List of articles № 35
Why Rats Often Breathe Rapidly: Stress Factors
Rats at rest normally breathe between 70 and 150 breaths per minute. The exact value depends on species, age, body weight, and ambient temperature. Adult laboratory rats (200–300 g) typically exhibit rates near the lower end of this interval when housed at 22 °C, while younger or lighter individuals tend toward higher frequencies.. Date latest changes:
River Rat: Correct Species Naming
The species commonly called “river rat” carries a variety of local names that differ across continents, languages, and professional fields. These vernacular terms often overlap with unrelated taxa, creating ambiguity in data collection, regulatory documents, and public outreach.. Date latest changes:
Recognizing Illness in Rats: Signs to Watch For
Early identification of disease in laboratory rats prevents unnecessary suffering and safeguards experimental outcomes. When health changes are noted promptly, interventions can be applied before conditions worsen, preserving the physiological baseline required for reliable data.. Date latest changes:
Rats possess a hard‑wired drive to acquire nutrients, regulated by hypothalamic nuclei that integrate hormonal signals (leptin, ghrelin) and peripheral feedback from the gastrointestinal tract. Sensory inputs—taste, smell, texture—trigger neural pathways that initiate mastication and swallowing, ensuring survival under normal conditions.. Date latest changes:
What Is Needed to Keep a Pet Rat?
Caring for a pet rat demands a predictable daily schedule. Rats thrive on routine; irregular feeding or handling can cause stress and health problems. Feeding: Provide fresh food and water at the same times each day. Typical schedule includes morning and evening portions of a balanced rodent diet, supplemented with occasional treats.. Date latest changes:
Effectiveness Review of Mouse and Rat Repellents
Mice and rats exhibit pronounced nocturnal activity, concentrating foraging, exploration, and social interactions within the dark phase. Their locomotor peaks typically occur shortly after lights‑off, persist through the middle of the night, and decline before dawn.. Date latest changes:
Rats are often portrayed as adept egg‑carriers, yet several widely held beliefs lack factual support. Rats cannot lift eggs larger than their own body mass; the average brown rat weighs about 300 g, while a typical chicken egg weighs 50–60 g.. Date latest changes:
Can Pet Rats Be Given Bell Pepper?
Bell peppers supply a range of nutrients that can complement a rat’s diet. The fruit is rich in vitamin C, which rats cannot synthesize and must obtain from food; a small piece can help meet their daily requirement without exceeding safe limits.. Date latest changes:
Adhesive Traps for Mice and Rats: Where to Buy
Adhesive traps are flat panels coated with a strong, non‑drying glue designed to capture mice and rats upon contact. The glue remains tacky for several weeks, allowing the device to retain multiple pests without losing effectiveness. The traps consist of:. Date latest changes:
Do Rats Live in Burrows Underground
Rats occupy subterranean spaces in both countryside and city environments, but the nature of those spaces differs markedly. In agricultural and natural landscapes, rats construct extensive tunnel networks in loose, well‑drained soils. Burrows typically feature multiple chambers for nesting, food storage, and escape routes.. Date latest changes:
How Long Can a Rat Survive Without Food and Water
Rats rely on a high basal metabolic rate to sustain vital functions such as thermoregulation, neural activity, and organ perfusion. In the absence of external nutrients, metabolic processes shift to mobilize internal substrates, prioritizing glucose production and fatty‑acid oxidation to meet immediate energy demands.. Date latest changes:
Mouse – A Mammal: Classification and Features
Mice maintain a constant internal temperature through endothermy, a defining characteristic of mammals. Heat production originates primarily from cellular respiration in mitochondria, where oxidative metabolism converts nutrients into ATP and releases thermal energy.. Date latest changes:
Mice in the Attic: Locating and Safely Removing Them
Mice that inhabit attic spaces carry pathogens capable of infecting humans and pets. Direct contact with rodent urine, feces, or saliva introduces bacteria such as Salmonella and Leptospira , which cause gastrointestinal illness and leptospirosis.. Date latest changes:
Do Mice Eat Onions? Nutritional Value and Risks
Mice classified as generalist foragers exploit a wide range of plant and animal matter, including cultivated vegetables such as onions. Their flexible diet enables them to ingest onion tissue when it is readily available in storage areas or field margins.. Date latest changes:
