Flying rats

Roen

..And no, not pigeons. And not exactly flying either, more of a high wire act.

I've never seen or heard of a rat climbing up a telegraph pole and traversing the lines before, but sure enough we have one out the back of our house.

I've been trying to capture a photograph of it as it walks across the lines at the end of our garden. But it's the usual story of not having the camera handy when he's 'performing'.

The line runs through the trees where the bird feeder is, so I'm wondering is it trying to get at the nuts and seeds.

Also wondering if anyone has ever seen one scampering along phone lines? It kind of has me taken aback.

gerky

I've seen similar feats their really quite amazing.

I remember watching a really good program on them I can't for the life of me remember the name of it, and their intelligence and physical ability was bizarre.
It showed that they've lived around humans for so long that they have learned to almost read us and whether we're going to attack them or run.

They also use a type of large rat in some places to sniff out landmines because they can be trained so well and aren't heavy enough to set them off.

Roen

Cheers Gerky,
I know they're persistent, clever and adaptable little buggers, but I never came across the high wire act before. I thought it was odd.

meathstevie

Not surprising at all. They're great climbers. Seen tim climbing straight up pebble dashed garden walls and all.

Grid.

My next door neighbour had one of those tall, narrow palm trees in the back garden years ago and while having a cuppa one day we noticed a rat walk (not climb!!!):eek: straight up the tree to the very top to eat the fruit!! They can do just about anything:D

Roen

I've seen them go up all sorts of surfaces. Just never saw one walk across a wire before. He/she has done it a few times now.