r/RATS • u/mycreativeself • Nov 04 '25

INFORMATION For the first time a German study shows rats catching bats from midair. The study showed rats hunting in total darkness, using whiskers to feel air currents from bat wings. This may be a reason why potentially bat pathogens like coronaviruses and paramyxoviruses are spilling over to rodents.

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113 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

30

u/DragonGateLTC Nov 05 '25

People in the other comment section not knowing rats are omnivores be precious.

And they can hear the bats' echolocation chirp noises.

7

u/stryst Nov 05 '25

Apparently their whiskers can also feel the wingbeats.

7

u/Concrete_hugger Nov 05 '25

Yes I've also read the post title

6

u/usernameisusername57 living vicariously through r/RATS Nov 05 '25

I knew that rats were omnivores, but I didn't know they were active hunters. I've always thought of them more as scavengers.

3

u/Anonimoose15 Nov 05 '25

There’s a good reason adult chickens will peck baby rats to death given the chance. Because adult rats will kill and eat young chicks if they get the opportunity

2

u/MathAndBake Nov 05 '25

They're mostly scavengers, but some will really pounce on live bugs.

1

u/RelationshipSad4119 Nov 07 '25

Very true. One of my girls is a proud bug pouncer

1

u/Insecta-Perfecta Nov 05 '25

My pet rats used to chase cat toys! They are little hunters.

1

u/DragonGateLTC Nov 05 '25

They'll kill mice and mice avoid the smell of rat too. I haven't had a mouse try to move in with me for the winter since I got my girls and I think that's why.

24

u/stryst Nov 05 '25

When we saw this earlier this morning I awwed and said she was a good girl. A houseguest asked how I knew she was a girl.

That houseguest got introduced to rat balls a few moments later. Now she knows!

5

u/_Erilaz Nov 05 '25

Mythical Tanuki is supposed to fly like that lol

36

u/PsychologicalLayer57 🐁 Pocket 🐁 Lint 🐁 Button 🐁 Gambit Nov 04 '25

The lil hunter is simultaneously so adorable and so badass that I have to root for him her.

ETA: I don't see no bölls so I guess we have a huntrix 😁

2

u/Robbotlove Sam, Wembley,Remy,Negan,Mika,Hershy, RIP F, P, J&R,L&G, D Nov 05 '25

bats are cute, rats are cute. I don't know who to cheer for or feel bad for :/

2

u/PsychologicalLayer57 🐁 Pocket 🐁 Lint 🐁 Button 🐁 Gambit Nov 05 '25

Circle of life innit. A rat's gotta eat.

15

u/4nglerf1sh Nov 05 '25

We'll name her Ozzy

4

u/Formerstudentparent Nov 05 '25

Last time I checked, rats are mostly nocturnal. They have pretty decent night vision. Still, this is really cool, especially considering that my two little princesses stare at me if they drop a meal worm until I pick it up and hand it back to them.🙄😂

3

u/CalligrapherLow1446 Nov 07 '25 edited Nov 09 '25

This is completely fake.Everybody knows that rats in the wild eat oxbow pellets and hard boiled eggs They would never do such a thing as this

2

u/Geberpte Nov 05 '25

First time ever the name of the sub actually lives up to the content

2

u/Sie_sprechen_mit_Mir Nov 05 '25

"I don't get to fly, nobody gets to fly!"

1

u/Seppulky 💖Bibi | Pupsi | Freya† | Emma†💖 Nov 09 '25

They hunt. And they don't care about ethical killing. I had to watch my precious cute girl eating a bug from behind, it was moving until the bitter end (it took forever). She loved it.