Rats trade ‘favours’ just like humans do

Rats have been found to help each other out in return for favours in a similar way to humans.

The rodents were found to groom food-providers more often than partners who had refused to help as part of the study run out of the University of St Andrews.

The common Norway rats also offered more food to those animals who cleaned them.

Dr Manon Schweinfurth said: “We found the rats traded thesetwoservicesamongeach other … ‘I help you because you helped me’.”