The behavior of gray rats was mainly studied when they were kept in captivity. Very interesting are the observations of Calhoun (1963), who kept gray rats in a suburban area and saw how, as their numbers increased, separate groups of animals emerged. Our compatriots conducted a lot of research in enclosures and cages (Sokolov, Khorlina et al., 1977). However, the behavior of rats in natural conditions differs significantly from the above.
In this article we presented the results of our observations carried out in natural conditions on rats of exoanthropic and synanthropic forms. The work was carried out within the former Soviet Union: in Uzbekistan, Transcaucasia and Crimea. In Russia: in the Krasnodar and Primorsky territories, in the Yaroslavl, Tver regions and in Moscow. In addition, surveillance was carried out in some regions of the Czech Republic. We observed the behavior of rats living in rice fields, on a dam near a river, in thickets of marsh plants, as well as in livestock buildings, mainly on pig farms and in urban environments. The work was carried out from 1980 to 1999.
Gray rats are animals that mainly lead a social lifestyle. We have already written (“RET-INFO” No. 1, 2000) that rats usually live in clans of 5-15 individuals. At the head of such a clan is always a dominant - the largest and strongest male, subdominants and young sexually mature males occupy a subordinate position. In addition, each clan includes females and immature individuals (Karaseva, 2000).
Such groups of rats, in general, help the population of these animals to survive. Young subordinate males are kicked out of their clans by dominants and subdominants, which prevents inbreeding.
However, rats do not form similar clan groups everywhere. It is often possible to observe animals leading a solitary lifestyle or living in pairs. For example, in unheated and uninhabited buildings in a village in the Tver region, one or two rats often spent the winter. In the fall, they moved close to the house and dug holes in the rubble underneath it, and when it got colder they moved into the house. They were content with the remains of food that they found here. Shelters were most often made in beds, gnawing holes in pillows and blankets. In the spring, the rats left the village and, apparently, settled on the banks of the Volga River and in other natural biotopes, where they multiplied intensively.
Among the different types of animal behavior, orientation-exploratory behavior stands out, which is especially characteristic of gray rats. Possessing enormous mobility, many individuals of gray rats are constantly moving, settling and capturing new territories. This is facilitated by their highly developed indicative and exploratory behavior. For example, young sexually mature males, driven out of their clan by stronger males, carefully explore the territory before choosing a place where they could gain a foothold. Of course, in this case, a significant part of them dies, but those males who manage to survive gain a foothold and form new settlements. It is this feature of behavior that largely explains why the gray rat is so unusually widespread. Orienting and exploratory activity in rats is expressed in a very diverse manner, and this manifests itself differently at different population densities. At high densities, rats show a minimum of caution. We have had the opportunity to observe this in a variety of situations. During the Great Patriotic War, the number of rats in Moscow was very large. There were many dilapidated buildings in the city that were shelters for them. Of course, no pest control work was carried out. Muscovites only sought to save their meager rations from rats. There were almost no cats or dogs in the city. There were no janitors to clean the garbage dumps. Rats moved freely around the apartments in search of food. For example, on the street. In Ostozhenka, in a multi-storey building, rats gnawed through many passages in apartments on the 2nd and 3rd floors.
The passages connected the apartments with a grocery store located on the ground floor. The rats got used to people and were not afraid of them. It was often possible to see rats cleaning their skins right on the dining table, males courting females and mating.
We were able to observe the behavioral features of rats with their huge numbers (up to 4 individuals per m 2) [The population size (x) is determined by the formula, where X = AC/B, where A is the number of individually marked rats, C is the number of rats caught in traps or number of corpses after deratization, B – number of marked rats among caught individuals or collected corpses (Karaseva et al., 1990)]. on a pig farm in Uzbekistan (Balykchi settlement). You could stand in the middle of a pen of pigs and see the following picture. Several males were chasing the female, who was in heat. They took turns sniffing her genitals and mounting her. At the same time, they completely disregarded the person present, often jumping on his legs. It cost nothing to grab any rat by the tail and catch it, which was necessary for the study.
When numbers are low, rats behave differently. They are very cautious and timid. For example, on a pig farm in the Tver region, as well as in the Czech Republic in the vicinity of Brno, when the number of rats was low, we observed how at dusk, during the period of their greatest activity, a rat stuck its head out of a hole and, having seen the observer, immediately hid back . Then the animal appeared no earlier than 30-40 minutes later.
