Lifespan Brown rat: 2 years Mass Brown rat: 230 g | Gestation period Brown rat: 21 days | |
 | ||
Representative species Brown rat, Gambian pouched | ||
A working rat is any rat which is trained for specific tasks as a working animal. In many cases, working rats are domesticated brown rats. However, other species, notably the Gambian pouched rat, have also been trained to assist humans.
Contents
Domesticated brown rats as working animals
Pet rats Rattus norvegicus, such as fancy rats and lab rats, have been trained for various jobs:
Forensics
In the Netherlands, police have begun using brown rats to sniff out gunshot residue. Ed Kraszewski, spokesman for the task force, has said that the rats are easier and cheaper to train than dogs.
Entertainment
Rats have been trained to appear in magic acts, music videos, movies, and television shows. Samantha Martin, a professional animal trainer, has claimed that rats are one of the easiest animals to train due to their adaptability, intelligence, and focus.
Laying computer link cable
By being trained to carry a string through holes in walls, a rat can help economically wire a building for the Internet; afterwards, people use the string to pull the computer link cable through.
As therapy and assistance animals
Rats are used as therapy animals for children with developmental disabilities. Their small size may be less threatening to some children, and therapy centers with limited space can easily house a few rats.
Rats have been trained as service animals, to identify damaging muscle spasms for people whose ability to sense this has been compromised by their disability.
Gambian pouched rats as working animals
A Belgian non-government organization, APOPO, trains Gambian pouched rats (Cricetomys gambianus) to sniff out land mines and tuberculosis. The trained pouched rats are called HeroRATS. Hundreds of thousands of people world wide commit to "adopt" rats and pay to support them.