OK, this is just weird.

African rat weaponizes plant toxins:

The African crested rat has been revealed as the first known mammal to use plant poison to defend itself, using the toxins as a weapon against would-be predators.


The peculiar East African rodent, Lophiomys imhausi, uses saliva to transport the toxin, Ouabain, from gnawed branches of the Poison-arrow trees onto its unique wick-like fur.

The unique ability of the rats to part their flank hair, exposing a striking black-and-white fur pattern, has long been known, this elaborate display alone could not explain the animal’s unpalatability to predators.

It turns out that it is the design of this specialised flank hair, and its ability to hold and dispense poison, that makes the difference, according to a group of East African and British scientists.