Why Do Rat's Suck At Taking Pictures?

Because whenever they say "Cheese!" they all scatter to find it!

Everyone assumes that rats eat anything and everything for survival. This is NOT true. There are actually foods that are toxic to rats. Tofu, potato’s skin and eyes, blue cheese contain toxins and harmful bacteria that can make them sick. Onions will cause anemia and digestive problems. Rhubarb will definitely kill rats because they contain oxalates because once they consume it, the oxalates will disrupt their thyroid pathway by binding into the hormone, T3. Male rats cannot eat oranges because it contains high levels of D-limonene, which can cause kidney cancer (Guthrie, 2020).

How is the food processed?

Rats have sharp incisors that tear to their food. Salivary glands produce saliva which helps break down the food. It travels down the pharynx, which serves as a food storage chamber. Going through the oesophagus, the food is transported to the stomach for digestion. It is best to note that rats cannot vomit, burp or experience heartburn due to a strong barrier between the esophagus and stomach (Why rats can’t vomit, n.d). It moves rapidly to the small intestine where protein digestion and absorption occurred predominantly (Curtis et al., 1978). It can also be noted that “Amounts of endogenous protein present in the small intestine never exceeded amounts of exogenous protein during maximum absorption of exogenous protein” (Curtis et al., 1978). The digested food then moves to the large intestine where the majority of water is reabsorbed and makes its way to the rectrum where the remains are excreted. In a 1991 research paper, there are 21 known infectious agents of the digestive system in rats. Viruses such as Sialodacryoadenitis Virus, Salmonella enteritidis, Rat Cytomegalovirus are present in their digestive system and can cause harm to themselves and other animals (National Research Council, 1991).