On The Rat-Walk: Rodent Strikes A Pose For Budding Fashion Photographer

Dail Mail (UK) ^ | February 24, 2009

[Steelfish]

On the rat-walk: Rodent strikes a pose for budding fashion photographer

Rats are not exactly known for looking adorable, but this one is doing a pretty good job.

These pictures were taken by 18-year-old Jessica Florence, and have made pet rat 'Bug' into an internet sensation.

The images of Bug have become almost as searched for as those of any movie heart-throb, winning over even the sceptical with what one blogger calls their 'disgustingly cute' poses, and Jessica has been deluged with emails from fellow rat fanciers and fans.

[rfp1234]

Scotty the Dwarf Hamster.

[dynachrome]

My Viking Kitty would love to eat, err meet Scotty.

[sinanju]

Ben, the two of us need look no more
We both found what we were looking for
With a friend to call my own
I’ll never be alone
And you, my friend, will see
You’ve got a friend in me
(you’ve got a friend in me)

Ben, you’re always running here and there
You feel you’re not wanted anywhere
If you ever look behind
And don’t like what you find
There’s one thing you should know
You’ve got a place to go
(you’ve got a place to go)

I used to say “I” and “me”
Now it’s “us”, now it’s “we”
I used to say “I” and “me”
Now it’s “us”, now it’s “we”
Ben, most people would turn you away
I don’t listen to a word they say
They don’t see you as I do
I wish they would try to
I’m sure they’d think again
If they had a friend like Ben
(a friend) Like Ben
(like Ben) Like Ben

[Sender]

I had a good rat a few years ago. Someone gave him to me, I kept his name, Scabbers. He was very peaceful and liked nothing better than to be held by humans. He would sit in the lap of my grandson and behaved in a civilized manner.

He died of some unknown rat illness. I had a couple of other rats afterward, who bit and behaved like rats.

This just goes to prove that, like humans, there are good rats and there are just rats. Some you keep, and some you pitch out the back door, and for some you need a pellet gun. Your mileage may vary.

[rfp1234]

That's a classic pic, the one with the kitten "cat-apulting" the mouse in the air with a spoon. Something similar happened to Scotty (an involuntary reaction after he bit my finger).

My hand sent him flying 30 inches up in the air,where no ham has gone before, but he had a soft landing. Gram for gram, he's a ferocious little defender of his territory.

[windcliff]

CHeck out the pictures at the link.

[sinanju]

Don’t forget the amazing African Giant Pouched Rats being used for land mine clearance by APOPO (www.herorat.org). They are amazing in that they can sniff out landmines working a grid with amazing speed and efficiency. They’re too small to detonate antipersonnel mines so a square box can be searched and marked out and cleared much faster than any other method.

[rfp1234]

African Giant Pouched Rats

Cool. Cricetomys gambianus, genus name means "hamster-mouse" due to the pouches. BTW, on the "Willard" (2003 remake) DVD I saw the director and Crispin Glover talking about "Ben", and how they digitally altered his eyes and ears to make him look more sinister.