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January 27, 2008: The rat king
Or rather, a rat king:
Wikipedia has more about this:
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Rat kings are cryptozoological phenomena said to arise when a number of rats become intertwined at their tails, which become stuck together with blood, dirt, and excrement. The animals consequently grow together while joined at the tails, which are often broken. The phenomenon is particularly associated with Germany, where the majority of instances have been reported. Most researchers presume the creatures are legendary and that all supposed physical evidence is hoaxed, such as mummified groups of dead rats with their tails tied together. Reports of living specimens remain unsubstantiated. One theoretical cause for the phenomenon is cramped living space; young rats might live too closely together, becoming inextricably entangled. However, the normal behavior of rats, which generally seek their own comfort, speaks against this theory. No scientific study has been performed to prove a natural cause of the phenomenon. |
xoxoxoBruce Sunday Jan 27 11:07 PM
How could they survive at all? I'm suspicious.
JDwithcoke&lime Monday Jan 28 09:29 AM
Oh, I think I see a hair.........damn, now Iv'e lost my appetite!
Flint Monday Jan 28 10:00 AM
So, the "Rat King" wears this thing as a crown?
That's even worse than the thorny crown thing.
ZenGum Monday Jan 28 10:15 AM
Like Bruce, I am skeptical.
Rats need to move, and move through small spaces, to live. I don't see how this could do that.
Rats are selfish buggers that fight amongst their own kind. If there was a rat king starting, I would expect that they would fight it out, chew off each others' tails, kill each other, etc.
I can almost imagine someone catching a goodly number of rats, and having them tied together with twine around their tails, then as the rats die, the result is what we see here. Maybe.
I'd rather imagine that than imagine a rat king, still alive, running down an alleyway towards me. 
binky Monday Jan 28 10:23 AM
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Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce
How could they survive at all? I'm suspicious.
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bluecuracao Monday Jan 28 12:10 PM
Must...not...look at IotD...during......lun 
richlevy Monday Jan 28 02:03 PM
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Originally Posted by bluecuracao
Must...not...look at IotD...during......lun
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spudcon Monday Jan 28 04:06 PM
If this was to happen in the real world, there would be one very fat rat left, having eaten his bretheran as they weakened.
toranokaze Monday Jan 28 06:17 PM
How to cook...deep fat fry with cheese filling
Cloud Monday Jan 28 06:57 PM
since the tied-together thingy is most likely a hoax, this is what I think of in re: the Rat King:
1) King Rat (by J. Clavell)
2) the King of the Wererats from L.K. Hamilton.
Now THAT would be bad . . . to be a wererat, that is.
Sheldonrs Monday Jan 28 08:30 PM
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Originally Posted by toranokaze
How to cook...deep fat fry with cheese filling
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Gravdigr Monday Jan 28 09:21 PM
I'm guessing this particular 'rat-king' was flame broiled. See, no hair. If it was just a ball of dead rats wouldn't there be hair left? 
DucksNuts Monday Jan 28 09:32 PM
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Originally Posted by toranokaze
How to cook...deep fat fry with cheese filling
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ZenGum Monday Jan 28 09:50 PM
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Originally Posted by DucksNuts
Thats the first time I have thrown up a little in my mouth.
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Giant Salamander Tuesday Jan 29 01:21 AM
That makes my capillaries feel...dirty. I can't wash it off.
Flint Tuesday Jan 29 09:04 AM
Shouldn't this thing be called the Rat Pack ???
Giant Salamander Tuesday Jan 29 02:25 PM
It should be.
toranokaze Tuesday Jan 29 08:33 PM
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Originally Posted by DucksNuts
Thats the first time I have thrown up a little in my mouth.
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DucksNuts Tuesday Jan 29 09:43 PM
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Originally Posted by ZenGum
Quick, get a cup an a lady friend. Fame awaits!!!
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spudcon Tuesday Jan 29 11:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Flint
Shouldn't this thing be called the Rat Pack ???
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SPUCK Wednesday Jan 30 06:19 AM
Hey! They should make that into a wall clock or something..
xoxoxoBruce Wednesday Jan 30 06:30 AM
With a big spider behind it.
ZenGum Wednesday Jan 30 09:13 AM
Given the structure of the rat king, it's almost certain that there ARE spiders living amongst that tangle of tails....
Probably snakes, too.
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