With high numbers, many animals and animals of other species become less timid and cautious. Their activity and mobility increases. The dependence of animal behavior on their numbers is noted by a number of authors; for example, sables, pikas and ground squirrels - Shubin (1976).
Once in a new, previously unknown place, a rat is always extremely careful. She constantly sniffs, rises on her hind legs, and hides at the slightest noise.
The behavior of rats leading an exanthropic lifestyle is always very cautious.
The hunting behavior of pasyuks living in nature can also be classified as indicative and exploratory. Unlike gray rats living in human buildings, rats living in natural conditions must constantly obtain food for themselves. A study of the stomach contents of rats caught in the wild shows that animal feed makes up a significant part of the pasyuki’s diet, especially in the summer months. These are insects, mollusks and other aquatic invertebrates. Among vertebrate animals, rats especially prefer amphibians, although they often eat eggs and chicks, birds nesting on the ground, and attack small mammals (Rylnikov and Karaseva, 1985).
Observations in the rice fields of the Krasnodar and Primorsky territories showed that gray rats are very numerous there. The rice field system consists of individual checks, periodically flooded with water, on which the rice crop grows. The checks are fenced off from each other by earthen ridges, in places densely overgrown with marsh plants. Numerous gray rats form pairs in these rollers. The animals systematically move along them along a very complex system of hunting paths, looking for prey.
Hunting trails usually extend along the ridge; in a number of places there is a descent to the water in which rice grows. In many places the trails cross the ridge and hunting paths stretch along the opposite bank. Along this path system, in addition to nesting holes, there are several protective shelters. In many places of the hunting trail system there are “feeding tables” on which we found the remains of rat meals.
In the Primorsky Territory, most often these were shells of mollusks (pond snails, reels, etc.), as well as parts of the skeletons of frogs, small animals and birds. In the evening before sunset, we watched a rat slowly, stealthily move along the path, hiding from time to time. In the Primorsky Territory, we saw how a pasyuk was tracking a frog, and when it jumped into the water, it rushed after it with lightning speed and returned with prey.
I.R. Merzlikin (1987) conducted systematic observations of the behavior of an adult male gray rat that lived on the banks of the small river Sumka, flowing in the city of Sumy (Ukraine). Illuminating the river embankment with a lantern made it possible to conduct observations even in the dark. The author found that the male regularly walked around a 70 m long area every evening. This area included both banks of the river and an island. While exploring this territory, the male swam across the river twice, visited several protective burrows, and stayed on the island for a long time. If other rats appeared in this area, the male drove them away. He himself systematically hunted for aquatic invertebrates and attacked frogs. He often ate fish bait that fishermen left on the shore.
The same author describes the peculiar predatory behavior of gray rats. In the vicinity of Sumy, pasyuks hunted for shore swallows, whose nests were located in burrows on the slope of a high ravine. For the convenience of hunting these birds and eating their eggs and chicks, rats settled directly in the nesting holes of swallows located in the lower part of the ravine. At the same time, they expanded them and re-equipped them according to their needs (Merzlikin, 1987).
Depending on the situation, the rhythm of daily activity in rats changes, which, of course, affects their exploratory behavior. The gray rat is usually active during the dark hours of the day, with the greatest peaks of activity occurring in the evening and early morning hours. The rhythm of daily activity of rats varies significantly from the activities and behavior of people.
Many zoologists have observed that if for some reason rats are disturbed during the dark hours of the day, they become most active during the daytime (Polezhaev et al., 1950). Very often, rats change their activity rhythm depending on when their food arrives. For example, in Uzbekistan, on a dam near the Parkentsai River, rats came out of their holes in the morning, when housewives threw out the remains of used food into the garbage dumps located on the dam (Kvashnin, Karaseva, 1985). However, in Uzbekistan, we constantly noted rat activity during the day and in other places. Rats sat along the banks of numerous ditches even in the hottest hours of the day.
On pig farms, rats are most active during the hours when pigs are being fed. It is interesting that rats of different social ranks are active at different times. First, the largest, strongest and most courageous males emerge - dominants and subdominants, then females and immature individuals. Young, sexually mature males, as a rule, appear at pig feeders only when all the satiated rats, and especially the dominants and subdominants, have already gone to their shelters.
