BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!

Subject: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: Metchosin
Date: 22 Sep 03 - 01:01 AM

So you don't like rodents? You may change your mind after reading this. These guys could be salvation for a lot of dangerous places in the world. The African Giant Pouched Rat or Gambian Rat is a hero.

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: Metchosin
Date: 22 Sep 03 - 10:50 AM

Sheesh, I thought that Spaw might comment that although these little fellows aren't quite as pretty as his Weimeraners, at least they have balls.

I think they could even prove to be man's second best friend, over time and that some cats would even deem to show them a little respect....and they are vegetarians even.....

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: GUEST,pdq
Date: 22 Sep 03 - 12:56 PM

If you want a rodent your cat will respect, try this      http://www.capybara.org/

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: Noreen
Date: 22 Sep 03 - 02:26 PM

It's a wonderful idea, and I hope these creatures can be used for clearing mines and other wonderful things.

I find very interesting the finding that mother rats will train their offspring to detect TNT, but the statement that
...trained rats can pass their training through genetic information within a few generations...
had me looking at the calendar to check that we're not near the beginning of April...

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Sep 03 - 03:55 PM

I dunno freely roaming GIANT African Pouch Rats sounds kinda Hollywood sci-fi to me!:-)

I am all for finding of landmines, saving children and others from maiming and death. From what I've seen, the dogs do a good job, but I suppose people will naturally feel rats are more expendable if "mistakes" are made and, of course, the size, breeding capacity, training etc. of rats is probably far more efficacious than that of dogs.

Not that I am gaga over rats, but if humans weren't so violent they could leave the critters alone and not muck about with their genetics, etc.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: Metchosin
Date: 23 Sep 03 - 12:04 PM

well, if you had read the above link or done some checking on the web, you would have found that the project is not a hoax and is now under the auspices of the United Nations; the rats have a better sense of smell than dogs and they are not neemed "expendable" because unlike dogs they are too light to set off the mines.

Ah ye of little faith! Some small light in this dark and dangerous world and you dismiss it....so sad.....

Guess its hard to get repect when you don't have a fluffy tail, are low tech and African.

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: Metchosin
Date: 23 Sep 03 - 12:05 PM

another link

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Sep 03 - 01:18 PM

Eek! Or, should I say "Rats!" I was just joking, Mets! It just sounds like something Hollywood would dream up.**bg**

RATS - Ready At The Scent...
Making the World Safer, One Rat at a Time!

Seriously, it sounds like a fine and worthy program and I like that they are too light to set off the mines...good for them!!

katsmellsarat (Sorry, I couldn't resist!LoL)

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: Noreen
Date: 23 Sep 03 - 01:21 PM

Of course I followed the link and read the whole article, and followed their link to a US govt site, which is why I didn't dismiss it as a hoax. I am a biochemistry graduate and as I said, I find the idea fascinating.

However, there is no way than training can be passed to offspring genetically- it doesn't work like that! This odd statement made me doubt the scientific basis of the study, or at least the scientific knowledge of the person writing the report.

Very odd.

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: GUEST,pdq
Date: 23 Sep 03 - 04:29 PM

Noreen, the average reporter has little or no knowledge of science. Some make it through college with "survey of science" which is more entertainment than fact.

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: Noreen
Date: 23 Sep 03 - 07:31 PM

Yes I understand that, pdq, and unfortunately the same is true here in England, of newspaper reporters.

But one of the authors of this paper where that statement was made (link in first post) is apparently a professor of evolutionary biology...

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 Sep 03 - 10:16 PM

Well,

there has been some research that points to the potential transmission of certain physical things via genetics.

It seems that the "Germ Cells" in the testes/ovaries can respond to certain chemical influence within the body, which the normal structural cells don't.

I'm not talking about "mental things like training" though.

Saw it on TV. Must be true.

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: LadyJean
Date: 23 Sep 03 - 11:06 PM

As Hollowfox will tell you, I am a great friend to rats. Every year at the S.C.A. Pensic war I sell at least a hundred of my stuffed plague rats.
My friend Marion had a pet lab rat. Alex was quite charming, and very clean. He never spread disease, or did anything else distasteful, though he did help himself to junk food if he wasn't watched. Some people were silly and did things like jumping over her sofa, to get away from Alex. I was quite fond of him.

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 24 Sep 03 - 04:54 PM

Rats are nice, well, the rodent ones are. They spread less disease than you'd think. Remember those lovely pigeons in Trafalgar Square? The ones that would flock to the nearest bag of peanuts and mob the poor person holding it? The pigeons that would sit all over you and then shit all over you? They carry more communicable diseases and bacteria than any sewer rat.

And they fly.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: Metchosin
Date: 25 Sep 03 - 02:33 AM

I'm trying very hard to love them. This was the original reason I started this thread. My daughter has four (not Gambians) as pets, as she is allergic to cats and can't keep a dog where she lives. She sent me the Giant Rat link. I believe this is the closest I will get to having grandchildren.....Oh dear!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 25 Sep 03 - 07:37 PM

Smelling one rat is no problem. Smelling 15 or 20 of them is a bit of a trial, however, when they are all being kept in a single room.

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: Metchosin
Date: 25 Sep 03 - 10:59 PM

Depends Little Hawk, 15 or 20 cats in a single room can smell pretty awful too, especially if the litter box isn't changed often enough.

I've been in rooms where there were over 25 rats and it smelled just fine, you've just got to work a little harder changing the litter. Haven't found any pet yet that cannot be a little odiferous on certain occasions.

Don't know about your dachshund, but ours was noteable for regularly rancid farts, the kind that snuck up silently, when he was sitting in your lap.

At least my daughter's rats don't fart.....that I've noticed.

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: LadyJean
Date: 25 Sep 03 - 11:40 PM

Load your ratapault! Go rat a tat tat! Make tasty ratatouille! Be rat on! Do the rat thing! Get a plague rat!

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: Raptor
Date: 26 Sep 03 - 12:19 AM

I've Got 10 rats!

Its the Guiney Pigs that smell!

Raptor

Subject: RE: BS: Rat Bastard of 2003? hardly!
From: katlaughing
Date: 26 Sep 03 - 01:07 AM

Those would be SBDs, Mets...Silent But Deadly! At least I learned something from ex-husband No.2 who learned it in the Navy!**bg**

My son's past girlfriend used to rescue them from the labs at college. They had a couple of really nice ones that they really enjoyed. I recently saw a woman on tv who started a rat fan club. She and her two friends all had their rats with them. They were dressed up in little hats, jackets, dresses, etc. She has a website, sorry I don't know the URL for it. She was on a new show called "Steve Harvey's Big Time." Not my kind of show, but I watched it that one night because they'd contacted me about my brother and his power of music theories, so I wanted to see what they were all about.:-)

kat