For centuries, these smart, agile and, of course, clever animals were and continue to be a major concern of all humanity.In the Middle Ages they were generally the whole disaster!Who are they?Of course, the rats.The house, in the garden and in the warehouses of these creatures are causing serious damage to food and farming, creating us big problems.
They excommunicated ...
once these creatures are kept in fear of towns and cities.In XIII-XV centuries, they were the primary cause of death in general population from certain infectious diseases such as cholera.Renowned naturalist Russenel once compared the invasion of rats raiding hordes of Attila and Genghis Khan.
Once mankind has not struggled with rats.These creatures destroyed hundreds and thousands.In the fight with them, people have used the most effective poisons, hot water, fire.Curiously, rats even excommunicated, calling on all their race the curse from heaven!These rodents have about 64 different species, but only three are generally known: rat gray, black and white (decorative).
most famous rat
As we said above, the most common species of rodents - the black rat and gray or Pasyuk.The second type can be called in a different way: ship, or Dutch.The first reach a length of 40 centimeters, 20 centimeters of them accounted for a very long tail.
second type is much more: the gray rats grow to a length of 45 centimeters, with a tail length of 19 centimeters.Another type of rodent - white rat.It has been artificially bred man in the laboratory.On it will be discussed later.
Their legendary past
It is no exaggeration to say that the gray and black rats have a legendary military past.In the Middle Ages they literally took over the whole of Europe, devouring in a huge amount of food supplies, thereby dooming the city and the countryside to starvation.Gray rat in 1722 even made a trek from the Caspian Sea directly to Italy.
Lifestyle gray and black rats
These rodents live everywhere on the globe is almost no free zone in rats.Is that the polar regions - the Arctic and Antarctica.Especially good they feel close to someone.Rats - outrageously prolific and voracious creatures.For example, a female is able to exactly one year to bring the brood, which consists of hundreds of their own kind.That is why it is considered to be an ineradicable animal rat!
gray and black rats perfectly tolerated even by the most difficult conditions of life.These rodents - unusually hardy creatures.They transcend any frost, no water, no cold, no hunger.Just think: the rat does not stop even radiation!Curiously, one of the islands, where the military conducted a nuclear test, the rats not only lost, but also bred in large numbers!Scientists have recorded their average length - more than 1 meter.
Where do they live?
as their hiding rat, like a mouse, use the holes.They either dig their own, or take someone's abandoned.The black rat is generally can take natural natural shelter (stumps, snags, hollow) and sockets of various birds.They live as solitary and territorial forming a whole group.
The rats eat?
The vast majority of these creatures - omnivores.But of course, even among the rats are true gourmets: those or other types have certain eating habits.While some prefer a pure vegetable food (vegetables, fruits and seeds), the other with pleasure eat mollusks, insects and other small invertebrates.
Cannibalism rats
Besides human rats, there are other enemies - dogs and cats.But that's what!From time to time the rat (ornamental and wild) eat each other, introducing themselves to a serious threat.From the point of view of common sense, it is certainly good, because in this way they significantly help their own extermination.Sometimes parents rats devour their young blood, and sometimes it happens and vice versa.
«King Rat»
Zoologists still can not fully explain the phenomenon of so-called "rat king".This phenomenon is quite common among these animals.What it is?This is a huge ball, which consists of rodents, tightly intertwined legs and tails.In "King Rat" enabled each rat.A large pile of these creatures may include up to 60-70 animals.Living
all members of "King Rat" by offerings of other relatives.Why is that?Because they themselves even with all his desire to not be able to get off the ground: their paws and tails literally shackled.Scientists are trying to find the answer to this riddle of nature, but as long as they did not get.No wonder they say that one of the most intelligent animals on earth - the rat (gray, black, white, decorative).Consider decorative details.
Decorative rat
So called domesticated gray or black rats.Yes Yes exactly!Sometimes home (decorative) rat - gray, not just white.Once in the UK they were taken with the aim to earn extra money, people staged the so-called rat-dog fighting.Decorative rodents is a life and death fought with terriers.After a while they started to carry out certain tests.So the name "lab rat".
Nowadays, these rodents have become increasingly popular as a companion animal.Already displayed a huge number of species, having your own hair color (eg white rat), determined the structure of the body and the so-called marking - white spots on the main color.
decorative difference from wild rats
differences between these species of rodents are very important.Let's see what's different breeds rats from their wild relatives.
- Decorative individuals have a pure white or mixed color (white with black and red spots).Geneticists say that in nature between domestic and wild rats can be random mutations, but they are rare.
- Rats breeds, compared with the wild - this is the most peaceful creatures.Their behavior varies considerably.They are more tame, as originally derived by man in the laboratory, getting used to it from the very first days of life.
- Decorative rat most prolific than wild.And the weight of their bodies at times exceeds that of the normal gray and black rats.
- Rodents, domesticated person, prefer to sleep at night, while the wild, on the contrary, go on the hunt.
- The fight gray and black rats emit a sharp, loud noises, and decorative barely squeaked.
most important distinction domesticated from wild rodents is their life expectancy.The first live much longer Secondly, and this is due primarily to the conditions of their habitat.The fact that the fine rodents have constant access to water and food, as well as fully protected from predators.
They have shelter, they are given timely medical care.Alas, their wild relatives of these benefits are not seen as their own ears.The average life expectancy of domestic rats is about 2 years old, while the wild in most cases does not live up to a year ...
