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Dworkin

(164 posts)
Thu Apr 16, 2020, 05:00 PM Apr 2020

Rats

Folks,

A week go my wife and I were out walking and we saw two brown rats chasing each other in a children's play area. Today I was in a supermarket car park and saw five rats chasing around in the the empty space.

I have never seen this before, not in public places. The thought is obvious: if people were not around how long would it take for the rats to come out? At least they were playing and not dying.

Strange times.

D.




8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Rats (Original Post) Dworkin Apr 2020 OP
It is because of a couple of things Soph0571 Apr 2020 #1
Hi sopho Dworkin Apr 2020 #2
Probably delirious with hunger!!! Soph0571 Apr 2020 #3
It's historically true that rat's play but people pay! abqtommy Apr 2020 #4
Packs of rats were all over the Paris streets BigmanPigman Apr 2020 #5
I know what you mean. Here in the US the rats are scampering all over the White House. marble falls Apr 2020 #6
Daniel the rat Dworkin Apr 2020 #7
Among my circle of friends.... T_i_B Apr 2020 #8

Soph0571

(9,685 posts)
1. It is because of a couple of things
Thu Apr 16, 2020, 05:26 PM
Apr 2020

Firstly there is less crap on the streets for them to eat so they to come out from undercover to get fed. And secondly all the morons who are storing the ridiculous amounts of food the bought when panic buying are storing them in garages and so rats are invading homes cause there is food there.

Apparently some of them are becoming cannibals.

Strange times indeed

Where abouts are you in the UK? Feel free to tell me to mind my own business. I am in London.

Dworkin

(164 posts)
2. Hi sopho
Thu Apr 16, 2020, 05:59 PM
Apr 2020

We are in the West Country near Bristol. Never seen this before.

Thing is, the rats look happy.

D.

BigmanPigman

(51,432 posts)
5. Packs of rats were all over the Paris streets
Thu Apr 16, 2020, 08:03 PM
Apr 2020

a couple of years ago due to the historic flooding. They needed food and safety too. The rats in cities are getting hungry...even "pizza rat" has no pizza to eat anymore.

Dworkin

(164 posts)
7. Daniel the rat
Fri Apr 17, 2020, 06:44 AM
Apr 2020

Folks,

This might seem a bit strange, but I once took a wild rat to a vet in order to have him painlessly euthanised. He had got into our very old house through the basement and I trapped him in the bedroom. We then put a non lethal trap in there, baited with peanut butter. Anyway, once he was in the trap I felt sorry for him and named him Daniel.

Really, I wanted to release him somewhere, but my wife was not happy about that. She thought we might get bitten while trying to let him out of the cage. So it was the vet. They said that in 25 years of business, they had never had a person bring in a wild rat to their surgery. They didn't charge me for the service.

D.

T_i_B

(14,734 posts)
8. Among my circle of friends....
Sat Apr 18, 2020, 08:50 AM
Apr 2020

.... One of the big topics of conversation is what wildlife people have seen on their government mandated exercise. Sadly rats are part of that. Doesn't help that there appears to be an increase in fly tipping at the moment.

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