Giant rat: Swedes agog at 'Ratzilla' in Stockholm

[cronus]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26764929

Giant rat: Swedes agog at 'Ratzilla' in Stockholm

The appearance of a massive rat in a Stockholm family's kitchen has made headlines in Sweden, where it is being dubbed "Ratzilla".

Measuring 40cm (nearly 16in) plus tail, the creature terrified the family in Solna district.

Pest controllers finally killed the intruder using an oversized trap.

Even the family cat had refused to enter the kitchen while the giant rat was in residence, father Erik Korsas told BBC News.

It appears that it entered the kitchen via a ventilation pipe, having gnawed its way through cement and wood.

After devouring food leftovers under the sink, the creature feasted on a "Swedish smorgasbord" of waste in the bin, according to Mr Korsas.

(continued)

[PsychoSerenity]

There were rats, rats,
As big as bloomin' cats,
In the quartermaster's stores.

[hackenslash]

When I was about 11, I lived in a house that had previously been a training school for police dogs for the London port authorities police, right on the side of the West India dock. There were plenty of rats that kind of size in those docks, and one or two managed ot get into the house.

To me, at that age, they looked about twice as fucking big. Funnily enough, it was at that time that I first came across James Herbert, and I could barely sleep for weeks...

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

The last giant rat I saw reported turned out to be a coypu.

[hackenslash]

East London isn't noted for its coypu population...

[JimC]

Was it from Sumatra?

[hackenslash]

Sumatra or other...

[piscator]

South Louisiana is loaded with nutria, aka "Water Rats".



Some folks down there like them in gumbo, others in dirty rice. The best way is made into boudin and fried in breaded balls mixed with rice. Dip in a brown etouffe or sauce piquant.
They'd be all the rage in your curries if you had them in the UK.

[JimC]

So, you're claiming that nutria are nutritious...

[piscator]

So, you're claiming that nutria are nutritious...

So, you're claiming that name is an accident?


This time of year is when nutria season tapers to prime crawfish season, and you can go get a beer tray loaded with about 3 pounds of hot spicy crawfish for about $13 in a restaurant. Better know how to eat them, or you'll come back hungry and spicy-smelling from your lunch break, your coworkers laughing because you left 2/3 of them when you ran out of time.

[JimC]

So, you're claiming that nutria are nutritious...

So, you're claiming that name is an accident?

Two names are commonly used in English for Myocastor coypus. The name "nutria" (or local derivatives such as "nutria- or nutra-rat") is generally used in North America, in Asia, and throughout countries of the former Soviet Union; however, in Spanish-speaking countries, the word "nutria" refers to the otter. To avoid this ambiguity, the name "coypu" (derived from the Mapudungun language) is used in Latin America and Europe.[8] In France, the coypu is known as a ragondin. In Dutch, it is known as beverrat (beaver rat). In German, it is known as Wasserratte (water rat). In Italy, instead, the popular name is, as in North America and Asia, "nutria", but it is also called castorino ("little beaver"), by which its fur is known in Italy.
In Brazil the animal is known as ratão-do-banhado, nútria or caxingui (the latter from the Tupi language).

[piscator]

[klr]

The last giant rat I saw reported turned out to be a coypu.

Was it tasty?

[piscator]

Spicy nutria rat koftas with chikpeas and naan. Some saag paneer on the side. Raspberry yogurt shake.

[JimC]

They'd be a huge hit in Ankh-Mopork...