#rattus norvegicus domestica is not enough

[muffinapologist]

We need to start domesticating more species of rats and I mean that

[theratpy]

do the rats in this universe boggle? or has that trait been lost over time?

Hi anony-mouse,

Great question! Here's the long answer:

In the Theratpy Universe, only mice are able to boggle! If witness to it, rats typically find it freaky when they do. Boggling was lost to rats with the extinction of their most recent evolutionary predecessor, rattus norvegicus, as they learned language and other more complex ways to communicate emotion than bruxing and boggling. All rats we see now are rattus norvegicus domestica. They have little need to ever brux intensely, and even if they did, their eyes aren't affected by teeth grinding enough that the pressure would cause a notable difference.

Some rats are, however, able to slit their pupils and irises for small periods of time, about as common as being able to whistle (15-20%). Ratticus is one of those individuals, although his is usually involuntary unless he's trying very hard to be Scarie(tm). Even fewer rats can hold them slitted for longer than a couple of seconds, though in rare cases they can get stuck as slits permanently :x Depending on where a rat grew up, this behavior is called snake eyes or X eyes. Mice are not able to do this.

The short answer is, rats do not boggle! This trait has indeed been lost over time :) Hope this helps!

— ♡ Melby, creator of Theratpy

Examples of snake eyes: