Brits brace for invasion of the ultra rats

We have rats that weigh 20 pounds or more. They are huge and the first time someone sees one they are SHOCKED. The good news is that they don't mess with people or our things much and live in the swamps. The only people and places where they are a problem are rice farmers because they will mess up the levees that flood and drain the rice fields. They have a bounty on them and pay people to kill them. They are not native species and are considered invasive so have no protection.
You just keep those down there in Texas with ya! I have enough issues with tiny field mice!
 
  • Haha
Reactions: ozentity
We have rats that weigh 20 pounds or more. They are huge and the first time someone sees one they are SHOCKED. The good news is that they don't mess with people or our things much and live in the swamps. The only people and places where they are a problem are rice farmers because they will mess up the levees that flood and drain the rice fields. They have a bounty on them and pay people to kill them. They are not native species and are considered invasive so have no protection.
I'd enjoy hunting them with my terriers Dan, sounds like they'd put up a decent fight.
 
  • Like
  • Big Grin
Reactions: Lynne and Selectric
1663594166977.png

They are actually sort of cute... for a BIG freaking RAT!!! They actually imported the things to try and handle another imported problem, hyacinths. They are a floating water plant that will completely cover a body of water. They thought that neutria rats would eat them and solve the problem but ended up with two problems.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ozentity
We have rats that weigh 20 pounds or more. They are huge and the first time someone sees one they are SHOCKED. The good news is that they don't mess with people or our things much and live in the swamps. The only people and places where they are a problem are rice farmers because they will mess up the levees that flood and drain the rice fields. They have a bounty on them and pay people to kill them. They are not native species and are considered invasive so have no protection.
This really could get to be a huge problem. I didn't know they could grow that big. Makes me think of the huge Capybara. I was shocked to find out they were in the same family and after thinking about it, they are just huge rats.
 
Many years ago, one early morning while out doing my daily run on base in Del Rio, TX, I saw a nutria rat come out of a sewer. It scared the hell out of me as I had no idea what it was. I knew it wasn't a armadillo or raccoon, my first thought was it was a beaver until I got a view of its behind.

I didn't find out until later in the day what it was, one of the NCOs we were working with told me what it was. He was from Louisiana and told me they were considered "good eatin" in the Bayou.
 
View attachment 42760
They are actually sort of cute... for a BIG freaking RAT!!! They actually imported the things to try and handle another imported problem, hyacinths. They are a floating water plant that will completely cover a body of water. They thought that neutria rats would eat them and solve the problem but ended up with two problems.
Sounds like when they brought cane toads to Oz for beetle control.
 
Hunters in the UK call them tree rats, they hate the introduced grey squirrels as they push out the native red ones apparently.
Grey squirrels do push out the native reds. I'm very lucky to have reds here and no greys. Those greys are mean! The reds simply throw nuts at the dogs...lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: ozentity