During orienting-exploratory behavior, rats are characterized by peculiar postures and characteristic types of movement. As their illustrations, we present drawings by V.M. Smirina (1987). When exploring an unfamiliar place, the rat most often moves with a creeping gait, and if this happens indoors, then most often along the wall, and in the open air - along a fence or some kind of fence. Often, when exploring a new territory, an animal moves differently. At the same time, the rat rises high on its legs and moves in very small steps. Displaying indicative exploratory behavior, the rat often examines various new, unfamiliar objects. At the same time, she feels them with whiskers, sniffs them or carefully touches them with her lips. When exploring a new territory, it often rises on its hind legs, becoming a “column,” which broadens its horizons. Of undoubted interest is the attitude of gray rats to various trapping means and poisoned bait. Rats are much less wary when their population density is high. Large differences are observed in the attitude towards traps and baits in rats of different social ranks.
The most effective way to catch rats is with arc traps. If an experienced pest control agent is working, he will place traps at the entrance to the rat’s hole, camouflaging them well. The rat, jumping out of the hole, immediately steps on the plate of the trap and gets caught in it. First of all, with this method, the most active and mobile large males are caught. It is clear that in this case the rats do not come into contact with the fishing gear in advance. Previously, rats were caught quite successfully in apex. Several rats could fall into such a trap during the night. This is probably explained by the tendency of rats to crowd together. Following the first rat that fell into the trap, others rushed into the trap. The situation is completely different with traps filled with bait. Usually a significant percentage of rats ignore them.
To more successfully catch rats, for the first time A.P. Kuzyakin (1963) recommended setting up unguarded traps, but equipped with bait. The rats became accustomed to the traps, and when the traps alerted, some rats were caught in them.
While working with tagged rats in Uzbekistan, we kept live traps baited but not alert. The rats were able to enter the trap, eat the bait, and exit freely. When it was necessary to catch the rat, we set the trap, and the rat could be easily caught. However, some rats did not go into the traps under any circumstances. (Kvashnin, Karaseva, 1985).
We have already written before (Karaseva, 2000) about the extraordinary wariness that rats show in relation to the bait laid out, even without the inclusion of poison in it. Our numerous experiments have shown that rats are most careful on those pig farms where deratization has recently been carried out. This is explained by the fact that the number of rats is small and, in addition, mainly those individuals that have not taken and do not take poisoned bait have survived. This residual part of the population makes pest control especially difficult (Chitty, 1954).
Thus, rational limitation of the number of rats is possible only with a preliminary thorough study of the features of their lifestyle in specific conditions (Toshchigin, Rylnikov, 1985).
http://pestkiller.ru/orientir_povedenie1.shtml
Rats are quite unique representatives of the animal world. They are able to quickly adapt to their environment. Rodents have fairly developed intelligence. According to some scientists, rats may compete, on some level, with human civilization. At the same time, rats exhibit their own:
According to some Western researchers, these rodents can even laugh, as they have some developed sense of humor.
In urban environments, the habits of animals depend directly on people. Most often they can be found in basements, as well as on the lower floor of a building. If the colony of rodents has reached the maximum number of heads, then they can easily enter even the attic; in such cases, pest control services may be required. If the weather is warm outside, the animals prefer to dig holes where they hide from the heat. As soon as the cold weather sets in, rats will definitely return indoors. Since the pasyuk is very inventive and fastidious, it can not be found everywhere. They choose only those places where there is plenty of water and provisions for them.
If rats prefer wild areas, then they will definitely choose a place closer to a source of drinking water. The banks of such a reservoir should have soft soil. The approximate size of the hole can be 5 m. During floods, animals often move into hollows; if there are none nearby, they can build a small nest in a tree. These rodents are distinguished by the fact that they are not at all afraid of water. They are skilled swimmers and are also capable of diving. In such places they often feed on mollusks, beetles, frogs and even fish.
It is worth remembering forever - it will not be possible to completely eliminate rats on the site. The maximum that can be done is to reduce the number of individuals. The most popular control methods are listed below.
With the help of biological means it is possible to significantly reduce the number of animals in a flock. Usually, people buy pets for these purposes – cats and dogs. According to some experts, it is stray dogs that protect people from the large incursion of these unpleasant rodents into cities.