Can Domestic Mice Be Bathed? Pros and Cons
Mice maintain coat cleanliness through self‑grooming. Their small size and high metabolic rate allow frequent licking, which removes debris, distributes natural oils, and inhibits bacterial growth. Fur structure repels moisture; dense under‑coat traps air, reducing water absorption.. Date latest changes:
How to Get Rid of Mice in an Apartment: Proven Methods
Droppings and urine trails provide the most reliable confirmation that rodents occupy an apartment. Fresh pellets are dark, pointed, and typically found along walls, behind appliances, and in hidden corners; older droppings turn grayish and crumble easily.. Date latest changes:
Field Mouse with Long Snout: Species Description
The elongated rostrum of the long‑snouted field mouse represents a specialized morphological adaptation that enhances tactile and olfactory capabilities. Skeletal analysis shows a proportionally extended premaxilla and maxilla, accompanied by an increased number of infraorbital foramina, which accommodate enlarged trigeminal nerves.. Date latest changes:
How to Tame a Mouse to Your Hands
A reliable environment is the foundation for encouraging a mouse to interact calmly with human hands. Proper equipment and a well‑designed enclosure reduce stress and promote trust. Small animal carrier or transport box with secure latch Soft bedding (paper strips or aspen shavings) Hideout (ceramic tunnel or wooden cube) Chewing block or untreated wood toys Water bottle with stainless‑steel tube Nutrient‑dense pellet or seed mix, supplemented with fresh vegetable. Date latest changes:
Best Rat and Mouse Poison: Product Review
Anticoagulant rodenticides interrupt the blood‑clotting process of rats and mice, causing internal hemorrhage after ingestion. They contain compounds such as warfarin, brodifacoum, difenacoum, and bromadiolone, each differing in potency, duration of action, and resistance profile.. Date latest changes:
Where to Report Mice in an Apartment: Step‑by‑Step Guide
Mice in residential units carry pathogens that can infect humans through direct contact, contaminated food, and droppings. Common agents include Hantavirus, Salmonella, and Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus; each can cause respiratory illness, gastrointestinal upset, or febrile disease.. Date latest changes:
Mice and Humans: Understanding Their Interaction
Early human settlements attracted wild rodents that found shelter and food among stored grain. Archaeological layers from the Neolithic period contain mouse bones alongside pottery fragments, indicating that commensal populations established themselves shortly after agriculture began.. Date latest changes:
The Most Reliable Methods for Eradicating Mice in an Apartment
Droppings appear as small, dark, pellet‑shaped fragments, typically 3‑5 mm long, with a slightly pointed tip. Fresh deposits are moist and may exhibit a faint sheen; older ones dry and crumble easily. Their presence confirms active foraging and breeding activity within walls, cabinets, or concealed spaces.. Date latest changes:
Wild rats occupy a wide range of ecosystems, from urban fringe to remote grasslands. Their adaptability stems from distinct species that have evolved specialized habits and ecological niches. Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) – Predominant in temperate zones, inhabits burrows, sewers, and agricultural fields.. Date latest changes:
Why Are Rats Smart? Scientific Explanations
The neocortex, the most recently evolved cerebral cortex layer, provides the structural basis for the advanced problem‑solving abilities observed in rats. During embryogenesis, radial glial cells generate excitatory neurons that migrate outward to form six distinct layers, each characterized by specific connectivity patterns.. Date latest changes:
Cat Brought a Rat: What It Means
Domestic cats retain a predatory sequence that originates in their wild ancestors. Visual acuity, acute hearing, and whisker‑based spatial awareness trigger a rapid assessment of moving prey, followed by a low‑profile approach and a timed explosive strike.. Date latest changes:
Why Do Rats Coos? Causes of Their Characteristic Sounds
Rats produce a range of vocalizations, each serving specific communicative functions. Cooing, a low‑frequency, soft, continuous sound, differs markedly from other calls such as squeaks, chirps, and ultrasonic whistles. Key acoustic and behavioral markers separate cooing from alternative rat noises:. Date latest changes:
