How to identify a rat squeak by ear? Rats have long been considered one of the quietest mammals. Many people think that only in moments of mortal danger do animals emit a piercing cry.
What a surprise it can be for ornamental pet owners to discover a wide range of sounds coming from their beloved pet.
Screech
A loud squeal or scream as if it is being killed is also called a rat's "cry."
It indicates severe pain or fear of the rodent. As in the case of squeaking, it is necessary to palpate the pet’s body. If, when you touch any place without visible external injuries, the animal begins to scream, you must take it to the veterinarian. Pain can be caused by internal injuries to the digestive tract as a result of feeding foods that are unsuitable for the rodent.
If you find any kind of injury in a rat (skid, cut), you need to provide it with first aid yourself: treat the wound with an antiseptic solution and stop the bleeding.
What definitely won't repel rats?
Finally, it is almost certain that you will not be able to repel rats with the many cheap Chinese repellers that are actively sold on the Internet. In fact, these tools do nothing; often their task is simply to blink a light so that the user thinks that the device is working. They are bought in the hope of saving money and with the understanding that if the device does not help, then they will not mind the money spent. Actually, this is exactly what happens.
It is useful to pay attention to the operation of the repeller you are purchasing: if a device declared as ultrasonic clearly beeps, it means that it has nothing to do with ultrasound. Therefore, it is unlikely to drive rats out of the house. The so-called magnetic resonance and electromagnetic devices, which supposedly create a field in the electrical network of the apartment that repels insects and rodents, are also useless
There is no theoretical explanation for this effect, but in practice people find that rats and mice do not pay attention to such devices at all
The so-called magnetic resonance and electromagnetic devices, which supposedly create a field in the apartment’s electrical network that repels insects and rodents, are also useless. There is no theoretical explanation for this effect, but in practice people find that rats and mice do not pay attention to such devices at all.
Various folk repellents almost always turn out to be useless. For example:
- Elder;
- Broken glass scattered near rat passages;
- Black beans;
- Red pepper, also scattered near rat shelters;
- Ash;
- Singed fur;
- Burnt rubber...
At best, these drugs can cause some alertness in rats, but not for long. The animals quickly get used to it and do not leave the house.
If you have personal experience in repelling rodents from your home (by any means), be sure to share the information by leaving a review at the bottom of this page.
An example of how rodents do not pay any attention to a working repeller
- Choosing an effective electronic rat and mouse repeller
- Ultrasonic rat and mouse repeller Tornado 400 and reviews of its use
- The use of ultrasound against rats and mice
Cons of decorative rats
Before you bring a little rat into your home, think about whether you are ready to accept him with all his shortcomings. The amount of responsibility does not depend on the size of the pet
Pay attention to the disadvantages of decorative rats
Short life expectancy
On average, rats live 2-2.5 years. With good care and heredity - 3-3.5 years, no longer. Parting with a smart and affectionate pet is unbearably difficult. This is the main disadvantage of rats - they live only a little longer than hamsters. But with a hamster, the owner usually does not develop a deep emotional attachment. Other rodents and lagomorphs - rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and degus - live much longer than rats.
Rat "Siamese" color
Urine marks, feces
Although rats themselves are clean animals, they cannot be toilet trained like a cat or hamster. Peeing everywhere is necessary for them, this is how they mark their territory. I'm not sure about feces, but they poop wherever they want. Accordingly, after a walk you need to remove the “gifts”. When a rat crawls over a person, it can mark him too (pee).
Destroy things and repair
Call Captain Obvious, rodents are gnawing! Rats have incredibly strong and sharp teeth, allowing them to crush even concrete. Keeping smart animals in a cage all the time is cruel; they have to be let out to run around. And some damage is inevitable. Before a walk, you need to hide all things dear to your heart - documents, headphones. Rats chew curtains, wallpaper, books. My rat secretly chewed a round hole in the wooden bottom of the sofa, and made a luxurious nest in the quilted blanket that lay inside. I discovered this only in winter, but I was still surprised - where is he hiding for so long?
