[pickemuphere]

No joking around on this thread, folks. Gambian rats are serious business.

[TexasTransplant]

They look funnier fried than broiled and in a gumbo they are merely humorous.

[angkor]

Do they fry-up good and tasty?

[livius]

Nasty! Do fire ants eat them? Do they eat fire ants?

Seriously, however, do you have any idea where they came from? The article was a little vague on that.

I imagine they could probably join the possums that snuffle back and forth under my window at night, but on the other hand, I'd rather they didn't. I have too many rodent fights in my backyard at night to add another round.

[CzarNicky]

They should stop voting for them then.

[cyborg]

[steve86]

No joking around on this thread, folks. Gambian rats are serious business.

Do they not have a sense of humor?

Actually, my wife has some experience in India with similar creatures called "Bandi Goats" and they are not the most popular inhabitants of the area. Gambians are technically pouched rats.

[mewzilla]

From this link:

Some owners are unprepared for the destructive abilities of these rats. Like other rodents they need to chew, and with their large size and teeth they can do a lot of damage quickly if they are not supervised closely when outside of the cage for playtime.

Eeek.

[Petruchio]

No joking around on this thread, folks.

Darn! I was all ready to post a picture of Ted Kennedy.

Shucks!

[TheSpottedOwl]

Boa constrictors. Let them loose into the rat's feeding ground and watch the fur fly. Yuck, bad pun...

[sweetliberty]

"the African Gambian pouch rat."

.

[sweetliberty]

"No joking around on this thread, folks"

You've GOT to be kidding! This thread is MADE for joking.

[groanup]

Arm everyone in the Keys with 20 guage pumps. End of rats, end of story.

[swmobuffalo]

I've a simple solution to the rat problem--anybody got a gun?

[dog breath]

Yeah, I know invasive species are a problem but this thread is hysterical. The cats are even afraid of these things, they are really scary. I was wondering if the Democrats might want to change their symbol from the donkey to the giant Gambian pouched rat. Such a change would certainly make them seem more bold, dangerous and exciting.

[isom35]

one mans worry is another's target rich environment.

[Thinkin' Gal]

African Gambian pouch rat.

Kofi's bagmen?

[longtermmemmory]

Ok no joke. In europe the farmers used to use shotguns to kill the large norwegian rats. They were also as large as full grown raccoons/housecats. The rats would come out at sunset and the farmers would just wait and pick them off as the rats wandered across pathways in the fields.

Now the question is whether anyone in key west knows which way to point a shotgun. I bet these rats are solving the key west wild chicken problem.

[isom35]

are any of the rats named Ben?

[July 4th]

[joebuck]

"And the greater threat is that the pouch rat could make it to Key Largo, threatening the endangered wood rat, biologists say....."

Meet the new rat.....same as the old rat....(apologies to The Who)