Ultrasound, chemical control, as well as physical control are quite popular. To prevent their occurrence, you can use some folk remedies. The first step should always be to keep the drinking water source clean and shut off.
Animal lovers have very different preferences: some love cats, others prefer smart and loyal dogs, while others can spend hours watching the life of underwater inhabitants. And for some there is nothing better than a decorative (or pet) rat. Are you surprised? But the history of the domestication and taming of rats dates back to the Middle Ages.
The first decorative individuals, descendants of the now popular pets, appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. The domestic rat (reviews from the owners allow us to judge this) are distinguished by high intelligence, quick wits, cunning and memory, which many people can envy. It is these characteristics that contribute to the maintenance and growth of their popularity.
Even people who, to put it mildly, have a cool attitude towards rodents, watch with pleasure and interest the tricks that decorative rats easily master and demonstrate. In this article we will tell you everything about these pets. You will learn at home what to feed her, what she likes and what she does not accept.
The domestic decorative rat is a small animal. The male weighs about 600 grams, the female is twice as small - 300 grams. Body length is from 8 to 25 centimeters. The build and shape of the muzzle depend on the breed, but most often they have an elongated nose. The body is covered with fur, the density of which also depends on the breed, the tail is almost bare, up to 18 centimeters long, and the legs are short. The color is often monochromatic - red, white, black, gray.
At the same time, among some breeds there are individuals with two-color coats. The color of the eyes also depends on the color, for example, white rats have pink eyes, gray rats have black eyes.
There are many varieties of these animals, but some of them are more suitable for keeping at home. They differ in coat type, size and life expectancy.
Standard
An animal with smooth shiny fur. This is the most common type of pet rat and can be purchased at almost every pet store.
Sphinx
Today this domestic rat is not very common. Reviews from owners indicate that this is a wonderful pet that is suitable for owners who are allergic to animal fur. Sphynxes have virtually no hair (there may be sparse down on the ankles, under the eyes and in the groin).
Dumbo
Larger animals with low-set round and large ears. This variety was developed in California (1991). The breed was named after the cartoon character Dumbo the elephant.
The head is round and wider than other breeds, and the muzzle is pointed. The body shape is pear-shaped, but shorter than that of tailless individuals.
Anurans
The peculiarity of this rodent is clear from the name of the breed, which is the result of a mutation. The first tailless rat was obtained not in a scientific laboratory, but from an amateur in the UK in 1983. This variety differs, for example, from the standard breed in body shape - it is pear-shaped. Representatives of tailless rats should not even have the rudiment of a tail.
Satin
This domestic rat has a special coat. Reviews from owners indicate that it is thinner and longer than other breeds. The body of satin rats has the same shape as that of animals of the standard breed, and the coat has a strong shine. It is thick and very pleasant to the touch.
Double Rex
Representatives of this breed have double hair. The fur is so short that the skin is clearly visible through it, while the fur is twisted into large spirals. Hard guard hairs and soft downy hairs are scattered throughout the body. You need to know that rats of this breed shed.
During this period, in some areas there is a temporary complete absence of hair, sometimes covered with a thin layer of fluff. Color may vary. The mustache is curled and short.
On average, pet rats live about 1.5-2 years, but with proper care this period can increase to 4 years. In addition, you should know that you should purchase an animal from breeders, nurseries or pet stores, but not at the poultry market. Only in this case, you will receive a guarantee that the animal is healthy and is not a carrier of serious diseases.
We hope that, knowing how long a rat lives at home, you will take the choice of an animal seriously and create the necessary conditions for it.
If you are going to get such a pet, then you need to know that these animals need communication. We are not talking about three minutes of contact through the bars. The rodent should sit on your shoulder or in your arms, sniff you from head to toe, taste you as its owner and closest and only friend.
In addition, rats should be given the opportunity to move more or less freely around the apartment, since they need movement. First, allow your pet to master a limited area (for example, one room) under the close supervision of the owner, then, when the animal begins to respond to its name and comes running to the sound of your voice, you can let it go for a walk throughout the apartment.
So, we have determined that the decorative rat, as a pet, needs communication and a real need to move freely. At the same time, she needs her own home. The owner must know how to handle the animal, what to feed it and what kind of character the pet has.
This phrase sounds intimidating and even a little unpleasant. But in reality, the domestic rat (owner reviews indicate this) has an excellent character and a number of advantages that make this rodent a favorite pet in many families.