You need to decide in advance what you love more: rats or furniture
Poor health
Stories about the incredible vitality of rats cause them a lot of harm. People think that rats are “unkillable”, which means they can be fed everything, parachuted from a bunk bed, or allowed to swim in the bathtub. Firstly, you cannot compare the health of a wild pasyuk and a decorative rat. Secondly, the vitality of rats is primarily the well-being of the entire species, and not the individual. They have gained a formidable reputation for their extremely rapid reproduction. And fertility does not mean good health, rather the opposite. Rats catch colds easily, may suffer from digestive disorders, and get injured while walking. But the main thing is that they are susceptible to cancer. Their tumors grow rapidly and require immediate surgical intervention. The situation is complicated by the fact that only a small number of veterinarians are able and willing to treat rats. There is not a special doctor - a rodentologist - in every city. It is better to find out his contacts in advance from rat breeders or on rat breeding forums.
Grinding or chattering of teeth
When your guinea pig chatters its teeth, you need to be wary. This extreme degree of anger, which does not happen often. Often guinea pigs make sounds similar to hissing, chattering their teeth and showing a grin. This means the animal is aggressive. And there are good reasons for this.
A fight is inevitable if you do not react in time and do not seat the animals. At the same time, it is necessary to remove a less aggressive animal so as not to turn out to be “extreme”.
Why can rodents quarrel? More often this is a division of territory. To avoid such disagreements, you need to install a very large cage to house two or more animals. Animals are accustomed to being neighbors in stages. It is possible that, like people, they may exhibit psychological incompatibility due to their diametrically opposite character.
To begin with, they place the cages close to each other, but so that the voice of the guinea pig can be heard by the future neighbor. After one or two weeks they can be placed side by side. And only in ten days will they be given the opportunity to share one place of residence.
If conflicts are excluded and no other external irritants can be detected, the animal should be shown to a veterinarian. This may be deviations in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, the growth of teeth that were not sharpened in time.
Sign of illness
Ornamental animals are susceptible to diseases due to low immunity. The most common pathologies are:
- tumors of various etiologies;
- stroke and heart attack;
- mites;
- respiratory tract diseases;
- elongated teeth.
Almost all of these ailments are accompanied by pain. In order to inform the owner of discomfort, rats chatter their teeth. This sign indicates moderate pain. In order not to bring the animal to severe suffering, it is necessary to take prompt measures and visit a veterinarian.
Rat language is very diverse. In addition to tapping, they make other sounds. If you learn to distinguish them, then you can interact with your pet to the maximum and enjoy its funny antics and habits.
Source
What sounds do domestic and wild rats make?
Under natural conditions, rodents live in colonies and communicate in three complementary ways:
- High frequency sounds. Used by cubs to find their mother or by males during the mating season. The human ear is not able to recognize this signal.
- Chirping. Rapid rhythmic chattering of teeth is used to warn relatives of approaching danger. A domestic rat can also chirp if it is scared.
- Smells. They play a key role, since the rat’s sense of smell is more developed than other senses. Wild animals mark their territory with scent glands, and also recognize relatives by a specific smell.
As they became domesticated, people learned to distinguish and identify some of the sounds of their pets.
Hiss
Just like cats, in moments of anger and irritation, rats bristle and hiss. In this case, it is better not to disturb them. If there are several other rodents living in the cage with the aggressor, carefully separate him from the others and leave him alone until he “cools off.”
Squeak
With the help of a piercing loud squeak, the animal tries to convey its fear or pain. Inspect the area around the cage and analyze what might have frightened your pet. It is likely that the rat could hear the cat or the hum of the vacuum cleaner from the next room.
If the rat does not live alone in the cage, put it away. Inspect carefully for bites and injuries. If there are no visible signs of damage on the body, and the pet does not calm down and continues to squeak for a long time, contact your veterinarian immediately. Your pet may experience severe pain due to internal injuries.
An abrupt loud squeak when pulled out of the cage signals that the pet is not in the mood to contact a person.
Whistling
A long whistling sound in the throat is an attempt to attract the attention of the owner, a desire to receive affection. An increasingly loud whistle is a mating call that helps males attract females for mating.
The increasingly loud whistle is a mating call that helps males attract females for mating.
Chirping
Chirping, just like squealing or squeaking, is a sign that your pet is scared. The owner must examine the area around the cage to identify the threat and eliminate it. The rodent may also chirp when in pain.
Screech
A loud squeal or scream as if it is being killed is also called a rat's "cry." It indicates severe pain or fear of the rodent.