Rats exploit darkness to access poultry houses, timing movements with the decline of ambient light. Their circadian rhythm peaks during the early hours of night, when human presence is minimal and visual monitoring is reduced. This temporal advantage lowers the probability of detection and allows rapid entry through small openings that remain unnoticed during daylight inspections.. Date latest changes:
Rats possess a gastrointestinal tract adapted primarily for omnivorous diets, enabling the breakdown of both plant and animal tissues. Enzymes such as pepsin and pancreatic proteases function effectively on muscle proteins, allowing the conversion of meat into absorbable amino acids and peptides.. Date latest changes:
Rat Takes a Shower: How to Ensure Hygiene
A rat’s bathing routine can introduce pathogens if not managed correctly. Proper handling, water temperature, and post‑shower care reduce the risk of infections, skin irritations, and respiratory problems. Key preventive measures: Use lukewarm water (30‑35 °C) to avoid thermal stress and skin damage.. Date latest changes:
Rat-Hamster Hybrid: Possibilities and Limitations
Rats possess 42 chromosomes organized into 21 homologous pairs, while the most common hamster species carries 44 chromosomes arranged in 22 pairs. This numerical disparity creates a fundamental barrier to meiotic pairing, because homologous chromosomes must align precisely for successful recombination and segregation.. Date latest changes:
At What Age Do Rats Stop Growing? Growth Stages
Genetic regulation determines the point at which laboratory rats cease somatic growth. Growth cessation coincides with the closure of the epiphyseal plates, a process orchestrated by a network of genes that modulate hormonal signals and cellular proliferation.. Date latest changes:
Dry pasta consists primarily of complex carbohydrates, mainly starch derived from wheat. Rats possess amylase enzymes in their saliva and pancreas capable of breaking down starch into glucose, allowing them to extract energy from such foods.. Date latest changes:
How to Transport a Rat Safely by Train
When planning rail travel with a rodent, the first step is to verify the policies of the chosen railway. Begin by locating the official website or passenger handbook for the line; these sources list accepted animal categories, cage dimensions, and weight limits.. Date latest changes:
How to Determine the Age of a Domestic Rat
Domestic rats typically live between 2 and 3 years under standard laboratory or pet conditions. Factors such as genetics, diet, housing, and health care can shift this range by several months. Key lifespan statistics: Median lifespan: 2.. Date latest changes:
What Is the Phenomenon Called When Rats Tie Their Tails
The expression describing rodents that intertwine their tails emerged in Victorian‑era naturalist writings, where observers recorded “tail‑tying” as a peculiar behavior noted among laboratory and wild rats. Early accounts appear in the journals of John Gould (1865) and in the proceedings of the Royal Society, where the phenomenon was labeled “caudal interlacing.. Date latest changes:
At What Age Is It Best to Acquire a Rat?
Acquiring a rat after it has completed the weaning period yields the most reliable temperament and health outcomes. Weaning typically occurs between three and four weeks of age; at this stage the pup can digest solid food independently and no longer depends on the mother’s milk.. Date latest changes:
Rats introduce a range of pathogens that can compromise the safety of any homemade rodent bait. Direct contact with rat saliva, urine, or feces transfers microorganisms capable of causing severe illness. Key diseases associated with rats include:. Date latest changes:
What to Use Instead of Traditional Bedding for a Rat Cage
Traditional wood shavings, paper pulp, and corn cob bedding generate dust particles that rats inhale, leading to nasal irritation, bronchitis, and chronic respiratory infections. High‑dust substrates also promote fungal growth, increasing the risk of allergic reactions and pneumonia.. Date latest changes:
Diet for Decorative Rats: What to Feed
Proteins supply the amino acids necessary for tissue repair, muscle development, and immune function in ornamental rats. A balanced protein intake supports the glossy coat and active demeanor prized in show‑quality specimens. Recommended protein levels range from 18 % to 22 % of total caloric intake for adult decorative rats.. Date latest changes:
Mouse Snap Trap: How to Build and Use
A homemade snap trap delivers a low initial outlay while providing performance comparable to factory‑made devices. The primary expense consists of raw materials—thin plywood or acrylic, a spring steel bar, and a trigger mechanism—each obtainable for a few dollars from hardware stores or online suppliers.. Date latest changes: