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 OryonsOracle
Location: twin cities MN
Gender: Male
 |  | Sewer rats
< on 9/1/2012 5:27 AM >
|  | | | Im sure most veterans have seen plenty of these. I always thought they would be just slightly larger than mice, like other rats I have seen. But as I was walking down the underground creek and one appeared in the beam of my flashlight, I was surprised to see it was about the size of an adult rabbit. Its hind feet were also large in relation to its body. Long skeletal toes that more resembled fingers.
But what actually bothered me was its demeanor. It was completely indifferent to my presence. Mice Ive seen in the same area always run. This rat nonchalantly ambled toward me swam across the stream and began grooming itself not 5 feet away from me. Wildlife fascinates me so I watched it for awhile. It continued in this same fashion for the next 5 minutes until I continued past it on my way out. I tried for some pics but the mist made it nothing more than a brown smudge in a white circle.
Any other stories you have on Sewer rats? Are they all this indifferent to human presence? Or did I witness an exception?
Carpe Noctem. Seize the night. |
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Captain_Slow
     
The infamous Buttram Manfist
Location: Dallas, Tx
Gender: Male
Obviously capable of mediocre things.
| | Re: Sewer rats
<Reply # 1 on 9/1/2012 5:45 AM >
| | | | You may have seen a nutria.
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OryonsOracle
Location: twin cities MN
Gender: Male
| | Re: Sewer rats
<Reply # 2 on 9/1/2012 6:02 AM >
| | | | I had never heard of Nutria until now. If it was a nutria, it was about 1/2 the size of the one in this pic. That is an enormous rodent.
Carpe Noctem. Seize the night. |
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buddykermit
Location: Mid Atlantic
Gender: Male
"hey dude watch this"
| | Re: Sewer rats
<Reply # 3 on 9/1/2012 8:41 AM >
| | | | i came across a sewer rat that could talk and knew karate once.
When one man, for whatever reason,
has the opportunity to lead an extraordinary life,
he has no right to keep it to himself |
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Keaven
Location: 15 miles from the Grassy Knoll
Gender: Male
| |  | Re: Sewer rats
<Reply # 4 on 9/1/2012 12:46 PM >
| | | | Posted by OryonsOracle
I had never heard of Nutria until now. If it was a nutria, it was about 1/2 the size of the one in this pic. That is an enormous rodent.
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I'm guessing you saw a Norway rat (aka brown rat) because:
1.you got a good look at its face; they have a much longer snout than a nutria. I don't think you would have confused them from the front.
2. You saw it in a aquatic environment. That mostly rules out the black rat (aka roof rat). Norway rats are the better swimmers, black rats are the better climbers. I've only seen nutria in ponds and I've never observed them to be so bold.
3. Norway rats can be quite bold and they can be pretty big.
I'd say you saw a big, bold alpha male Norway rat. I don't think one would attack a human, but I would avoid cornering one.
I found the book Rats pretty interesting.
http://www.amazon....=1-1&keywords=rats
BuddyKermit might prefer this book.
http://www.amazon....=1-1&keywords=rats
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pincheck
Location: Scotland
Gender: Male
| | Re: Sewer rats
<Reply # 5 on 9/1/2012 4:03 PM >
| | | | Only ever seen them outside Mcdonalds 
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fiftyone_eggs
Location: jerzey
Gender: Male
| |  | Re: Sewer rats
<Reply # 7 on 9/1/2012 5:51 PM >
| | | | I used to work as an exterminator in the city. We didn't get Nutrias. But there are basically two varieties of rat in N. America: black rats (dark and a little bigger than mice) and Norway rats which are bigger and come in gray, black, and brown. You probably saw a Norway rat. Some are scared of people, and others don't seem too bothered by them. They definitely have different personalities and rats in general have learned well how to co-exist with people. Given a regular food source Norways can get freaky big sometimes.
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willskith
Location: Boston, MA
Gender: Male
| |  | | Re: Sewer rats
<Reply # 8 on 9/1/2012 9:05 PM >
| | | | I've seen them a bunch. Usually they're indifferent. We've even rescued one.
Had to carry it through almost a mile of tunnel and climb up a rope with it. My girlfriend fell and got soaked in sewerfresh that night. She wasn't happy about the whole situation.
[last edit 9/1/2012 9:22 PM by willskith - edited 1 times]
grit your teeth in the face of fear. self repression is the true sign of a coward, toss your inhibitions to the wind. |
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OryonsOracle
Location: twin cities MN
Gender: Male
| | Re: Sewer rats
<Reply # 9 on 9/2/2012 2:26 AM >
| | | | Thank you for the responses. It seems it was likely a large Norway or brown rat. After some research Nutria are an invasive species that allegedly haven't made it to MN yet. I have to admit I would like to see one though.
Carpe Noctem. Seize the night. |
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Keaven
Location: 15 miles from the Grassy Knoll
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Sewer rats
<Reply # 10 on 9/2/2012 4:33 PM >
| | | | Posted by OryonsOracle
Thank you for the responses. It seems it was likely a large Norway or brown rat. After some research Nutria are an invasive species that allegedly haven't made it to MN yet. I have to admit I would like to see one though.
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Actually, both the Norway (brown) and black (roof) rat are invasive species in North American too. As are the English sparrow (now our most common bird), the earthworm...many, many of the plants and animals that are common now.
Before Europeans came here, the Passenger Pigeon was probably our most common bird.
And some still say "man has little effect on the environment and couldn't possibly be a factor in global warming". But that is a whole 'nother topic.
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