As in the case of squeaking, it is necessary to palpate the pet’s body. If, when you touch any place without visible external injuries, the animal begins to scream, you must take it to the veterinarian. Pain can be caused by internal injuries to the digestive tract as a result of feeding foods that are unsuitable for the rodent.
If you find any kind of injury in a rat (skid, cut), you need to provide it with first aid yourself: treat the wound with an antiseptic solution and stop the bleeding.
Grinding teeth
Sometimes rat owners are frightened by the strange sounds that their tailed pets make. Among them, for example, grinding teeth. In fact, this sound is similar to a cat purring. The creaking resonates in the body of rodents, and because of this it seems that the animal is trembling.
The tailed pet grinds its teeth when it is as calm, satisfied and full as possible.
Grunt
The rat often makes sounds that are similar to grunting from pleasure when communicating with the owner or receiving a favorite treat from him. However, grunting sounds for these rodents are not the norm, since they most often occur if the animal has rhinitis, pneumonia, heart problems or a deviated nasal septum.
If such a condition appears, it is better to show your pet to a veterinarian and make sure that his life is not in danger.
Cough and sneeze
Cold symptoms in rodents and humans are very similar. The disease is manifested by coughing, sneezing, lacrimation, runny nose and apathy. When the first signs of respiratory diseases appear, your tailed pet should be shown to a veterinarian, since such diseases in rats develop very quickly and often cause death.
Sometimes healthy animals make sounds that vaguely resemble sneezing or coughing. They usually do this to intimidate their cagemates and to assume a leadership role.
Coughing
The appearance of cough in rodents does not always signal illness. This sound is accompanied by anger and a demonstration of leadership.
Whistle in the ultrasonic range
With the help of a whistling sound in the throat, the pet demonstrates the desire to sit in the owner's arms. When the volume increases, the animal is not inclined to caress. Also, this frequency helps to establish contact with females.
What sounds do guinea pigs like?
To say that humanity knows exactly the answer to this question would be too presumptuous. It can be said with certainty that timid animals in general, who have a lot of enemies in the wild, definitely do not like unfamiliar, sharp and loud sounds that can be fraught with danger. If the owner often talks affectionately to his little animal, the animal associates a familiar voice with a tasty treat, an interesting game, the opportunity to sit on warm laps and expose its back for stroking or scratching - in a word, with very positive emotions.
You might be interested in learning how to determine the age of a guinea pig.
There is no reason to doubt that such sounds will please the animal and not irritate it. Some owners of funny rodents claim that their pets adore music, and quite specific music at that. Perhaps this is so, but generalizations are hardly appropriate here. Guinea pigs are smart and very individual animals, so each of them can have their own taste preferences, including their attitude to music.
There is another possibility. So, if the same soundtracks are often heard in the house, the animal associates such noise accompaniment with the fact that its beloved owner is nearby, and since loneliness is an unpleasant factor for a pack guinea pig, then the animal likes music, as an integral attribute of communication, precisely for this reason. reason, and not at all in itself. The language of guinea pigs is an interesting and multifaceted topic.
These sociable and affectionate animals are capable of making a wide variety of sounds, which, in combination with non-verbal signs and clues, can absolutely let the owner understand exactly what their pet is feeling at that moment. You just need to show a little attention and love, and communication with the funny animal will bring real pleasure to both sides.
Behavioral features
Rats detect any changes in the owner's voice, so raising your voice or using brute force for punishment is not acceptable. A frightened animal will become downtrodden and wild.
Try turning the guilty rodent onto its back. In nature, such punishment is used by the leader of the pack, so the rat realizes guilt and is filled with respect.
The only punishment for a rodent is to turn it into a subordinate position.
With a good attitude, the pet becomes imbued with love and begins to show talkativeness (coos, chirps, grunts). But even in this case, all sounds have their own interpretation and contain an obligatory subtext.
How to get rid of a rat when you come face to face with it
If a rat squeaks very close and is found in a nightstand or closet, it’s time to catch it. The main thing is not to drive the animal into a corner. In a critical situation, a rat can jump up to 2 meters high. At the same time, they dig into the victim’s face with their claws and teeth, trying to neutralize it. What a person needs to remember once and for all is that a wild rat can only look like a domesticated pet in appearance. In fact, she is aggressive and cunning.
