More Rats..................... ........

[Monty2007]

The last rat thread was closed down literally seconds before I could post my final word.

Please note: This thread will be also closed if there are any nasty personal comments.

Rats are actually clean creatures and unfortunately since they used the sewer system as their home and network picked up a lot of fleas, bacteria and viruses that resulted in the Black Death etc.... (Note it was a long time ago - let's move on!).

I looked at some in our local pet shop yesterday and spoke with the attendant in order to get a new perspective on this thread for the benefit of you all (thanks Monty - not at all (cough, cough)). They sell about 3 rats a week and they are as popular as mice and gerbils, rabbits do much better though with sales of 5-10 (very cute). There is also a National Rat Club which is for people interested in rat shows that cater for the various varieties and breeds (Gilbert may be interested! lol).

I was tempted to buy a rat for our boy (who is 3) but my wife would have none of it and also mentioned the rather negative aspects associated with these rodents. She threatened to move out so I had to back down.

My view is that the bubonic plague seriously dented it for rats as far as PR is concerned, but as pointed out above they are animals that should be treated humanly.

I note with interest (and amusement) that my posts on consumer issues has previously resulted in few +ve reputation comments but I have received two on my rat views. I would like to thank those who posted +ve reputation comments, but would welcome more (please).

[schrodingers cat]

we all like reputation comments i started the last post and i got none

[schrodingers cat]

seemed to have gained a sudden interest in rats just discovered that the black death was transmitted by the rat flea
The Oriental Rat Flea
so it wasn`t actually the rat that seems to be stretching the blame a bit
S.C

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[Monty2007]

Originally Posted by schrodingers cat

we all like reputation comments i started the last post and i got none

Have one on me!

[schrodingers cat]

If the flea was carried on the rat and the rat got here on a boat it seems that we are somewhat guilty of spreading the plague unless of course rats can build boats
S.C

[enamae]

Well after all this fuss over Rats, may be I'll start a thread in sympathy for Lobsters and Crabs.

[Mr lex]

Just to be clear, bubonic plague is only carrired by the Black Rat, (sometimes called the 'ships rat')

Black rats were responsible for spreading the Bubonic Plague during the Middle Ages as they carried the flea which transmitted this disease. In most parts of Europe black rats have been completely eliminated, but are still common in port areas where they find their way ashore. They are associated with man to a greater extent than the brown rat, but have a greater need for warmth and hence do not tend to occur in the open in central and northern Europe, but are more common in tropical and subtropical areas. These little chaps are really acrobatic using their tails as balancing poles holding them stiff in the air


The common rat in this country is the Brown Rat.
The brown rat can be found native through out the UK and tends to be heavily populated when living close to man in urban cities and towns.
The rat attains sexual maturity early in life and the new born are dependent upon the mother, rats therefore have well developed nests with the new born being weaned after 3 - 4 weeks. The litter size does vary but an average litter size is 8 with approximately 6 litters per annum. Again rats have well developed front incisors for breaking down food sources, but these teeth keep growing and rats have to gnaw to keep these teeth from becoming to big and this creates a lot of damage especially when in a property.

Rats carry a disease which can be passed to man called Leptospirosis otherwise known as Weils (pronounced Vi - ells) disease and this has proven to be fatal to men who have come into contact with rats. This disease is passed to man via the rat’s urine so protection is essential when dealing with rats. It is estimated that one third of the rat population carries this disease and there is no way of knowing which rats do and which rats do not present a threat.

There you go, a potted history of the rat !!!


Lex

[Monty2007]

So are you saying that the brown rat could not have carried the fleas that caused the Black Death? Surely there were brown rats around back then - possibly the black ones were stupid enough to get caught!

I am no botanist but I doubt if a flea could discriminate between a black and brown rat. For a start they can't see............

Could you also clarify if the black/brown rat situation is similar to the problem we have with red and grey squirrels (one of more aggressive)?

I do not want to digress from the rat discussion but there could be a precedent with the squirrel dilemma.

[schrodingers cat]

seems rats carry lots of bad things
Category:Rat carried diseases - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
but there`s lots of other things that carry bad stuff including us
Zoonosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

i think people have just learned to victimise the rat do you think james herbert would have sold as many books or the film rights if he`d of called his book the hampsters instead of the rats,i think not
i`m sure i had something to do today besides study rats
S.C

[Monty2007]

I think the rat discussion has been exhausted. There are lots of other rodents though to keep the debate going.

Anyone got it in for squirrels? They ruined my loft a few years back.

[schrodingers cat]

got bit by a gerbil when i was in junior school,that was forty years ago and i still remember

[Monty2007]

was the gerbil ok?

[tiglet]

Originally Posted by Monty2007

Anyone got it in for squirrels?

Yes! Barstewards! I hate them with their long tails and their stupid twitchy noses.

[poppynurse]

Plague is not really an issue in this country - but Weils disease is. I've looked after a number of folk who have contracted it and believe me it is not pleasant and can be fatal.

I'm for anything that controls the population of rats....from a public health viewpoint.

[schrodingers cat]

Originally Posted by Monty2007

was the gerbil ok?

well it seemed ok at the time but its dead now

[Kpax]

Originally Posted by schrodingers cat

seemed to have gained a sudden interest in rats just discovered that the black death was transmitted by the rat fleaS.C

Yep thats true - as a historian - which isn't just all watching paint dry thats knowledge ! Sorry couldn't resist

[Kpax]

Originally Posted by enamae

Well after all this fuss over Rats, may be I'll start a thread in sympathy for Lobsters and Crabs.

Hi there ! Think i'd be with you on that one too - it always horrifies me that they get boiled alive - but i'm veggie so

[patdavies]

Originally Posted by Kpax

Hi there ! Think i'd be with you on that one too - it always horrifies me that they get boiled alive - but i'm veggie so

Why? They don't have a nervous system capable of feeling pain from this; so why is it cruel?

[Kpax]

Originally Posted by patdavies

Why? They don't have a nervous system capable of feeling pain from this; so why is it cruel?

Oh dear - here we go again ! I don't feel the need to go off on a tangent discussing the moral implications of whether it is right or wrong to treat a living creature in this way - whether it feels pain or not - its wrong for me - and I am assuming you are referring to various studies - particularly the Norwegian one in 2003 saying that they do not have enough neurons to feel pain....is that really the issue - even assuming that this is correct and I wouldn't wanna bet my karma on it, frankly ! There is a great saying that we all should apply to our lives - and I am not in the least religious in saying this - do as you would be done by - its a good rule for life....all life !

[dandoogle]

I was listening to the radio today and they stated that a single pair of rats can breed in excess of 2000 decendents in 1 year.

Apparently there are more rats than ever now and its due to milder winters so they are not deterred from breeding at any point in the year.

My favourite rat is splinter, oh i was always quite fond of Ben too.

Dan