Hidden Lives of Rats and Mice
Rats and mice are highly intelligent natural students who excel at learning and enjoy intellectual challenges. They have excellent memories and impressive navigational skills, using subgoal memorization and creating mental maps.
Mice and rats are also loving and devoted and care deeply for others in their group. They groom each other, will even put themselves in harm’s way to save others, and vigorously protect their nests and young. Males in particular often enjoy being “groomed” by their human guardian, such as gentle strokes behind the ears, and will even reciprocate by licking or preening their guardian.
Rodents’ personalities are varied. Some will snuggle in their guardian’s lap or on their shoulders, or even sit contentedly while being gently massaged. Others are tremendously energetic and inquisitive, preferring to explore, work on their habitats, and solve puzzles. Guardians should tailor their care and interactions towards their animals’ own preferences.
Rats and Mice Have Rights!
These brilliant, gentle animals matter so little to experimenters that those tormented and killed in laboratories don’t even have to be counted. But estimates indicate that tens of millions of them are killed in cruel, pointless experiments each year in the U.S. alone. They are excluded from even the meager protections of the Animal Welfare Act, which exempts rodents, birds, and cold-blooded animals from consideration.
Take these quick, simple actions to help mice and rats who are suffering in laboratories. And take PETA’s pledge to purchase only products that are not tested on animals.
Did You Know?
- Mice and rats are fastidiously clean, grooming themselves frequently every day.
- Both species are highly social animals and can communicate with each other using high-frequency sounds that humans can’t hear without instrumentation. They often play, wrestle, and sleep curled up together. Like many humans and many other animals, if they do not have the companionship of their own species, they can become lonely, anxious, depressed, and stressed. However, since male mice are highly territorial and will fight other males, they must be neutered and housed with females instead; if this isn’t feasible, male mice kept alone need to have dedicated guardians who provide plenty of daily interaction, affection, playtime, and mental stimulation.
- A group of rats or mice is called a mischief.
- Like many humans, rats and mice are choosy and enjoy variety in their foods, often eating their favorites first and leaving what they dislike.
- Rats and mice are most active at dusk and dawn, and often remain active throughout the night.
- Unlike humans, mice and rats can see ultraviolet light, but their general vision is fairly poor. They use their whiskers to help them navigate their environment, especially at night. Brushing their whiskers against an object helps them map out their surroundings.
- When in a state of bliss or contentment, both species are known to rhythmically grind their teeth in a behavior known as “bruxing,” not to be confused with irregular tooth grinding often paired with a hunched or stiff posture, which can indicate pain, stress, or illness, and usually warrants a visit to a veterinarian.
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This list will help save lives every time one replaces a deadly test on animals.
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