When you see a rat, you don’t need to make sudden movements or get too close to it. It is advisable to catch it in a trap or try to drive it away using a broom or other improvised means. What should not be allowed is her victorious retreat into a hole inaccessible to humans. You need to make sure that the rat is far from home, scare it or completely neutralize it. So, the main thing in the fight against a rat is to detect it. And how to get rid of it is up to you to decide.
Features of rat teeth
The structure of teeth in rats and other mammals differs markedly. This is mainly due to lifestyle and eating mostly solid foods. The main differences in the dentition of decorative rats are as follows:
- Rats do not have baby teeth - only permanent ones. The teeth that erupt in a rat remain with it for the rest of its life.
- Rats have only 16 teeth – 4 incisors and 12 incisors. They are the first to grab and chew food, and the second to thoroughly grind.
- The incisors of small animals grow throughout their lives. To prevent overgrown teeth from digging into the skin and mucous membranes, and also from interfering with nutrition, the rat simply grinds them off. The animal does this on its own, or with the help of “improvised” means.
- There is a small gap between the incisors and molars - a diastema. To prevent foreign objects from entering the mouth, this gap is covered with hanging skin bags.
- Rat incisors are covered with enamel only on the front side. The back of the tooth is represented by soft dentin. The older the rat, the stronger and yellower its tooth enamel.
It is also worth saying that the teeth of both pasyuks and decorative rats are very strong. On the Moss scale, their hardness is 5.5. For comparison: diamond - 10, iron nail - 4, knife edge - 5, construction steel - 4.5.
What sounds do house rats make?
In the wild, rats live in packs. To communicate with their relatives, they use the following complementary methods:
Smells. This type of communication plays a major role in a rat pack, since the sense of smell in these rodents is more developed than other senses. Wild individuals mark their territory with the help of scent glands and recognize their relatives by a special aroma. High-frequency squeak. Similar sounds are made by male rats during mating games, as well as by babies to search for their mother. Human hearing cannot recognize such a signal. Chirping. Rats use this sound to notify their fellows that danger is approaching. Chirping is the rapid tapping of teeth. Pet rats can also make this sound if they are very scared.
After these rodents were domesticated, people learned to understand the meaning of the sounds they made.
Reasons why a rat may be choking or panting?
If extraneous sounds are heard during breathing (wheezing, whistling, etc.), it becomes confused or the animal is suffocating, this may be the cause of various diseases.
Respiratory diseases (bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma)
A rat's heavy breathing is a bad sign. Sometimes even a common cold can cause more serious illnesses, resulting in death.
For respiratory diseases, the following symptoms are distinguished: - the rat constantly grunts its nose and sneezes;
— dried brownish mucus appears on the nose and eyes, it is called porphyrin;
- a characteristic whistle is heard, the animal breathes frequently and unnaturally from its sides;
- there is a cough of varying intensity and humidity, wheezing and gurgling are heard when breathing, the rat opens its mouth;
- in neglected situations, the rat characteristically hunches its back, moves little and often sleeps;
- in severe cases of the disease, the rodent refuses to eat, apathy, ruffled fur, and mucous discharge from the eyes and nose are observed.
Have you noticed similar signs in your rodent?
Cardiovascular diseases (heart failure, heart attack, stroke)
Heart failure can occur in any rat, regardless of age. This disease also causes striking symptoms:
Is the rat grunting? Let's run to the vet!
— the animal suddenly gains weight, a huge belly appears;
- sometimes the opposite situation occurs: the rodent quickly loses weight, the fur becomes dull and disheveled;
— the domestic rat loses activity, becomes easily fatigued, and the animal sleeps a lot;
- breathing becomes wet and heavy, the rodent grunts, wheezes and coughs;
- the tips of the animal’s tail and fingers become cold and blue, the hind legs are weakened.
Older, older rats may have a heart attack or stroke.
These diseases are characterized by the following symptoms:
- the animal falls on its side and convulses;
— the rodent opens its mouth and gasps;
- limbs move involuntarily.
If a rat is breathing heavily, this is not normal!
Dental care and disease prevention
In order for the teeth to develop properly and not deteriorate, the rat needs purified water, so you need to regularly change the liquid in the drinking bowl.
