These incredible pictures show two pet rats who have been trained by their owner to hold tiny instruments in their paws.
Photographer Ellen van Deelen, 51, used food treats to teach Moppy and Witje to pose up with a variety of musical instruments.
The ”very intelligent” creatures eventually learned to hold everything from panpipes to flutes, tubas, trombones, banjos and even saxophones.
Single Ellen, from Roosendaal, Holland, revealed her pair of rodents are ”really talented actors.”
She said: ”I never used to like rats, in fact, I really hated them. But when I bought these two I realised they were very intelligent and clean animals.
”I only got the idea to pose them with instruments when I went shopping and saw a tiny guitar for sale in a window.
”When I held the camera they did whatever I wanted them to. They are so clever they even recognise their own names. I just fell in love with them.
”They know exactly how to pose and both are really talented actors. We have a really good understanding. They always know what I am saying.”
Ellen bought Moppy and Witje in November 2007 after she adopted a lonely rat and fell in love with the tiny mammals.
She came up with the idea for taking photographs of them with instruments after she spotted the miniature guitar.
But Moppy and Witje’s collection of miniature musical instruments is now almost endless.
Professional photographer Ellen is now considering training more off the rodents to ‘play’ the instruments and expand the band.
AND,… they know just as much about music as most American rap stars. (Maybe more!)
AND,… they know just as much about music as most American rap stars. (Maybe more!)
How cute! my rat has a tiny John Lennon guitar, but he likes to chew on it. :3