Say something nice about rodents ?

badabing106

Mice are lovely creatures. If you ever encounter a mouse in your living room, you will come to the realization that they are one of the friendliest and most inquisitive creatures you could ever encounter , happy to be alive, and very playful.

I know that it might be a shock at first seeing one run by. But if you observe them, you'll see they are not criminals

Why is it that people have an aversion to the humble rat? The most persecuted animal in history. Intelligent creatures with great survival instincts

Tom Mann Centuria

They piss everywhere and are responsible, via human ships, for the extinction of over 40% of creatures that no longer exist.

verycool

Nice try The Brain.

Inviere

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

They piss everywhere and are responsible, via human ships, for the extinction of over 40% of creatures that no longer exist.

Catching up on humans so...

kneemos

A rat shot my brother.

King George VI

Rats out!

Tom Mann Centuria

Inviere wrote: »

Catching up on humans so...

They're responsible for more extinctions than humans. The pissing stakes are probably a lot closer.

Allinall

I couldn’t give a rats arse.

Stroke Politics

A bit like chicken, nice with a bit of coriander....

artanevilla

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

They piss everywhere and are responsible, via human ships, for the extinction of over 40% of creatures that no longer exist.

I've bolded the pertinent part.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Plenty of lovely rodents out there. From the Degus to the Porcupine, the Beaver to the Squirrel and Hamster to the Wood Mouse. But the Rat is the only one I can't abide. They are carriers of umpteen diseases and generally bad news in an area.

badabing106

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

They're responsible for more extinctions than humans. The pissing stakes are probably a lot closer.

Are you referring to the black plague? Not the rats fault

Tom Mann Centuria

artanevilla wrote: »

I've bolded the pertinent part.

Well I included it in my post, so yep, it's pertinent. It'll be handy when someone posts a why do people hate sea fairing vessels thread.

wexie

Trey Plain Lavatory wrote: »

But the Rat is the only one I can't abide. They are carriers of umpteen diseases and generally bad news in an area.

Literally the only animal I won't brake for

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

badabing106 wrote: »

Are you referring to the black plague? Not the rats fault

They have wiped out entire populations of birds and mammals from many island communities.

wexie

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

Well I included it in my post, so yep, it's pertinent. It'll be handy when someone posts a why do people hate sea fairing vessels thread.

To be honest you could probably have left out the 'human' bit.

At least I'm not aware of any other species that build ships

tayto lover

Rats are supposedly very clean and wash their food before eating it.

Outlaw Pete

Great bunch of lads.

Tom Mann Centuria

wexie wrote: »

To be honest you could probably have left out the 'human' bit.

At least I'm not aware of any other species that build ships

Desperately tried to think of an example, unsurprisingly failed, but did remind me of of the ants who make rafts out of other ants to travel on water.

buried

They are a decent Snack Box meal for Owls. Owls are f**king cool

kneemos

tayto lover wrote: »

Rats are supposedly very clean and wash their food before eating it.

They do in their ****.

rondeco

Everybody is a rodent, Nigel

wexie

Trey Plain Lavatory wrote: »

They have wiped out entire populations of birds and mammals from many island communities.

Interesting article on the BBC recently where they spent lots of time and money to wipe them out from South Georgia island.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44046472

discobeaker

Trey Plain Lavatory wrote: »

Plenty of lovely rodents out there. From the Degus to the Porcupine, the Beaver to the Squirrel and Hamster to the Wood Mouse. But the Rat is the only one I can't abide. They are carriers of umpteen diseases and generally bad news in an area.

Wild rats are full of disease, pet rats are a different breed altogether. They are the sweetest pets ever, I have a pair of boys, they are so friendly and actually get happy when they see you

I would attach a picture but I know they ain't everyones cup of tea

wexie

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

Desperately tried to think of an example, unsurprisingly failed, but did remind me of of the ants who make rafts out of other ants to travel on water.

I think maybe you've seen Ant man too many times!!

(although I wouldn't be surprised at all if this actually happens)

FizzleSticks

This post has been deleted.

Yer Da sells Avon

This article about rats is really interesting. Doubt if they can read though, tbh...

Tom Mann Centuria

wexie wrote: »

I think maybe you've seen Ant man too many times!!

(although I wouldn't be surprised at all if this actually happens)

I have, but it does happen in real life, and the ones at the bottom don't drown because they have mini air bubbles on their heads.

machiavellianme

They inspired this awesome wee ditty:

Stigura

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

They piss everywhere and are responsible, via human ships, for the extinction of over 40% of creatures that no longer exist.

Doesn't that, about equally, apply to cats?

