The Cruelty of Nature

February 25, 2009 4:57 AM

For your viewing pleasure, a rat staring contest.
posted by Blazecock Pileon (29 comments total)

I wonder how that rat from the PSA commercial would have fared.
posted by gman at 5:04 AM on February 25, 2009

I thought the rats were going to take over when we kill ourselves off, but in fact it will be cockroaches. The cockroaches just have to contrive a method to separate the rats into stranger pairs and then hide them around corners from each other, where they will be surprised and then locked in a staring contest for eternity.
posted by DU at 5:07 AM on February 25, 2009

It could only be made better with euro-techno...wait!!!
posted by zerobyproxy at 5:13 AM on February 25, 2009

Does NOVA know about this?
posted by orme at 5:18 AM on February 25, 2009

O_o o_O
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:24 AM on February 25, 2009 [4 favorites]

Got to fancy the black lad - a good 0.5cm and a fair few grammes on his brother. Though they do seem to be intending to settle matters through pit-a-pat rather than a square go.
posted by Abiezer at 5:30 AM on February 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

Heh - and shouldn't have commented until video finished. *tears up bookies' slip*
posted by Abiezer at 5:32 AM on February 25, 2009

I do this with my girlfriend. I call it foreplay.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 5:32 AM on February 25, 2009 [4 favorites]

Clearly the rats have developed some sort of telepathic communication ability.

"Let's see how long we can get this moron to record us staring at each other."

"Heh, sounds like fun."

[A minute or so passes.]

"Okay, he seems to be getting bored. Let's touch paws or something. Left side. No, idiot, my left, your right. On my count........3, 2, 1, GO!"

[Telepathic giggling.]
posted by brandman at 6:24 AM on February 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

In the UFC, this is know as the "feeling out process".
posted by Tube at 6:31 AM on February 25, 2009

How about the Staring World Championship?
posted by salmacis at 6:48 AM on February 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

It could only be made better with euro-techno...wait!!!

That, sir, is Aphex Twin's massive Windowlicker. True, he is British, but I'd hardly call it "euro-techno."
posted by googly at 6:59 AM on February 25, 2009

Who knew rats staring could be so entertaining?
posted by typewriter at 7:10 AM on February 25, 2009

is the cruelty of nature that i was not born a rat, who could spend all day staring into the eyes of his soul-twin?
posted by geos at 7:15 AM on February 25, 2009 [2 favorites]

Before checking the link, I had been listening to music on shuffle. I started the video and switched to a different window to do some things. Switching back to the video, I thought, "Yeah, this actually goes pretty well with Aphex Twin's 'Windowlicker'. Someone should do a remix."

That's when @ 3:35 the rat squeaked.
posted by mistersquid at 7:16 AM on February 25, 2009

dag, I meant @ 3:02
posted by mistersquid at 7:22 AM on February 25, 2009

@o> <o@
..( )= . =( )
~....- ...-....~
posted by louche mustachio at 7:55 AM on February 25, 2009 [3 favorites]

The trouble with a rat staredown is that even if you win, you're still a rat.
posted by netbros at 8:05 AM on February 25, 2009 [3 favorites]

How would the winner fare against this fellow?
posted by fleetmouse at 8:06 AM on February 25, 2009

heh, clicking the stars on YouTube "Thanks for rating!" takes on a new meaning.

Interesting behavior to learn about.
posted by nickyskye at 9:20 AM on February 25, 2009

But could they do the mirror scene from Duck Soup?
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 9:46 AM on February 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

Abiezer, I was surprised too. Then I took a second look. Brown mouse is staring straight at Black mouse, while Black mouse is looking upwards and to the right.

Apparently rats can have nonviolent struggles for dominance. That puts them two steps ahead of most mammal species, including ours.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 12:33 PM on February 25, 2009

●•
posted by Kronos_to_Earth at 1:15 PM on February 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

Does what it says on the tin.
posted by chimaera at 3:03 PM on February 25, 2009

I just never get people keeping rats as pets. Funny video, but it still made me want my pellet gun.
posted by PuppyCat at 4:34 PM on February 25, 2009

THANK YOU APHEX TWIN FOR MAKING THIS MOMENT MAGICAL
posted by 5imian at 5:17 PM on February 25, 2009

I just never get people keeping rats as pets. Funny video, but it still made me want my pellet gun.

I just never get why people would want to harm another living creature that's minding it's own business, makes me want to get my shotgun.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 5:26 PM on February 25, 2009

I just never get why people would want to harm another living creature that's minding it's own business, makes me want to get my shotgun.

Because their business seems to be living in my attic and eating my walls.
posted by Netzapper at 6:17 PM on February 25, 2009

Because their business seems to be living in my attic and eating my walls.

Go pick another battle, that's not what I meant and you know it.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 6:21 PM on February 25, 2009