Rats giggle

[pokerfan]

Neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp has made discoveries that could transform the worlds of biology, philosophy and medicine....

But lately science has been banging at the door of philosophy, showing just how physical consciousness is. And then it follows: If animals experience pain, happiness, sadness, laughter — who’s to say they aren’t conscious as well? Who’s to say, ethicists like Peter Singer argue, that animals aren’t deserving of moral consideration?

“We define consciousness as having internal experiences,” Panksepp says. Now, the evidence says that animals are, indeed, having internal experiences.



“The people doing the nasty stuff to animals don’t want to accept that they’re doing nasty stuff,” Panksepp says. One prominent scientist accused him of falling prey to “anthropomorphism,” giving animals human qualities. Quite the contrary, he counters. His belief is far better described as “zoomorphism.” Humans, it turns out, have a lot of animal qualities.

http://www.inlander.com/spokane/article-19297-rats-giggle-too.html

[sinkingfeeling]

1. And I thought this was going to be about the GOP 'leadership'.

I'm extremely interested in the connections of all mammals. Great article.

[AmBlue]

2. Lol!!

I thought it was about the GOP too! But very interesting stuff all the same. Thanks to OP for posting.

[zbdent]

3. another, interesting point was made last year

when I heard an NPR report ... rats won't "abandon" their own, even if they don't know them.

Essence of the "experiment" was (with no animals actually harmed):

One rat was trapped in a "trap" which the other could see it; there was a way that the trap could be opened, but only after a certain time limit.

Instead of gobbling up the food available, the non-trapped rat chose to try to get the trapped, distressed rat free from the trap. This continued until the time limit was up and the non-trapped rat could get the trap open, and then the two ate the food.

Wouldn't surprise me if they giggle ... especially if they see me naked before the lights go on ...

[BlueJazz]

4. I've had pet ratties all my life (from age 6) and they're wonderful smart creatures.

I put my hand under the sheet and the ratties love to "attack"...then run to some other part of the bed and hide until it's time to attack again.

I love them dearly

[darkangel218]

5. Do they bite at all?

[BlueJazz]

6. I've never had one bite yet. When they "Attack", in play, they nibble just enough so you...

....can barely feel their mouth. They seem to know what's going on.

One quick story: When I had a customer come to the house once, the dog (Golden retriever) was chasing the ratties around the house.
The ratties "Let" the dog catch them then the rats chased the dog until the dog let them swarm all over him.

The customer laughed and said: I've seen it all now...that's the damnest thing I've ever come across.

[n2doc]

7. My Rat is the "Queen" of the house

She bosses our Cat and our Rabbit around. It is the damnedest thing to watch her chasing the rabbit around the house! She's not biting them, just playing. She will annoy them by sniffing them all over until they take off, then the chase is on.

One of our previous ratties used to play follow the leader with my daughter. And some others used to be quite good as alarm clock rats, waking my kids up when I needed to get them up. Hard to stay asleep when you have a furry nose in your ear....

[BlueJazz]

8. Awww...they can be so lovable.

[sakabatou]

9. Heheh

And here my cat races my mom to the bathroom. Go fig.

[Shankapotomus]

10. Interesting

that the sound is in a register that can't be heard by humans with the naked ear. Probably an adaptation from living in too close proximity to us for thousands of years. The rats that made noise discernible to humans when giggling were probably discovered and dispatched. Absolutely fascinating.