How rats see

[Pauley]

I ran across a couple of interesting (and somewhat long reading) articles about rats and how their vision works.

http://www.ratbehavior.org/RatVision.htm

This one says they have wider field of vision than humans, though a reduced field of binocular vision. They also perceive uV light as visible, therefore they can detect urine residue, exposed bellies of certain breeds of rats, and are not color-blind in the green-blue-ultraviolet spectrum. The part about Pink-eyes not being able to control incoming light levels is pretty interesting. What else you ask? Read it- it's really interesting (to me anyway) and not really as "egg-headed" as I make it sound.

http://www.rmca.org/Articles/vision.htm

The second goes into how their vision is only one aspect of their perception and how they use spatial cues to find their way around. This is why they pee on us-to find their way back to our loving arms.

 

[jorats]

That first link is from an excellent site. Anne has done so many studies with rats. It really is interesting.

 

[trillium]

ooh neat - depth perception -- heh -- poor Seagram. He causes many giggles unfortunately because he often walks (well, bounces/runs, because when he walks he can feel things before he hits them) right into things. He's also always standing on his hind legs trying to bring things into some sort of focus. Those darned red eyes...

Now, somewhere there was a neat link to video that showed an example of what rats might see... wonder if i can find it.
EDIT: oh - I'm a little slow it's the same website :>

 

[Moon]

Very good read. I rather liked the videos on the Rat Cam link, it helped put things in perspective for me (pun not intended)

 

[Pauley]

Here's the ratcam link if you just want to see that:
http://www.ratbehavior.org/RatCam.htm

 

[jorats]

Oh wow, that really makes you understand why they are so quick and nervous. Those poor red eyed guys, no wonder they sway like they are drunk all the time.

 

[allykatt]

I call it their egyptian dance hehe

 

[lj]

And I wondered why they always look at you strange when you shove your face into theirs. LOL. Just a big blob coming at them.

 

[sarunia]

this makes me free bad for all the times i laughed at little slava when i called his name and he just stood there... he can't see his mommy :wallbang: poor baby......

 

[fireworks]

Ooh I've seen the first site before. It's so interesting!