Monday, December 12, 2011

Why....you dirty rat!

I used to have rats as pets, and they were great. Fun personalities, very friendly. There was Elmer and Paveratti and the inevitable Ratfinks....

But they died miserable, tumor-ridden deaths after only a few years, and I really didn't like watching it happen helplessly.

Anyway, there was an article in the Bulletin about an experiment with rats that showed they have empathy.

A roaming rat will work "tirelessly" to free a trapped rat; even when tempted with food.

I really liked the little detail that when the trapped rat is finally freed, the two rats have a little victory "celebration."

I can see that.

1 comment:

H. Bruce Miller said...

Rats are excellent pets; my daughter had several when she was a kid. Unfortunately I'm severely allergic to them -- start wheezing if I'm even in the same room with one -- so they're not a pet option for me.