is characterized by shine, silkiness, and length.

7. Double Rex. A very unusual species of rodent - due to the characteristics of its fur coat, this species is often called the undressing one. The animal has no fur in some places, and in some places it consists of areas of dense, curly hair.

Based on the color of their coat, decorative rats are divided into the following types:

1. Homogeneous. They are characterized by a uniform coat color.
2. Combined. The fur coat can be painted in several shades.
3. Ticked. Each individual hair is colored in 2-3 colors.
4. Silvery. There are two main tones in the coat color: white and silver.

Rodents are very popular as pets to keep squirrels, capybaras, degus, jerboas, guinea pigs, chipmunks, gerbils, hamsters, dormice.

Relationships with people

Albinos are quite smart and cunning animals, but they are quite trainable. White rats almost always remember their nicknames, and they can also remember the nicknames of their other relatives who live in the neighborhood.

Remember! You should buy a cage with a more secure lock, as these rodents can learn to open cages with simple latches. A simple latch on the door is not an obstacle for an albino rat

We can assume that they are very friendly animals towards people, the same cannot be said about their wild relatives. White rats are quite sociable rodents. They love affection and love to have their backs stroked. Therefore, when you decide to pet your pet, he will not mind.

Important! With regular communication with your pet, you can quickly tame it. But we must remember that these rodents have excellent memory and remember well those who hurt them.

How about a kiss?

In the small rented one-room apartment, there are rats everywhere. Live and in pictures, wallpaper, portraits, in the form of toys, and also on the bike in which Andrey meets us. Pets appeared in his life six years ago: “I wanted to get some kind of animal.” The cats are on my mind, the dog needs to be walked, but with work and school there was no time left for this. In general, the rat turned out to be an ideal option. My girlfriend and I began to study information on care, feeding, treatment, and learned that it is necessary to keep not just one animal, but at least a couple, because the animal does not tolerate loneliness well. So over time we got rats.

The wards have very different characters, but they all love their owner equally.

Candy, Paparats-kvetka, Shkvarochka, Curl-Cheburunka, Don Simon... The wards have very different characters, but they all love their owner equally reverently. As soon as he approaches the cage, curious noses immediately poke out, and Andrei is ready to kiss each animal:

– Like any creatures, rats love affection and care.
It is better to stroke them behind the ears, on the cheeks and chin; some let them scratch their bellies. But it’s better not to grab someone’s back; it can be perceived as aggression. These are brave and very smart animals - if not for their intelligence, these peers of dinosaurs simply would not have survived. Many people shy away from rats, forgetting that they served as the basis for various scientific discoveries and achievements. Rats also know how to empathize; they understand by the timbre of their voices when you are upset or sick, and they try to feel sorry for you. They themselves will not show their weakness until the very end. You can understand that a pet is not feeling well only when it is already completely unbearable. At such a moment, you need to drop everything and rush to the veterinary hospital, otherwise you risk losing your friend.

Caring for white rats

The most important thing in caring for a white rat, as with all other rodents, is constant cleaning of the cages. This will help get rid of the unpleasant odor in your room and also keep your pet's coat clean. To make cleaning your pet's cage easier, it is recommended to purchase a special cage with a tray. Then you will only have to replace the old pallet with a new one every few days.

Since these rodents depend on communication, you will have to constantly give them your attention. If you can't cope and your rat gets bored, then you can buy a preferably same-sex albino rat.

White rats should be kept in same-sex groups

Minqin County, China

In Minqin County, China.

The Chinese authorities have already recognized Minqin County as an environmental disaster zone and have even developed a plan to resettle about two million residents. They, in fact, found themselves hostage to two deserts, which are gradually expanding and capturing new territories at a speed of 10 meters per year. For about 130 days a year, sandstorms and winds rage here.

It is simply impossible to resist these natural phenomena; they literally destroy everything in their path. This territory is completely dehydrated, the area of ​​arable land has decreased six times since 1950, but people continue to live here.

Grooming

They constantly need to comb their white fur, and they also need to be washed constantly. To comb the rodent, use a toothbrush, and be sure to have a soft one. While combing, you will have to hold the rodent with your thumbs and forefingers.

If you find yellowness in your pet's fur, then this is a reason to worry. It is possible that your rat is sick and is unable to care for itself. Important! You should not risk the animal's psyche if you decide to clean the fur by washing it in a basin. You can simply wet cotton pads and wipe your pet's fur. After the procedure, you need to wipe the rodent dry.

Place the cage with the animal away from direct sunlight, as white rats are afraid of bright sunlight.

Reproduction and offspring

Rats, regardless of species, reproduce at a very high rate. This is also due to the fact that they quickly reach puberty. Females bear their offspring over short periods of time. A sexually mature female can mate every 5 days, with the exception of the period of pregnancy.

Within 1 year, each adult female gives birth to up to 4 dozen rat pups, while pregnancy lasts about 3 weeks. Having reached the age of one and a half years, females are approaching the period of menopause, which at the initial stage appears irregularly, and then the female is no longer able to reproduce.

Before the end of the pregnancy period, the female tidies up her nest. She lines the bottom of the nest with soft grass. Sometimes the female digs a new hole, after which she takes care of its arrangement. Often in this nest the female contains food reserves, thanks to which she can stay with the newborns for a long time without any problems.

Depending on the species, female rodents can reproduce from 8 to 15 young at a time. Rats are born naked, blind and deaf, with completely closed ear canals, and without a well-functioning thermoregulation system.

