Rats Laugh when Tickled

Digging around today, I found an article that made me smile from ear to ear.

So apparently, mice, rats and possibly all animals can... laugh. especially if you tickle them.

I've always found it overly enjoyable and fun loving when tickling my grandchildren. While watching this video, I've had the same reaction in the end, brought on by a silly smile and this video.

and silly me got so wrapped up into this story, I forgot the actual story! lol

Source

Panksepp's research goal is to offer a scientific strategy for understanding the basic emotional feelings in the mammalian brain, including humans, by accurately studying the instinctual emotional behaviors of animals. He is developing the idea that emotional feelings are closely linked to the instinctual actions animals exhibit.

"All animals have instinctual behaviors, so therefore we target the instinctual circuits," he said. "We can stimulate a circuit - say by gently tickling a rat - to essentially ask the animal if he likes the circuit on or off (rats like it on). They always choose one way or the other. Mother Nature built it in such a way that a feeling component is part of the instinctual system.

The video goes on to speak of this person interacting with rats. He found that they enjoy the "hand play" with the critters. As he tickles them, they give out a high pitched chuckle, something sounding akin to something very small laughing with glee and amuesment. This is a must see. The person goes on to say that after playing with these rats in such a way, they actually follow the persons hand to play more, as they seem to enjoy it alot.

I couldnt stop at this. It was so amusing and so funny that I think I now want to test this. I for one think rats are ugly critters, but after watching this video, and pulling me so to watch others such as this one below, leads me to believe that these may be fun animals afterall with, amusingly, some human traits. Seriously debating on a Trio here. Dog, Cat and Mouse, just to see how well they adapt over their lifetimes. That would be very cool to be a part of.

Enjoy!





I seriously got a kick out of this article. I hope you guys will enjoy as much as I did.

Thanks again!

Coolest thing I've seen on ATS in ages!

Thank you! That made my day!

peace

Who else saw "Rush Limbaugh" when you glanced at "Rats Laugh" in the title?

reply to post by article


Now grab a blacklight and check out your furniture.

I hope you realize they constantly excrete urine to mark where they walk. Im sure your house looks like texas chainsaw massacre under a blacklight.

not that this isnt cool... because rats are awesome.. they just pee everywhere they walk.

That made me smile too. I wonder how many animals this has been found in? I think I'll try this on my cats, but I'm not sure if they'll be too happy about it.

When I was in high school, I owned a 6 foot albino Burmese python. The snake (his name was Hiss, I know not very creative) ate rats, and they can become costly when used as live feeders, so in order to lessen the cost of feeding my python I chose to raise rats as feeders......I ended up getting rid of the snake and keeping rats as pets instead. I grew very attached to my rats, more so than I ever a was to my python, they are very intelligent and loving pets.

reply to post by wingdflame


you can tickle cats but they dont like it. If you run your fingers lightly across their fur youll make them twitch which will make them quickly look at you with the WTH attitude.

Great thread! I have a pet rat, her name is Girlfriend. She is precious, playful, affectionate and great with children. She will curl up with me and take a nap in the crook of my arm, sit on my lap and watch TV, follow me all over the house, like a cat really. I converted a purse to her carrier and take her wherever I'm going all the time. If I tell her "Girlfriend, you can't come out in here" she will literally stay in the bag curled up under her little blanket untill I call her name, if I don't tell her that she will prop her hands up on the side of the bag and just watch where we are going. I love it, she is so stinking cute! I can't believe I ever was a rat hater because this is the best pet I've ever had. Those videos were adorable too. I have never been able to get her to laugh but I'll keep trying. She does purr though, she's so small you cant hear it unless you lay your ear on her but you can feel her vibrating. lol

reply to post by mileysubet


Ya know, after seeing this video and reading the news clip on it, I would have never guessed and I always thought rats, like snakes, were just nasty things and better off dead. I still feel that way about all poisonous and non snake eating snakes.. But now Im starting to think, there is a whole world of emotion humans have not even touched upon, and untill now, have only given passing thought to.

Imagine how many times we wondered about the extent of emotions in our own pets, and seldom extended it to such smaller and the not-your-average pets.

I'm really loving how it pushes you, almost begging you to look at deeper aspects of all life in general and how beautiful it really is when looked at it from the heart than from fear and misstrust.

Originally posted by Wertdagf
reply to post by article

 

Now grab a blacklight and check out your furniture.

I hope you realize they constantly excrete urine to mark where they walk. Im sure your house looks like texas chainsaw massacre under a blacklight.

not that this isnt cool... because rats are awesome.. they just pee everywhere they walk.

edit on 2-7-2012 by Wertdagf because: (no reason given)

lol I did not know this!

I dont have any pets currently. I do love Cats and certain dogs and had many but currently no pets. Maybe I could invest in minature diapers? lol

How does one get around this? I do have a blacklight... lol

Originally posted by wingdflame
That made me smile too. I wonder how many animals this has been found in? I think I'll try this on my cats, but I'm not sure if they'll be too happy about it.

No way. Cats HATE touchin their belly. I think it has something to do with their defence mechanism though. At least, this is the conclusion I come to.

When Cats (tigers, lions) attack, they tend to bite down and rake with their back paws. This disembowls their victims. I personaly think that's why cats dont like having their tummies touched. If you grab a cat under the head (playfully now - or otherwise) they will rake the hell out of you with their back feet. Cats cant stand being in any compramising possition no matter how much they trust.. errr wait. Cats has a serious trust issue. lol


so yeah, I can see that but it's still funny that they're "ticklish" under the belly. Scratch right where their tail meets their back. Thats a taboo place for kitties also.

Dogs'll laugh if you tickle them, too, although they have to be in a mood for it.

It sounds a little like a fast pant, but it's different.

There is a thread about this exact subject called 'can animals laugh?' Its from 2007. And that website calls itself before its news lol more like old news... :p


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

reply to post by strafgod


Well, I guess it's just as effective as the search engine here.

Not to mention, the article date is Saturday, June 30, 2012 10:37

But hey, thanks for the derail. Hope I can return the favor one day.

My intentions weren't to derail your thread, if I have then im sorry. I just thought you might be interested in the older thread. I know how lousy the search function is and since I couldn't add a link due to being on mobile I felt I should mention it. Next time ill leave out the corny joke, again im sorry


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Originally posted by Wertdagf
reply to post by article

 

Now grab a blacklight and check out your furniture.

I hope you realize they constantly excrete urine to mark where they walk. Im sure your house looks like texas chainsaw massacre under a blacklight.

not that this isnt cool... because rats are awesome.. they just pee everywhere they walk.

edit on 2-7-2012 by Wertdagf because: (no reason given)

That is true but then so did my grandad.

Originally posted by article

Originally posted by Wertdagf
reply to post by article

 

Now grab a blacklight and check out your furniture.

I hope you realize they constantly excrete urine to mark where they walk. Im sure your house looks like texas chainsaw massacre under a blacklight.

not that this isnt cool... because rats are awesome.. they just pee everywhere they walk.

edit on 2-7-2012 by Wertdagf because: (no reason given)

lol I did not know this!


I dont have any pets currently. I do love Cats and certain dogs and had many but currently no pets. Maybe I could invest in minature diapers? lol

How does one get around this? I do have a blacklight... lol

Yes , the piddling factor puts me right off.

reply to post by strafgod


no worries, it is I who is sorry for jumping to conclusions at no fault of yours.

Thanks for the thought, still.

At :30 in particular, each time he moves his fingers it makes a sound that matches up almost perfectly...doesn't give credence to the idea of laughing but fun clip

reply to post by article


Thanks for posting this - just another demonstration of how awesome rats are.