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Title: Giant rat killed by pitchfork in Marcy Houses is believed to be Gambian pouched rat
Source:
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URL Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local ... houses_is_believed_to_be_.html
Published: Aug 26, 2011
Author: Barry Paddock, Mark Morales and Mike Jac
Post Date: 2011-08-26 13:57:38 by Jethro Tull
Keywords: None
Views: 344
Comments: 27
It sounds like an urban legend: giant mutant-looking rats roaming a city housing project. Only there's a picture. A photo making the rounds shows Housing Authority worker Jose Rivera minutes after he speared the humongous rodent with a pitchfork at the Marcy Houses. It's covered in white fur and looks well-fed. It appears to be about three feet long, including its hideously dangling tail. And Rivera, 48, says it's not the only one. He insists that while he was filling a rat hole last week, three came running out - but he was only able to nail one. "I hit it one time and it was still moving," Rivera said. "I hit it another time and that's when it died. I'm not scared of rats but I was scared of being bitten." Naomi Colon, head of the Marcy Houses Tenant Association, said there have been sightings of the outsize rat for at least six years. "The residents have told me that they've seen it running around with other rats. She lived with them. She ran into the same hole they ran in." Animal experts who viewed the picture identified the animal as a Gambian pouched rat, which is a fairly common pet rat. They're nocturnal, can grow to three feet and four pounds or more, and live seven or eight years. Imports have been banned since 2003, when they were blamed for a monkeypox outbreak that sickened 100 people in the United States. Dr. Paul Calle, director of zoological health at the Wildlife Conservation Society, said the Marcy Houses specimen was probably an escaped or discarded pet who decided to join the regular rat race. "They are a very social animal and live in big groups in the wild. Our Norway rats are the closest big rodents it could accompany," he said. They can even be trained to sniff out landmines or even tuberculosis. "They're pretty remarkable animals," Calle said. Tenants fear that the Gambian rat has been breeding with the Norway rats and spawning a super-breed of rodents - but zoo officials say not to worry. The imported rat probably wouldn't mate with local rats, and it couldn't reproduce if it did, because each is from a different genus, Calle said. Residents say that while the monster-sized rat may be the stuff of horror movies, the run-of-the-mill rats are an even bigger nightmare at the project where Jay-Z grew up. "Even the cats are afraid of the rats. They get together and gang up on the cats, said resident Stephanie Davis, 44. Pam Davis, 43, added, "They're here day and night. We don't dodge bullets. We dodge rats.They're so big, they should charge them rent." The New York City Housing Authority had no immediate comment.
Poster Comment: Now THAT's a rat!
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#1. To: Jethro Tull (#0)
Poor thing was probably some little girl's beloved pet, till it snuck out and got away. Mine has a guinea pig, cutest little thing. It squeaks in an attempt to talk, and is super cuddly. A rat is just an animal that has been given a bad reputation since it has historically spread disease due to its living habitat out in the wild.
that has been given a bad reputation since it has historically spread disease and killed millions of people exterminate 'em
So have human beings... Thing is, the humans did it deliberately in many cases (if you include wars, although sometimes the disease WAS deliberate (ie. forced smallpox vaccinations, or deliberately spreading smallpox to the Native Americans by giving them infected blankets), whereas the rat didn't.
It's be kind to fuzzy little rats day. O.K. I wish folks would stop bringing in all of these reptiles and mammals that don't have any business here. Like we don't have enough problems. Cheers, FL.
I would be more concerned about Pythons in Flahrda.
Yeah they have a population of African Rock Pythons breeding down there.
#15. To: farmfriend, Original_Intent, randge, abraxas (#14)
Yeah they have a population of African Rock Pythons breeding down there. That's an overblown issue. There are more common wild things in Flawda to be concerned about. Pigmy Rattlesnakes are the most common venomous snake in Florida, and is responsible for more snakebites than any other snake. They are hard to see and will bite without much provocation. I'm not concerned about pythons.
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#2. To: FormerLurker (#1)
#4. To: randge (#2)
that has been given a bad reputation since it has historically spread disease and killed millions of people
#6. To: FormerLurker (#4)
#7. To: randge, FormerLurker, abraxas (#6)
I wish folks would stop bringing in all of these reptiles and mammals that don't have any business here.
#14. To: Original_Intent, randge, abraxas (#7)
I would be more concerned about Pythons in Flahrda.
Replies to Comment # 14. I would be more concerned about Pythons in Flahrda.
Then there are alligators in most any body of water, rabid raccoons, feral hogs, and other native snakes.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 14.