After birth, they are not able to independently remove processed components. Therefore, the female constantly licks her stomach with it, as if giving a massage, which helps to activate metabolic processes. The cubs feed on mother's milk, the fat content of which reaches 9 percent. Unfortunately, rats are capable of destroying their offspring, and males are more prone to this. As for females, they can eat dead cubs or very weak ones.

Interesting to know! Domestic rats can mate with black rats, but their offspring do not survive, and quite often the mother's body completely rejects the embryos, and often non-viable offspring are born.

After some time, fur appears on the body of the rat pups, and after a week they begin to see and hear. On the ninth day, the first incisors erupt in the juveniles. After 3 weeks, the young offspring independently explore the nearby territory, and after another week they are ready for independent life. They become fully mature by the age of one year.

Attitude towards a person

The decorative albino rat is a tame and loving animal. He is trainable, cunning and intelligent. Many owners claim that the rat quickly learns to open the lock on the cage. She thinks quickly, and is significantly different from her dark brothers. Watching your pet play is a pleasure. The Internet is full of videos where albinos willingly perform various tricks, climb around the room, and simply live.

A kind and gentle rat loves its owner. I’m ready to spend whole days on my hands, knees, or in my pocket. Having settled comfortably on a person, she shows her affection with all her appearance. She climbs into her arms to be stroked on her back.

Regular communication with your pet can be turned into training. The rat quickly remembers its name and the names of its cage neighbors. It is better to train animals to communicate with other pets gradually and carefully.

Attention! Albino rodents have excellent memory. They easily remember the person who hurt them. In response, guests or unfamiliar people will receive bites and aggression.

Night rumble

Don't expect your rat to follow the same schedule and rhythm of life as you. On the contrary, be prepared for the fact that the rat is active at night and sleeps during the day. The period after dinner is a great time to socialize and play with your pet. The attempt can be resumed early in the morning - whatever is more convenient for you. You may also enjoy the funny positions in which rats like to sleep - lounging on their backs, curled up into a tight ball, etc.

Scavenger Hunters

Rats have a habit of picking up and dragging to a secluded place something that might be suitable for playing or chewing. Rats steal and drag objects made of wood, plastic and rubber into their lair. They are happy to carry objects made of paper or fabric. Rats are also great masters at arranging all kinds of stashes and food supplies.

Fighting boxers

Not only kangaroos have shown themselves to be boxing fans! Rats also love to box - they stand on their hind legs and heartily begin to kick each other with their front legs. But this is not for fun: two rats find out which of them is the alpha male, the dominant male. Rats have a very developed social hierarchy. Sometimes you can see how, instead of a desperate fight, rats stand up frozen nose to nose. They may not get up - rodents have many different variations on this theme.

Rat bites

If a rat bites or licks you, perhaps this is how it demonstrates its love. Rats also have a wonderful sense of smell, and may well bite you if you carelessly took something edible before entering the cage. Before working with a rat (and also after), wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

Teeth grinding

This phenomenon usually accompanies the bulging of the eyes described above. There is no need to be scared, the rat belongs to the rodent family, and its teeth are constantly growing. When a rat grinds its teeth, it tries, so to speak, to moderate their growth, to make sure that they do not grow too quickly. Moreover, teeth grinding in rats is similar to purring in cats - this is what they do in moments of relaxation and peace. This creates vibrations that help the eyeball protrude - therefore, these two phenomena are interrelated. At the same time, a rat may grind its teeth when it is scared or in pain, so pay attention to the circumstances under which this happens (for example, when you pet it or vacuum near the cage).

They don't bring you money, only good luck.

In Japan, they believe in seven gods of luck, one of them - Daikoku, the patron saint of peasants, is depicted with a bag of rice and a rat - a symbol of material well-being.
It is believed that a predator can only settle in a rich house; she has nothing to eat in a poor one. Andrey does not undertake to confirm the Japanese belief: “Rats really bring good luck and happiness to those who adore them, but money does not.” On the contrary, they require large expenses. A cage filled with feeders, drinking bowls, hammocks, wheels and other toys will cost 300–350 rubles. A package of good food costs about 15 rubles, and it lasts about two weeks for two animals. If you get sick, pay 30 rubles for an appointment at a hospital, and if an operation is necessary, then all 100. By the way, you need to be mentally and financially prepared to contact a veterinarian at any time. A typical case is when, while running around the cage, a fidget can tear off a claw. If you can’t stop the bleeding on your own, you need to urgently go to a specialist.

Expensive maintenance is one of the reasons why Andrey does not advise buying rats for the sake of a momentary whim. He, like other representatives of the rat breeding community, is against giving animals for holidays to those who are not ready for this:

– An animal is not a gift or amusement; it must be treated with full responsibility. If you really want to buy a symbol of the coming year, it is better to choose a souvenir or a soft toy in the shape of a rat. I can give examples of hundreds of cases when we have to save poor people from those who have already “played enough” or, when faced with the first difficulties, write messages on the Internet - “take it, otherwise I’ll throw it out on the street.” And, believe me, they throw it away if you don’t arrive on time. Sometimes people say this: I’d rather go to the pet store and buy a new rat for five rubles than treat mine for 100. We have several rescued girls, including wild ones, caught in the entrances: I found them sick, went out, cured them, they feel great now.

So that the “graduates” of the nursery do not face the fact that they will suddenly find themselves unnecessary to the new owners, Andrey surveys each potential buyer:

– Several dozen questions make it clear whether the rat pups should be trusted by this person. If I see that the mood is not serious, I will not give the kids away. With those who understand why they take an animal into their home, we get to know each other better, communicate, and then arrange a graduation ceremony for the litter, which goes into new hands. Subsequent “technical support” and maintenance are mandatory conditions.

Character Strengths