A rat, as a pet, is not inferior to a cat in terms of cleanliness. She also washes her face frequently. If the cage is cleaned properly and in a timely manner, there will be no unpleasant odor in the house. Keeping a pet rat can be combined with training this animal. Don’t be surprised, but these animals, like dogs, can carry out various commands - “stand”, “lie down”, “sit” and others. A treat will help you achieve results.
We can say that rats are omnivores. But in this article we will tell you what you should not feed these rodents. It is very interesting to watch these animals in a well-equipped cage: with a wheel, all kinds of rings and pipes. Rats deftly use their tails and their prehensile paws.
Aquariums are not suitable for this animal due to poor ventilation, and cages for hamsters are not suitable due to their small area. A cage for a pet rat should be special. This is, rather, a two-, or better yet, a three-story house, a kind of cottage with many different exercise equipment.
In addition to its impressive size, a house for a rat must meet the following requirements:
Many owners, knowing that rats are omnivores, make a fairly common mistake. Omnivory does not mean that your little pet can eat everything. The diet of this nimble animal, which constantly studies the world around it, must be formed based on its needs.
What do pet rats need? Feeding the pet is carried out with foods containing a large amount of carbohydrates (50-60% of the diet), protein for the growth of the animal (25-30%), fats (10-20%). Products prohibited for these animals should be excluded from the animal’s diet. These include:
The daily diet of a pet rat should include:
The rat needs lean boiled meat, berries and seedless fruits, fermented milk and dairy products. A healthy rat eats 30-40 grams of fresh food per day. She should not chew constantly, and do not allow her to chew on week-old food scraps, these should be removed from the cage regularly.
Interested in how to care for domestic rats, many owners are interested in whether water treatments are needed for this animal. It is not only possible, but also necessary to bathe a domestic rat. For females, this procedure is carried out approximately once a month, and males should be wiped with a damp cloth between monthly baths.
How to wash a pet rat? Quite simple, but following certain rules.
Before getting an unusual pet, it is important to know not only how to care for pet rats. If you already have an animal in the house, you need to consider their compatibility. By nature, the domestic rat is very timid. For this reason, it takes her a long time to get used to other animals. But over time, she realizes that there is no danger, and the animals find a common language.
This attitude largely depends on your second pet. If you have a fighting dog or an aggressive cat, then it is better to give up the rat.
Rats are smart and inquisitive, and it is not difficult to teach them some of the skills that are primarily necessary for successfully living with humans.
A rat can be taught:
The latter is rather a trick for children or guests, but if you teach your pet to respond to a voice and return home, this is really important in the communication between a nimble animal and its owner.
In order for the rat to learn easily, you need to choose a short and sonorous name and stock up on the animal’s favorite treat (pieces of boiled meat or seeds). By repeating your rat's name in a gentle, quiet voice, reward him when he starts to move the way you want him to. Repeat this exercise periodically, and you will soon find that, as soon as she hears your call, she will immediately come running to you.
You can teach a rat to return to its cage in the same way by repeating its name at the house. Or tapping the cage at the same time. For example, in the evening, don’t forget to treat your friend with seeds.
It's even easier to teach a rat to stand on its hind legs. Gradually lift the treat directly from the animal's nose. The rodent will reach for the treat and stand on its hind legs. After a short training he will do it easily and quickly.
If you keep animals of different sexes, they will soon begin to reproduce naturally. One female can give birth to about twenty rat pups every month and a half. Even when she is nursing babies, there is a possibility of another pregnancy. Therefore, it is not recommended to keep rats of different sexes in the same cage.
Puberty in domestic rats occurs at one and a half months of age. However, healthy offspring can be produced by a female no younger than 5-8 months and a male older than 1 year. Pregnancy lasts on average twenty-five days. The female takes care of the offspring for 4-5 weeks, until the cubs develop immunity and they receive the necessary life experience from the mother.
After five weeks, the young should be separated from their mother and the females should be separated from the males. But quite often pet stores do not pay attention to this rule, so there is a danger of purchasing a pregnant female.
Another rule that owners often neglect. And completely in vain. The purchased rat must be isolated from other animals (if they are already living in a cage) for four weeks. She is placed in another house and in another room, since some viruses can sometimes be airborne.