To avoid problems, you need to properly care for your pet. At home, a rat grinds its teeth using special toys, twigs, stones, suitable food (chicken bones, walnuts with shells, bread crumbs)
It is important to provide your pet with access to these materials, otherwise he will start chattering his teeth
If a rodent for some reason (bad bite, lack of materials) cannot grind down its incisors, then they become excessively long and bend at an angle of 80º. Due to excessive length, various problems arise (discomfort, hunger), even death. To avoid this, you need to trim the incisors. This procedure does not cause pain in rats because there are no nerve endings in these teeth.
It is necessary to trim the incisors by 2–3 mm after about 1–2 weeks. You need to monitor their length, because if they outgrow, they will damage the oral mucosa. The incisors are trimmed by a veterinarian; you can also carry out the procedure yourself using nail clippers. You need to hold the animal upside down so that the fragments do not get into the throat. It is necessary to press on the base of the jaw on both sides or unclench them with a stick.
The nippers are held perpendicular to the tooth and cut in one motion.
The health of a rat largely depends on the condition of its teeth, so they need to be checked regularly (especially the incisors). The following symptoms indicate problems:
- wounds on the oral mucosa;
- increased salivation;
- tooth loss;
- knocking when eating food;
- loss of appetite;
- swelling of the tongue or oral mucosa;
- abscess in the mouth.
Any of these symptoms is a reason to contact a ratologist (small rodent specialist). He will conduct a visual examination of the teeth and oral cavity, analyze the microflora from the mouth, and, if necessary, treat the suppuration with antiseptics. Further actions depend on the diagnosis; the dentist can shorten the incisors and correct the bite.
He will also advise you on how to properly care for your rat.
For normal development of the dental system, it is necessary to provide suitable conditions for keeping the rat. You need to monitor the cleanliness of the cage, the quality of food, observe how much the animal sleeps, and protect it from stress and injury.
State of rest
Rodents' incisors grow constantly, so they need to sharpen them. Often after eating, the domestic rat rests and spends time usefully. A specific grinding sound indicates that the pet is simply sharpening its teeth. This procedure is urgently needed. Too long incisors interfere with eating and can grow into the oral cavity, causing pain and discomfort to the animal.
Sometimes at this moment the animal’s eyes may “bulge out” - this is a normal phenomenon. After the procedure, your pet will look as usual.
Tips to help you understand the decorative rat
So, we have established that character is an individual characteristic of each individual. However, there are little clues that can help you understand any and all ornamental rats, even the sphinx rat. These clues are some common behaviors that, once you learn to recognize, will help you understand your rodent without words.
Why does a rat lick its owner's fingers or hair?
A person who is far from keeping such rodents at home will not think long about the answer to this question. Yes, she's just hungry and wants to eat you. But that's not true. The fact is that rats are very social and public pets.
And, if Djungarian hamsters are rather self-sufficient creatures that simply tolerate your company and your attention, then decorative rats, on the contrary, enjoy your attention and your touches, and in order to somehow express their gratitude to you - they try to lick your fingers and hair. This rat “grooming” reminds them of childhood and maternal affection, and in such a situation, they show you that they treat you as tenderly and affectionately as a mother treats her cubs
This is exactly how they show their care to us.
The same can be said about situations when you watch rats lick each other, stroke each other’s tails, noses, ears...
Considering this peculiarity of the behavior of rats, if you cannot give your rodent enough attention, so that he does not die from melancholy and loneliness, which rats tolerate very poorly, it is recommended to get him a mate with whom he can fully realize his needs in communication. Well, you will definitely enjoy watching how decorative rats sleep in an embrace, play and playfully fight... Read more about breeding decorative rats at home.
Why does a rat grind its teeth?
Wary behavior of a decorative rat
You can often hear owners of decorative rats say that their pet periodically grinds its teeth. Most often this happens when you pick up a rodent and it sits on your shoulder, however, a similar squeak can be heard under other circumstances. What does it mean? Does the rat express dissatisfaction in this way, or, on the contrary, show how happy it is? In order to characterize the hidden meaning of teeth grinding in rats, we invite you to remember why cats purr. In this way, your pet shows you how happy and glad he is that he has you, that you feed him and take care of him. During such a squeak, a vibration occurs that passes through the entire body of the decorative rat, and it may even begin to tremble with joy.
However, if a rat does not just grind its teeth with happiness, but clicks them, then this is already a state of excitement and excitement. Something scared or interested your pet, and if he could talk, he would definitely tell you about it.