Look at how New Zealand is pointedly ignoring the elephant in the room. (Cue; Smart deflections about actual elephants )

carj

There are many varieties, and some are very intelligent.. I have degus, and they can use tools

Not allowed to post links, but Google "degu tool"

Tom Mann Centuria

Stigura wrote: »

Doesn't that, about equally, apply to cats?

Look at how New Zealand is pointedly ignoring the elephant in the room. (Cue; Smart deflections about actual elephants )

I know what you mean, but statistically no it doesn't equally apply because they simply aren't responsible for as many extinctions as rats.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Stigura wrote: »

Doesn't that, about equally, apply to cats?

Look at how New Zealand is pointedly ignoring the elephant in the room. (Cue; Smart deflections about actual elephants )

While cats are generally bad news for wildlife, they haven't wiped out as many species or populations of animals that rats have. They also don't carry as many diseases dangerous to man.

Junkyard Tom

Trey Plain Lavatory wrote: »

They have wiped out entire populations of birds and mammals from many island communities.

You're got to admire them for building little rat-ships to colonise the planet though.

Tom Mann Centuria

As artanevilla correctly highlighted the common denominator between the rat and the cat issue is the human. Along with numerous other problems, like the American crayfish hammering UK crayfish or mink bringing water vole down to dangerously low numbers, grey squirrels decimating red Squirrel populations. We have a great habit of putting creatures where they shouldn't be.

Stigura

By all means throw statistics and percentages around.

New Zealand has vowed to be 100% clear of rats, stoats and possums by 2050.

Then, what percentage of New Zealand wildlife will be getting slaughtered by what percentage of creatures?

Just amusing myself here Long experience has proven one can no more have an unemotional discussion about cats than one can herd the things.

Rats? As has been said; Domestic ones are fantastic little creatures. Though, sadly, even They have now started showing some pretty nasty, zoonotic, diseases.

Hullo. My dinner's ready! Carry on

Tom Mann Centuria

I don't like Cats either if that helps.

Defunkd

I thought someone was after changing the name of the "say something nice about travellers" thread. Only good one is a dead one.

bodice ripper

Rodents are wonderful. With their little people hands and their little people feet. It is from such creatures we are descended.

Sheepdish1

Rats are being trained to detect old land mines in some countries as it is quick and cheap to train them.

They are clever enough to be trained to smell and indicate exact TNT location by smell detection and are light enough not to set off the the mines. I think that is pretty cool.

If they are being used for this I’m sure in time they can be trained for sniffing out diseases etc where resources are scarce? I also think we have rats to thank for a huge amount of medical advances.

I think people have an inherited fear due to diseases they’ve been associated with in the past but I actually quite like them.

Sheepdish1

Also they’ve wiped out species but this is due mainly to accidental introduction by *humans*.

erica74

Rats are absolutely awful. I've had 2 in my house and it was a nightmare.

I love mice though. They're adorable. Generally people don't realise how small a mouse is until they see one in real life. You're talking as small as your baby finger, even smaller, with a tail.

We had a little mouse living in our pump house, which is outside. He used to come out walking along the pipes and sit there sniffing up at us with his cute little head. He'd come out and run back in a few times before he would stay out. Then he'd just have a mooch around while we were there. Very cute.

SimonTemplar

Some rats are pretty good at teaching martial arts to young turtles.

Graces7

Sheepdish1 wrote: »

Also they’ve wiped out species but this is due mainly to accidental introduction by *humans*.

Yes. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with rats in the right place; just they have a way of getting into the wrong place and thus we have a phobia about them.

My cats and dog deal with any here.;)

tayto lover

tayto lover wrote: »

Rats are supposedly very clean and wash their food before eating it.

It’s true, they wash their food in rat piss

M.T. Cranium

I had to think about this for a while, but rodents don't walk along busy sidewalks oblivious to everyone while checking their facebook messages.

Or do they?

Discodog

The poor Rat comes under the title of vermin - a word invented to make humans feel better doing something horrible to an animal.

Rats take advantage of our stupidity - maybe that's why people hate them. We feed them & then complain about them.

5rtytry56

The Giant Panda, great symbol of China is a rodent. That apart from being the model for a cuddly toy retailed by Smyths toystore, and being pride of place in any zoo they're confined in.

bodice ripper

Giant pandas are not rodents, they are bears.

arybvtcw0eolkf

I use mine to make me seem like a nice guy..

I tell people I have a Syrian living with me, then they think I'm a lovely caring person.

Usually let them hang onto the idea for awhile, before telling them that Harry is my pet Syrian Hamster

Discodog

Skye Rapping Campus wrote: »

I use mine to make me seem like a nice guy..

I tell people I have a Syrian living with me, then they think I'm a lovely caring person.

Usually let them hang onto the idea for awhile, before telling them that Harry is my pet Syrian Hamster

Is Rat not Hamster :pac: