January 27, 2008: The rat king

YellowBolt • Jan 27, 2008 10:51 pm
Or rather, a rat king:
Image

Wikipedia has more about this:
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.


Talk about gross. I would not want to meet one of these things anyday ever.
xoxoxoBruce • Jan 27, 2008 11:07 pm
How could they survive at all? I'm suspicious.
JDwithcoke&lime • Jan 28, 2008 9:29 am
Oh, I think I see a hair.........damn, now Iv'e lost my appetite!
Flint • Jan 28, 2008 10:00 am
So, the "Rat King" wears this thing as a crown?

That's even worse than the thorny crown thing.
ZenGum • Jan 28, 2008 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. :bolt:
binky • Jan 28, 2008 10:23 am
xoxoxoBruce;427720 wrote:
How could they survive at all? I'm suspicious.


But...? If wikipedia said it...?:rolleyes:
bluecuracao • Jan 28, 2008 12:10 pm
Must...not...look at IotD...during......lun :vomitblu:
richlevy • Jan 28, 2008 2:03 pm
bluecuracao;427790 wrote:
Must...not...look at IotD...during......lun :vomitblu:
[SIZE=2]Just don't order [/SIZE][SIZE=2]Ratatouille.[/SIZE]
spudcon • Jan 28, 2008 4:06 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 • Jan 28, 2008 6:17 pm
How to cook...deep fat fry with cheese filling
Cloud • Jan 28, 2008 6:57 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 • Jan 28, 2008 8:30 pm
toranokaze;427867 wrote:
How to cook...deep fat fry with cheese filling

Looks kind of like a funnel cake already. All it needs is powdered sugar.
Gravdigr • Jan 28, 2008 9:21 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? :eyebrow:
DucksNuts • Jan 28, 2008 9:32 pm
toranokaze;427867 wrote:
How to cook...deep fat fry with cheese filling


Thats the first time I have thrown up a little in my mouth.
ZenGum • Jan 28, 2008 9:50 pm
DucksNuts;427929 wrote:
Thats the first time I have thrown up a little in my mouth.


Quick, get a cup an a lady friend. Fame awaits!!!
Giant Salamander • Jan 29, 2008 1:21 am
That makes my capillaries feel...dirty. I can't wash it off.
Flint • Jan 29, 2008 9:04 am
Shouldn't this thing be called the Rat Pack [SIZE="3"]???[/SIZE]
Giant Salamander • Jan 29, 2008 2:25 pm
It should be.
toranokaze • Jan 29, 2008 8:33 pm
DucksNuts;427929 wrote:
Thats the first time I have thrown up a little in my mouth.


I feel very accomplished now.
DucksNuts • Jan 29, 2008 9:43 pm
ZenGum;427934 wrote:
Quick, get a cup an a lady friend. Fame awaits!!!


Dirty slurries!!
spudcon • Jan 29, 2008 11:10 pm
Flint;428014 wrote:
Shouldn't this thing be called the Rat Pack [SIZE=3]???[/SIZE]


Or the Rat Fink.ImageImage
SPUCK • Jan 30, 2008 6:19 am
Hey! They should make that into a wall clock or something..
xoxoxoBruce • Jan 30, 2008 6:30 am
With a big spider behind it.
ZenGum • Jan 30, 2008 9:13 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.