If the clicking of the teeth is accompanied by such signs as the fur on the back standing on end, tension throughout the body, the shine of the eyes, while the rat looks, staring at one point, then this is already a strong excitement, caused by an emotion of a negative nature. If the hissing and squealing sounds that the rodent makes are added to the picture described above, then it is preparing for an attack.
A few more reasons for squeaking
Any owner of a decorative rodent should definitely know the meaning of such signals, but it is also important to be able to understand the intonation and situational context of the squeak:
- when your pet squeaks while stroking it, you should suspect the presence of a wound, touching which causes pain;
- the rat is probably happy and in a good mood if in the owner’s hands it squeaks quietly or tries to lick your hand;
- young rodents often squeak, expressing delight at the fun and games of their fellows;
- a squeak can also indicate fear, especially if such a squeak is abrupt and loud. Most likely, the rodent sees danger, for example, a sneaking cat, and calls the owner for help;
- when an animal is picked up and at the same time it makes a squeak, then the rat may be unhappy with being disturbed.
What sounds do rats make?
Rats use sounds to show their mood.
Experts distinguish up to 9 types of different types of sounds that a rat can make in certain situations. Each of them means something. However, in order not to make mistakes with the translation, it is recommended to interpret rat sounds in the general context, that is, taking into account the situation in which you heard them, the state of the rat, its behavior. Then you definitely can't go wrong. So, our rats can make sounds like...
Heart-rending screech
With a heart-rending squeal, rats communicate that they are scared and in pain. If there is no reason to be afraid, but the rat is squealing, examine your pet to see if there are any visible injuries on its body and whether it needs veterinary care. If you do not find any injuries, but the squealing does not stop, it is recommended to show the rat to a veterinarian as soon as possible - perhaps we are talking about internal damage. Read more about rat diseases.
Hoarse screech
As a rule, a hoarse squeal indicates that the rat is aggressive. Most often this happens during conflicts with relatives. However, if there are no other rats in the neighborhood, but there is your hand - you are going to take the rat in your arms - it is better to abandon your idea. Now the rat is not in the mood for communication.
Ultrasonic whistle
This kind of whistle can be heard when you pick up a rat. She kind of squeaks. Depending on the volume of such a squeak, you can judge whether the rat is happy with moving into your arms or not. By the way, some ratologists are sure that with the help of ultrasonic whistles, males establish communication with females. Learn about raising rats at home.
Grunt
Some rats grunt like guinea pigs
Some rats may grunt with pleasure. However, from a veterinary point of view, the explanation for such sounds may not be very reassuring - pneumonia, deviated nasal septum, rhinitis... in order to make sure that everything is in order with your rat, and grunting with joy - show it to the veterinarian. It’s better to make sure that you were worrying in vain than to blame yourself later for not realizing it in time.
Hiss
Hissing sounds indicate that the rat is not in the mood and is aggressive. It's better not to touch her now. If she hisses at other rats, then it is better to avoid rat fights, carefully so that she does not bite you, put her in another cage until she calms down.
Silent cough
A cough may indicate not only that the animal has a cold and its lungs are affected, but also that it is angry and is also trying to show its dominant position.
Sneezing
As in the previous case, first consider the possibility of a cold, and only then move on to the psychological interpretation of rat sounds. If, in addition to sneezing and coughing, the rat’s eyes are watery, there is porphyrin secretion, and the rodent itself is weak and lethargic, do not delay a visit to the veterinarian. Here we are not talking about conflicts, but about a serious illness.
Chirping
If your rat chirps, then with its sounds it is trying to warn its relatives or maybe even you of danger. Carefully inspect the room where the cage is located. Perhaps your neighbor's cat got in and that's what the rat smelled
Be sure to pay attention to your rat's excited sounds
Grinding teeth
If you hear that it’s yours, you should know that she is very happy now, and is not grinding her teeth out of anger. Its creak is something similar to the purring of a cat. The creaking causes a slight vibration in the animal's body, so it seems that the rat is even trembling.
Video about rat sounds
Today we got acquainted with the basics of rat language. In any of these situations, it is worth not only considering the sound as an independent manifestation of the rodent’s behavior, but looking at the pet’s condition as a whole, then you will not miss a signal from its body that the rat needs veterinary care. What sounds do your kitty rats make? Post photos of your rodents in our VKontakte group.
