- Thousands of Reddit users were shocked to discover a rat’s pupils
- A new photo has shown the creature in all its glory and many are feeling uneasy
Thousands of Reddit users are shocked after a close-up photo of a pet rat’s bulging eyes.
While some keep them as pets, most wouldn’t dream of welcoming a disease-carrying rodent into their home.
But a warts-and-everything snap of a rat shared on Reddit has left readers baffled by the rodent’s bulging chicks.
User alexand3rl wrote under a Reddit thread, “Today I learned that you can see a rat’s pupils when the light is at the right angle.”
Reddit users were shocked to encounter a rat’s bulging eyes, but others are defending the species
The photo shows the user’s rat sticking its tiny head out of the cage during a particularly sunny time of day, revealing two swollen eyes.
In the photo, the creature appears to be staring directly at the camera, though the pupils are facing in opposite directions.
Thousands of Reddit users, who seemed to love the rat, flooded the comments with possible explanations.
One quipped, “Untie the tie before taking the next shot.”
Some defended the reputation of the species in general, with one saying, “This photo is NOT helping the rat’s cause at all.”
Another agreed: “Frankly, they’ve been getting bad press for ages.”
While many don’t dare go near a rat, some keep them as pets, but the owners are shocked at how big their eyes are
However, some offered a more scientific contribution, with one user explaining that bulging eyes could be the result of “bruxing,” where a rat grinds or chatters its teeth.
They explained that this could be a display of affection, but added: ‘When they do this, sometimes they get so caught up in it that their eyes pop out very quickly.
“It just means they’re super happy, but man, it scared me the first time.”
According to PetMD, “Bruxing is a gentle but repetitive grinding of the incisors or front teeth.”
The website explained that when a rat roars, it “may cause the bulbous eyes to pop even more.”
So, even if it’s somewhat scary, your rat may feel more comfortable with you if it shows bulging eyes.
The revelation follows another rat-related Reddit post, which showed how easily rats can run through a toilet post.
Users weren’t too impressed with the post that showed a rat making its way through the toilet bowl. One person wrote, “New fear unlocked.”