To avoid infecting old pets, after interacting with a new rat, wash your hands with soap and carefully observe the animal to see if it shows signs of disease.
Hierarchy of rats in a single group
Abramova Daria, 15 years old
Head of work:
Khilkov Timur Nikolaevich
Ph.D., methodologist
Kusakina Victoria Yurievna
additional teacher education
Sortavala – 2012
1. Introduction……………………………………………………………. ……... .3
2. Literature review:
2.1.Peculiarities of rat behavior…………………………………………………………..4
2.2. The reasons for the emergence of hierarchy in rats and ways to achieve it……5
2.3. The importance of hierarchy in the life of rats……………….……………………….........7
3. Materials and methods……………………………………………………….. .8
4. Research results……………………………………………………. .10
5. Conclusions………………………………………………………………………………………... 12
6. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………..... 12
7. List of references……………………………………………………………………............... 14
Introduction
Rats appeared on Earth 30-40 million years ago, in Southeast Asia, long before the most distant ancestors of humans. Currently, gray rats are found on almost all continents of the world. The gray rat is a species in its prime. Wild rodents usually do not reach high numbers, but pasyuki living in the anthropogenic environment find themselves in more favorable conditions. It is believed that there are almost twice as many rats on Earth as people, and in large cities their number is comparable to the number of inhabitants. The density of the rat population is incredibly high: one rat per 0.8 m². The resettlement of rats continues to this day.
In rat society there is a rigid hierarchy among the males and among the females. By the age of 6-8 months, every self-respecting Pasyuk should acquire its own territory, with high-ranking ones capturing the most feeding places. And woe to strangers who wander into the wrong area! A fight for an alien can result in death.
Why, with such a high number of these animals and such cruel relationships between them, do these animals continue to flourish?
I became interested in how rats get along in a separate group and how their relationships develop.
Purpose of the work:
Clarification of the peculiarities of the hierarchy of rats in a separate group
1. Find out the characteristics of each rat
2. Find out the peculiarities of relationships between individuals in a group
3. Establish the reasons for the existing relationship
Literature review
Features of rat behavior
Rats are omnivores, i.e. they can eat almost anything.
As a result, their habitats can be very diverse.
In nature, wild rats live in burrows. A rat hole can be a nesting chamber connected to the ground by a short tunnel (in the simplest case), or a rather complex system of tunnels, passages and chambers.
The average diameter of the tunnel is 8.3 cm, the average length of a straight tunnel is about 30 cm (at the end the tunnel turns in the other direction, bifurcates or ends in a dead end or chamber). Cameras vary greatly in size. The average chamber measures 18 by 22 cm and can accommodate 7 rats.
Females form small groups (up to six animals). One group has one burrow system of its own. Each female has a separate nesting chamber, and they can raise their pups alone or care for shared pups as a group. Soon after switching to independent feeding, young males leave the colony. Some females with cubs sometimes allow other rats from the colony to move into their nests
In a rat society (population) there are elements of mutual assistance: “nurseries” for babies and food supply for old blind rats. It happens that in case of danger, old people are escorted to a secluded place. And with all this, they can, without a twinge of conscience, devour their sick brother. From a biological point of view, this is a good thing - others will not get sick. When it freezes, they huddle in some common shelter, forgetting for a while about rank differences, warming each other with their own warmth. Cases have been described when pasyuki gnawed benign tumors of their relatives and freed demonstrators from live traps by gnawing through the cells.
Another type of relationship is allogrooming - cleaning the fur of one individual by another individual. Mutual cleansing is widespread among mammals that lead a family-group lifestyle, including rats. Allogrooming plays an important role in maintaining the system of social connections in the group and in suppressing aggressive tendencies. Allogrooming has a calming effect on the partner, causing a feeling of pleasure. One individual cleans the fur of another individual in those places that it cannot reach with its muzzle; Allogrooming also plays a role in creating the overall "colony scent". Females of most mammalian species lick and clean the fur of their young. Rats and other rodents with a family-group lifestyle have special “grooming” poses when a subordinate individual seeks tactile contact with the dominant.
Behavior of rats in natural conditions
Rats are social animals; they cannot exist in isolation, so they form large families, each member of which actively participates in the life of the group. Usually, descendants of one family community, originating from a common ancestor, are allowed into a rat family.