We are waiting for your feedback and comments, join our VKontakte group!
Meaning of beeps
How does a rat squeak? - extremely diverse. The rather rich tongue of a rodent signals that the animal is afraid, in pain, indignant, happy at the appearance of its owner, etc. The only way for a pet to express its emotions is through sound signals.
In order to know why a rat squeaks, every attentive owner must learn to decipher the sounds made by the pet:
- If a rat screams for a long time or squeals heart-rendingly , it means that it is in great pain. It is necessary to examine the animal and identify the cause of the pain, be it damage from a sharp object or a wound received in a fight with a fellow animal. If there are no external wounds, you need to seek the help of a veterinarian - the internal organs of the rodent may be damaged;
- if the owner hears a hoarse squeak , then the animal is either angry or aggressive. As a rule, such a signal is aimed at intimidating the opponent. At this time, the rat is unlikely to like being disturbed, so you need to give it time to “cool down” and calm down;
- if the animal hisses , then this is also a signal of aggression and hostility. Most likely, it declares to its fellows its territorial rights or the rights to mate with the chosen female;
- if an animal chirps , then it is probably scared and warns community members about potential danger;
- but the pet grunts because it rejoices and experiences complete satisfaction;
- From the same positive emotions, a rodent can grind its teeth ;
If your pet rat squeaks strangely, either coughing or sneezing, it most likely has a cold and the animal needs treatment. In this case, be sure to show the animal to the veterinarian.
Sounds, gestures and postures
Most pet rat owners are unaware that much of the communication between rodents occurs in the high frequency range. A person is able to catch only a small part of such a conversation.
The level of intellectual development of a rat is much higher than that of a hamster, mouse or guinea pig. Long-tailed rodents like to express their need for communication and emotional contact through gestures, sounds, and postures. For these animals, interaction with humans is much more important than with each other.
If the rat owner understands the meaning of at least some of the animal’s non-verbal signals, this greatly facilitates his contact with the pet.
Table 1. Basic signs of rat tongue
Sounds Gestures Postures Loud squealing, hissing (drives him away, protects his own) Rat lightly bites a person, pulls the hair (good mood, invitation to play) Boxer stance (challenge to confrontation) Squeak (asks for help) Licking (expression of love) Sits on hind legs, stretches its muzzle forward and upward, mouth slightly open (please give the object of interest) A weak squeak, which is most often made by baby rats (the name is mother) A sharp jump in place (the animal attracts attention to itself) Lies in a relaxed position, clicking its teeth (joy, satisfaction) The rat clicks its teeth (the animal is calm, it is busy grinding its incisors) An unexpected cessation of the previous activity, followed by “washing” (the animal takes a break for a while to calm down) The animal slouches, raised its muzzle high, the front legs are tense (the animal is ready for aggression) Loud a long sound in a high range (the animal is in pain) An unexpected light bite (a sign of protest) The animal bristles, its fur stands up (it is cold or is under stress). If an unblinking stare is added to the raised fur, the animal chews on the cage, hisses or makes a high-pitched vibrating sound, the rat is ready to attack
In such a situation, it is urgent to isolate the pet from other rodents. The rat chatters its teeth, does not want to play, is lethargic (the animal is sick or confused) The animal waves its front paws (attracts attention, or “denies”, asks to leave it alone)
A feature of domestic rats is their emotional vulnerability. Animals absolutely cannot stand harsh shouts. A severe reprimand from the owner is enough for them to understand that they were wrong.
The pose of the rat is noteworthy, which means agreement with the offense: the animal is turned over on its back, feeling deeply guilty. Within the rat community, this is how individuals who break the rules are punished.
Excitement and Excitement
Rodents make more than just squeaking and grinding noises. If the animal is frightened or extremely interested in something, you can hear her excitedly clicking her incisors. The state of curiosity is characterized only by this sound.
Negative emotions are clearly recognized by additional signs:
- raised wool;
- body tension;
- unblinking gaze at one point.
This behavior is evidence of stress or fear. Manifestation is possible in an unfamiliar environment, in a veterinary clinic, when new pets appear.
When hissing and squealing are added, this means that the animal is preparing to attack. A similar sight in a cage with several individuals is a signal that the most aggressive one must be immediately isolated. Otherwise, a bloody fight is likely.
