How Well Do Rats See in the Dark?

Rats have very sensitive whiskers, which they use to navigate the dark. These whiskers act like fingers and allow them to sense objects and the floor around them. When they are in a familiar environment, they can move quickly. However, if they are in an unfamiliar area, they must move slowly.

Rats have poor depth perception, but they can see a few feet in front of them. This is because they have more rods than cones in their eyes. This results in an unsaturated image that is difficult to distinguish. However, rats can learn to distinguish between colors, and can detect them if they are taught.

Rats have a blind spot in the middle of their vision, but compensate by adding up the images from each eye. They can also move their eyes in different directions and can look up and down at the same time. These abilities allow rats to see their surroundings and stay alert for predators.

Rats have two different types of cones: one type contains an ultraviolet-sensitive photopigment and the other type is sensitive to middle-wavelength light. Researchers have studied these cones and how they function by measuring their signals and gross electrical potential.