The advantage of large groups in nature is obvious: the family will be able to quickly detect the enemy, find food, dig holes, and in addition, it is easier for newborn babies to survive in a large group. However, the existence of a significant number of rats in a limited area often becomes the cause of intra-family conflicts, usually associated with a lack of food.
In rat families, there is a strict hierarchy: animals occupying a low position are subordinate in everything to animals of higher rank, and this order is maintained by characteristic sound signals and behavior.
Males often show aggression during the mating season. Females, on the other hand, are distinguished by a more peaceful and calm character; there is no clear hierarchical division among them. Females get along peacefully with each other and even build joint nests, and quarrels between them arise in very rare cases. Female rats become real heroines when their cubs are in any danger; they protect their babies with incredible courage for relatively small animals.
When selecting married couples, decorative individuals can be of different types
To delimit the territory of a community, the rats included in it make odorous marks; rodents use them to find feeding, watering and resting places; with the help of an odorous secretion, the female lets the male know that she is ready to mate. It should be noted that the smell of rats of one family differs from the smell of other animals, even their closest neighbors. Information about the characteristic smell is passed on from parents to children genetically.
From the book of Rats author Iofina Irina Olegovna2 Biological characteristics of rats
From the book Dachshund author Baranovsky Viktor AlexandrovichBurrows and shelters of rats The importance of burrows in the life of rats is very great; animals spend most of their lives in them: they breed and raise offspring, rest after long searches and meals, hide from adverse weather conditions and take refuge from danger. Burrows
From the author's book3 Decorative breeds of rats Rats have several types of adaptation to unfavorable environmental conditions, long-term or seasonal. Individual countries have adopted different classification systems for the standard of ornamental rats. The most famous among them are
From the author's bookTransportation, adaptation and placement of rats Rats are among the most calm and balanced pets. Their cages do not take up much space, pets consume relatively little food and eventually become tame. From food
From the author's book From the author's book7 Feeding rats Rats are omnivorous animals, so they will happily eat almost any food from the human table. But this is not a reason to feed them anything. Like any living creatures, rats have addictions to certain foods, but there are some things they simply don’t like.
From the author's bookTechniques for feeding rats All products that are fed to animals must be well cleaned, washed and stored in closed containers inaccessible to wild rodents that carry diseases. Before feeding vegetables and root vegetables to animals, carefully
From the author's bookDiets for rats All of the above rules for feeding rats were given without taking into account the personal characteristics and physical condition of a particular individual. If the rat is sick, too thin or too fat, or just sad and inactive, you should try changing
From the author's book8 Taming Rats Of all the rodents, rats are the most easily tamed. Unlike other species, they tolerate loneliness very poorly and easily make contact. If treated well, animals easily get used to people and become harmless pets.
From the author's bookTraining rats Rats are not only perfectly tamed, but also, having natural intelligence, are easy to train. However, it has been noticed that colored decorative rats cope with the assigned tasks much more easily than white rats, whose vision is
From the author's bookGames for rats Everyone knows that rats are quite smart and quick-witted animals, and these qualities largely determine their needs. Of course, animals need, first of all, proper care and a complete, balanced diet, but this is not enough. If you
From the author's bookTraining rats using the Clicker method You can teach a rat to pass obstacles in a certain time (as well as perform any other tasks) using the simple and effective Clicker method. This is a special training program based on the development of conditioned reflexes and
From the author's book10 Breeding rats Decorative types of rats reproduce well at home. However, to obtain healthy, viable offspring, it is necessary to have at least basic knowledge about the biological characteristics of pets, the rules of feeding and keeping
From the author's bookSexual cycles and mating of rats Unlike rodents living in the wild, male ornamental rats are active throughout their lives (when kept in a cage, rats live up to 3.5 years) regardless of the time of year. Some fluctuations in sexual activity depend on the health of the animal and
From the author's book11 Diseases of rats All animals, including rats, are susceptible to various diseases. Therefore, it is necessary not only to observe the rules of hygiene when keeping them, but also to constantly carry out preventive measures (quarantine for newly acquired animals,
From the author's bookHunting in natural conditions Hunting with a dachshund, or even a terrier, in nature is not as easy as it seems at first glance. It is easier to catch a fox with the help of a dachshund than, for example, a badger. It poses a much greater danger to the dog, so hunting should always be done thoroughly.
