Do Rats Use Pheromones to Communicate?

Rats cannot speak with words, but that does not mean they cannot communicate. Like most other living things, they have an ability to communicate. For them, it is through pheromones. Rats communicate through pheromones like humans do through speech, at least in a lot of ways. While it is not as versatile as the spoken language, it is still an effective way to speak. Since pheromones are specific to each species, rodents can communicate without having to include any other species. They can communicate easily and clearly through pheromones alone, telling each other every important thing they have to know. It is their own language that they can use to say just about everything.



Basics of Pheromones
Pheromones are not specific to rodents, neither is their use for getting the attention of the same species. What is specific is the ability to pick up on the pheromones. Every species can only pick up on its own species’ pheromones, not others. Animals use it as a way to communicate and mate, and it works exceptionally well. For rodents using this smell allows them to communicate in a multitude of ways. They can have a working society through this alone, helping them to survive and do basic tasks.

Use of Pheromones in Communication
Rats will use pheromones to communicate basic things, like mating, of course, but it goes beyond that. Pheromones are not merely a way to mate – they are a way to build a community and communicate with one another. Rats will use it to alert other rodents, to find food, to help those in need, to build relationships, and to send messages. Rats rely on these pheromones to survive.

It works well, too. Rats can use these pheromones to keep their communities alive and growing. They can go on searches for food, they can remain aware of predators, they can build strong relationships, and they can keep themselves safe and healthy. It is an essential piece of their everyday survival. It works much like language does for humans. The only difference is the relative simplicity compared to language and the fact that it is through smell. It remains a means of communication that can help their communities to remain together and to do everything they must do. Pheromones are vital pieces of survival for rodents. Without it, they cannot communicate, which would devastate the rodent communities and hurt them significantly. For them, it is a normal and effective way to communicate with one another.

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