Why Do Rats Eat Other Dead Rats? (Understanding Necrophagia

Brown Rat on the road

Discovering that rats sometimes eat their own dead can be pretty shocking, especially for pet rat owners who see their animals as gentle companions. This behavior seems brutal and wrong, particularly when it happens in your own rat colony. You might wonder what’s wrong with your rats or why they would do something so disturbing. … Read more

Why Do Rats Hop When They Run? (The Joy of “Popcorning”

Brown Rat running

If you’ve watched your pet rat zooming around during playtime, you might have noticed something cute and unusual. Instead of running smoothly like a cat or dog, rats often move in little hops or bounces, almost like tiny kangaroos. This hopping behavior can look playful and energetic, and it’s one of the many charming things … Read more

Why Do Some Rats Have Red Eyes? (Albinism and Genetics

Brown Rat on wet ground

If you’ve ever looked at a pet rat and noticed its eyes glowing bright red, you might have wondered if something was wrong. Red eyes in rats can look pretty strange, especially if you’re used to seeing dark-eyed animals. These ruby-colored eyes stand out and often make people curious about what causes them. So why … Read more

Why Do Rats Twitch Their Ears? (How They Sense Danger

Black rat in a tree 0

If you watch rats closely, you’ll notice their ears are almost never completely still. They’re constantly twitching, moving, and rotating in different directions. Sometimes both ears move together, and sometimes they move independently. It’s one of those small behaviors that’s easy to miss, but once you notice it, you’ll see it all the time. So … Read more

Why Do Rats Teeth Never Stop Growing? (Rootless Teeth

Brown rat next to a wire fence

Rats have some pretty unusual teeth compared to many other animals. Their front teeth (called incisors) keep growing continuously throughout their entire life, never stopping. If you have pet rats, you’ve probably noticed them gnawing on everything constantly. So why do rats’ teeth never stop growing? Rats’ teeth never stop growing because they wear down … Read more

Why Do Rats Tails Look Like That? (Hairless and Scaly

Dead Brown Rat with hairless tail visible

Rat tails are probably the most recognizable and, let’s be honest, the most off-putting part of these animals. They’re long, scaly, hairless, and kind of pink or gray. A lot of people find them creepy or gross. But there’s actually a really good reason rats’ tails look the way they do. So why do rats’ … Read more