Total Randomness

[fishsupreme]

Wow! There are real-life giant rats!

The Gambian Giant Pouched Rat (do a Google search if you're curious) grows to be up to 17 inches long, with a tail of the same length. That is so cool! A six-pound rat!

Okay, I admit, I'm a guy. If there was any doubt, I suppose this would prove it.

But if I were an evil genius building my stronghold, I would put some of those in my sewers. Since evil genius strongholds have to have unnecessarily large, open sewer pipes big enough for heroes to sneak into, it's necessary to guard them somehow.

Nothing says "No entry" like giant rats.

Comments

[adamas.livejournal.com]

Wow, this is cool. It reminds me of the ROUS from "Princess Bride"; I wish they got even bigger, though. Six pounds is, of course, large for a Rattus, but imagine the magnificent epidemiological funfest (oh, and let's face it, the idea of horrifying people on the NY subway just by looking would be satisfying, as well) that could be created by a rat that was double its size & weight (two and a half feet, and 12 pounds, whooie!); doubleplus, it would make it more difficult for the rats to escape (after all, what evil genius wants to bother with fine mesh when big bars will do, and look much more forboding and forbidding, to boot? :D)

[fishsupreme]

Oh, I agree, a 2.5', 12 lb. rat would be even cooler than a 17", 6 lb. rat.

But I'm pleased to find even 6 lb. rats in real life. I didn't think you got giant rats anywhere outside of Dungeons and Dragons.

[adamas.livejournal.com]

And apparently Gambians make great pets, according to: http://members.shaw.ca/petitepaws/gpr.html & http://www.altpet.net/rodents/cricetomys/

Actually.... Hm. I think I want one.

[adamas.livejournal.com]

But in retrospect, if they make great pets, they mustn't be all that furious or trainable in the violent arts... Bummer.

[fishsupreme]

Does a giant rat even need to be dangerous to threaten people? It's a giant rat. Intruders in your lair won't think, "Oh, look, it's a Gambian giant rat, they're harmless and make good pets." They'll think, "Oh, fuck, giant rat!" and run away!

[adamas.livejournal.com]

Alternatively, they might think, "WOW, COOL! SUSTENANCE! ;D

[fishsupreme]

You know, I just realized, it shouldn't be that hard to breed a 2.5', 12 lb. rat. All you need to do is get some 17", 6 lb. rats and start cross-breeding them for size. Maybe mix in some of the NYC subway rats abz6598 mentions below, too. I mean really, how hard can it be to get rats to breed? That's like getting lead to fall. In a decade or so, you could be going around with the North American Riding Rat or something.

[rhiannonstone.livejournal.com]

Except of course if the hero in question is a vampire with a soul, who would have no problem getting rid of the rats as he has spent many years subisting off of them and would see them as supersized snacks. ;)

[pyran.livejournal.com]

On one hand, I want one. On the other, I don't know if it would terrorize my cats or vice versa. :-)

[fishsupreme]

Conversation with the lovely sheeplass about this post:

sheeplass says:
*snickering* six pound rats.
fishsupreme says:
Isn't that so cool?
sheeplass says:
You're so weird. I love you.
fishsupreme says:
Only gargantuan slugs would be cooler!!

[abz6598.livejournal.com]

Puh-lease...Ive seen rats in the NYC subway that you could put a saddle on. They *eat* six-pound rats.