Most people picture rats as brown or gray animals scurrying around in alleys or sewers. But if you’ve spent any time in pet stores or science labs, you’ve probably seen rats that are completely white with pink or red eyes. These white rats look totally different from the wild rats most people are familiar with. … Read more
One of the first things you’ll notice if you spend any time around rats is how much they clean themselves. Whether it’s a pet rat in a cage or a wild rat you spot outside, they’re constantly grooming and washing. It’s actually pretty cute to watch as they scrub their faces with their tiny paws … Read more
Rat tails are one of their most distinctive features. Long, pink, scaly, and surprisingly strong, these tails do way more than you might think. If you watch your rats closely, you’ll notice they wrap their tails around things, around themselves, and sometimes around you. This behavior is both functional and communicative. But why do rats … Read more
Most people think of tail wagging as a dog behavior. When a dog wags their tail, everyone knows it means they’re happy and excited. But rats also wag their tails, and it can mean completely different things depending on the situation. If you’ve seen your rat’s tail moving back and forth and wondered what it … Read more
Rats have a pretty terrible reputation. Most people think of them as dirty, disease-carrying pests that live in sewers and garbage dumps. If you mention you have pet rats, you’ve probably seen people make disgusted faces or ask “aren’t those gross?” This negative view of rats is deeply rooted in our culture and history. But … Read more
If you’ve ever accidentally stepped on your rat’s tail or given them medicine they didn’t like, you might have noticed some interesting behavior afterward. Maybe they avoided you for a while, nipped at you, or seemed to “punish” you in some way. This has led many rat owners to wonder if their pets are actually … Read more
If you’ve watched mice carefully, you might have seen them doing something odd with their feet. They’ll sometimes rapidly tap or vibrate their hind feet against the ground in quick succession. This behavior looks like drumming or thumping, and it happens in specific situations. So why do mice vibrate their feet? Mice vibrate their feet … Read more
If you’ve ever watched a mouse closely, you might have noticed its tail doing something strange. The tail will sometimes shake, vibrate, or whip back and forth rapidly. This tail vibrating isn’t random movement. It’s actually a specific behavior that mice use to communicate and respond to their environment. So why do mice vibrate their … Read more
If you’ve ever held a rat, you might have felt a strange vibrating or buzzing sensation coming from its body. It can be pretty surprising the first time you feel it, and it might make you worry that something is wrong with the rat. This vibrating behavior is actually really common in rats, and it … Read more
If you suspect you have rats in your home, one of the first signs you might notice is a strange smell. Rats mark their territory with urine constantly, and the odor can become really strong in areas where they’re active. Knowing what rat urine smells like can help you identify a rat problem early, before … Read more