Animal Lovers Web Forum

They have been doing studies and animals have a certain number sense. Not all animals and not all to the same degree, but some animals can count. I have heard this before. Some are even better at it than we are in some ways.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/05/scien...mbers.html

I will say one thing, animals had sense to stop at useful math, they had enough sense not to create algebra.

Seriously though, I have read that mice can count the number of babies they have.  I can believe that chimps are better at some things than us. Birds seem to know when they have laid enough eggs and it is time to incubate them. Now I am going to wonder and observe the animals in my life and see how they do. 

I suspect the guinea pigs would know if I shorted their vegetable count.

They certanly can count. If a dog or cat has seven puppies or kittens, and they have to move them to another place, all seven will be carried one by one to the new place. They will keep coming back until they have got them all.

What else they can count...? Probably a lot more than we know.

And yes they are too sensible to invent algebra!

(02-06-2018, 04:01 PM)Catherine Wrote: [ -> ]I suspect the guinea pigs would know if I shorted their vegetable count.

Love it!

Crows can count and other clever birds like Blue Jays as well. I suspect dogs and cats know how many cans of their food are in the cupboard. 

I think many mother animals know how many babies they have. I don't know if they count them, but they do know if the count is off.

The guinea pigs know how many veggies they get with each feeding. They also know when. I suspect they have a clock hidden somewhere. I just can't find it.
The new boys have decided that they want an extra hay feeding before they go to sleep. They have decided when I should deliver this hay. I can either give them more hay when they ask or listen to them demanding until I give in. 
So far they haven't figured out how to tell if I am awake. I am hoping the older piggies don't tell them or I will have to get up and feed them earlier than I want to. They are too clever those new boys.