Rattata (SciiFii)

The rattata (Purpurarattus pokevus) is a species of purple mouse that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii due to the demand for Pokémon-like animals as pets. However, due to pet releases by careless pet owners, the rattatas can be found throughout the mainland Africa, Eurasia, and Americas. A rattata is an average-sized mouse species, about the size of a house mouse, with an adult body length (nose to base of tail) of 7.5–10 centimetres (3–4 in) and a tail length of 5–10 cm (2–4 in). The weight is typically 40–45 g (1 3⁄8–1 5⁄8 oz). Rattatas usually run, walk, or stand on all fours, but when eating, fighting, or orienting themselves, they rear up on their hind legs with additional support from the tail – a behavior known as "tripoding". Rattatas are good jumpers, climbers, and swimmers, and are generally considered to be thigmotactic, i.e. usually attempt to maintain contact with vertical surfaces. Rattatas are mostly crepuscular or nocturnal; they are averse to bright lights. The average sleep time of a captive rattata is reported to be 12.5 hours per day. They live in a wide variety of hidden places near food sources, and construct nests from various soft materials. Rattatas are territorial, and one dominant male usually lives together with several females and young. Dominant males respect each other's territories and normally enter another's territory only if it is vacant. If two or more males are housed together in a cage, they often become aggressive unless they have been raised together from birth. Rattatas primarily feed on plant matter, but are omnivorous. They eat their own faeces to acquire nutrients produced by bacteria in their intestines. Rattatas, like most other rodents, do not vomit. Rattatas are generally afraid of rats which often kill and eat them, a behavior known as muricide. Despite this, free-living populations of rats and rattatas do exist together in forest areas in North America and elsewhere. The rattata can breed throughout the year if conditions are suitable, with a female producing up to five litters a year. The gestation period is only 21 days, and litters can number up to 14, although seven is common. They reach sexual maturity in about five weeks. Under ideal conditions (for the rattata), this means that the population of females could increase by a factor of three and a half (half a litter of 7) in 8 weeks (5 weeks for sexual maturity and 3 weeks of gestation), corresponding to a population growing by a factor of 10 in just 15 weeks. As a result, the population can grow from 2 to 15,000 in a year. The conservation status of the rattata is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the rattata's wide range, and its tolerance to habitat loss, allowing it to survive and thrive in man-made habitats, including cities and suburbs, being viewed by humans as "purple rats" by many, despite being mice instead of rats.
Category:Animals
Category:SciiFii