Humans spend a lot of time thinking about their animal counterparts, but sometimes we end up believing things that arenโt true.
While it is tempting to think that your goldfish wonโt remember every embarrassing thing you do around your house, you may want to check your facts.
Learn more about that and other animal misconceptions by reading along:
1. Stressed-out ostriches stick their heads in the sand
This myth dates back to the Roman Empire, but that doesnโt make it true. That being said, ostriches do participate in behaviors that get their heads close to the sand, so itโs easy to see how this misconception started.
Ostriches bury their eggs in the sand, rather than laying them in a nest.
Given how small their heads are, it can seem like they are sticking their heads underground when they are really just checking on their eggs!
2. Pitbulls are born dangerous
Itโs time to give pitties a chance. The official statement put out by the ASCPA goes to great lengths to differentiate between a dogโs genetics and their learned behaviors through training.
Their behavior depends on who raises and trains them.
3. Camel humps are for storing water out in the desert
Camel humps are for storing fat rather than water. It helps them go a long time without needing to eat.
Water is stored in a camelโs bloodstream, and that also helps them survive in the desert.
4. Bears hibernate all winter
Weโve all seen famous depictions of bears sound asleep all winter long. But it would be more accurate to say that these creatures go into a state of torpor: an involuntary and lighter sleep stage that is similar to hibernation in that it helps bears survive the winter.
5. Goldfish canโt remember anything
Although itโs popular to think that goldfish only have a three-second memory, this is false (sorry, Ted Lasso!).
Goldfish can remember things for up to five months. There have been a few studies researching the intellect of goldfish, and it turns out they can even remember exactly when feeding time is. They can learn to push a lever to get food.
Theyโre smarter than we thought!
6. Uncooked rice, like the kind that gets tossed around at weddings, will kill wild birds
Turns out, rice isnโt bad for birds at all. There is a pervasive rumor that uncooked rice will explode inside a birdโs body because its stomachs will heat up the rice, creating a larger volume inside them.
Birdsโ stomachs are not hot enough to do that.
7. Your dog has to have a wet nose to be considered healthy
The rule isnโt as strict as it seems. While it is normal for dogs to have wet noses, that doesnโt necessarily mean thereโs anything wrong with a dog having a dry nose.
Different dogs have different baselines, and normal dog activities can impact the texture of a dogโs nose.
8. Bats are blind
The truth is, bats just have a very different type of vision than we have.
Batsโ eyes are designed to be able to see in dark environments, which makes sense given that they are nocturnal.
Their eyes are smaller and they donโt see with the sharpness or color vibrancy that we do, but they can see well enough to suit their needs.
9. The Alpha dog is in charge of the wolf pack
Wolf packs are based around nuclear families. There are often two-parent wolves and their pups.
Wolves in the wild appear to have an Alpha, but in reality, itโs just the parents of the younger wolves.
Despite popular notions, there are no battles for dominance among wild wolves.
10. The Daddy-Longlegs is a poisonous spider
The myth is that Daddy-Longlegs are the most poisonous spiders but their teeth are just too small to hurt humans. This is untrue.
The creature that we most commonly call a Daddy Longlegs is not even a spider at all. They donโt even have glands that produce venom. You are totally safe around Daddy Longlegs.
11. Lemmings are suicidal
You may have seen the Disney movie that documents a lemming migration and features the lemmings jumping off a cliff and falling to their deaths on purpose. That was all staged.
In reality, the lemming populations fluctuate so much because every time they have a big baby boom (approximately every 4 years), some from the group will separate out and go somewhere else.
12. Donโt get close to baby birds or their moms will reject them
According to Snopes, this isnโt true. Although it probably isnโt a great idea to handle a baby bird โ they are so delicate โ their mothers will not reject them.
This myth that mother birds can smell when a baby has been in contact with humans might have originated from people wanting to protect the birds. If you encounter a baby bird who is alone or hurt, itโs still best practice to leave them be so that their parents can find them more easily.
13. Bulls charge at matadors because they hate red
Bulls respond to any color cape that you wave in front of them.
When bulls charge, such as when you see them during bullfights, itโs because they are responding to the movement of the cape, not the color.
14. Toads will give you warts
Sure, toads sometimes have bumps on their own exterior, but those are most often glands and not warts.
Additionally, warts are caused by human bacteria and viruses, so you wouldnโt be able to get a wart from a toad.
15. Possums hang by their tails
Possums spend a lot of time around trees, but that doesnโt mean that they hang by their tails.
Their tails simply arenโt strong enough to support that kind of activity.
Possumsโ tails are pretty interesting though! They are really good for balancing and stabilizing them while they move around.
There you have it, itโs safe to touch toads and feed birds rice. Thereโs so much more to learn about the animals around us.
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