what do you think helps your health improve? does play count?

this extended housing unit has been built to allow for the rats to
build up their health through play.

rats are naturally curious animals and like to explore.

this playground was designed to give them a large area to discover and
develop as their own.

it will change over time.

what do you think they should be given to play with?

these rats look funny. why?

they will be losing their hair over time and may become completely
hairless.

so their pink skin is eerie - and very fleshy.

this is something that happens to albino lab rats.

what else is weird about them?

what is the best way to interact with these rats here at mass moca?

always approach an animal cage slowly and quietly until you discover
the animals themselves.

talk to the in a soft voice and tell them what you are thinking: how
strange they look, how red their eyes are...

listen carefully and you may hear them respond to you as well.

remember albino rats can barely see (they see very little color) and
their vision is extremely blurred.

so they are practically blind. so they can startle easily if the light
sudden changes.

their hearing is quite acute and they also respond poorly to sudden
loud sounds.

tell us how you found the rat girls?