Do Rats Have Opposable Thumbs?
If you have ever wondered how do rats climb and grip things, you may have wondered if they have opposable thumbs. Opposable thumbs allow them to grip things more easily because they are angled differently than the rest of their hands. They also allow them to climb easily. However, unlike humans, rats don’t have opposable thumbs on their feet.
Rats don’t have opposable thumbs, but they do have a digit that functions as a thumb. The digit is very small and underdeveloped, which limits its grasp and manipulation, but it still gives rats some of the advantages of having opposable thumbs. Because rats spend most of their time on the ground, they don’t need to be able to use the strength of their thumbs to grip objects.
Rats are able to use their thumbs to pick up and manipulate food. Their pentadactyl manus (fingers) contains many volar and digital pads. Female rats are called does, and male rats are called bucks. Despite the similarities between human thumbs and other digits, the thumb is unique among mammals.
Rats also have dextrous paws, which are used to grip objects, climb, and manoeuvre around their environment. Their paws have multiple pads and are spaced out so that the paw pads close tightly. Rats also have a belly button and don’t have tonsils or gall bladders. They also fart.