Can wild rats be tamed?

[WendyS]

The rat which I posted about recently hanging around my bird table and chasing off the magpies is now returning several times a day. I can walk up to within a yard of him and he nibbles quite happily in my presence without seeming afraid. I wasn't thinking of taming him as we don't really want to encourage rats but I wonder whether anybody has tamed a wild rat in the past?

[Lonnie]

Hi Wendy, love hearing about you Rat, have you given him a name yet?,

I would imagine that if he/she's used to you it might take food from your hand, which would be a wonderful thing, (probably best to wear gloves, to be on the safe side), but like any wild animal, I doubt if you'd be able to tame it completely. Good luck, and if you can pluck up the courage to do it, post back, love to hear how your getting on with it.

[gessoo]

Rats are so intelligent that I don't see why not, Wendy. Although it would be a risk for health reasons. I think they use tamed wild rats for film making, and that terrible programme 'I'm a Celebrity get...............here'!!

[B00]

Awww wendy, that's so cute, it maybe wise though not to encourage it to be so tame around you. Not many people will be so kind towards him and if he loses his fear of folks.............

Seeing as someone has already mentioned "I'm A Celebrity"..did anyone else feel sorry for the rats the used on there? No? Just me then? Oh :-(

[B00]

Sorry Gessoo, didnt realise it was you who'd mentioned that programme...hello!

[WendyS]

Lonnie/Gessoo - I think history is sadly about to repeat itself. Two years ago, we were visited by a large fat rat who we called Roland. He disappeared for a couple of weeks and suddenly returned in slimmed down version, followed by 6 babies!! So we had to rename her Rolanda, and we watched with fascination as she taught her babies to climb fences and feed on our peanut cages. The babies were so tame I could almost put my hand out & stroke them as they came up to me sitting on my patio.. Then babies grew up & our neighbours on either side started to complain about rat invasion. In the end we were forced to call in the Council's pest control dept. . I begged them for live cages so we could release the rats unharmed in the woods. They refused and we had to end up with poisoned bait. It was heartbreaking seeing these poor creatures stagger across our garden dying in various stages of distress. I really felt like a murderer.
So after a 2 year absence, here with are with another rat who seems to be getting more and more tame. I really don't know what to do for the best. I really can't face the ultimate poison bate route again but inevitably, knowing how rats breed, I fear the inevitable will start all over again. Meanwhile the new Roland is sitting quite happily on the lawn while I type, nibbling crumbs and sunbathing quite happily without a care in the world and I'm enjoying him while I can, before the storm clouds appear. Arn't I daft?

[raysparx]

Hi wendy, I am going to be real kill joy, please don't feed these vermin,they spread all sorts of disease,and if you ever saw anybody that had caught weils disease (spelling) you would think twice,I used to breed rats (not wild ones) and yes they are very bright and lovely to look at,but a lad I know caught weils from rats urine,he was paralised and in hospital for quite a while,he was lucky he recovered but it can kill you,so cute as they are think twice before you are overrun with them, Take care, Ray

[gessoo]

Ray is right Wendy. We shoot the rats in our garden. It's awful, but better than poison. They are one of God's creatures - why have they had such a raw deal!! I wrote a poem about this very thing. One day I might even post it on here.

[Lonnie]

To echo Ray and Gessoo, yes, they are right about the diseases, but here's a thought, why not catch it in a cage, and release it maybe in a forest, although, and I stand to be corrected, I believe its said that at no time, are we ever more than a few feet from a rat.

[raysparx]

Hi Lonnie, yes catch and release,great idea,I don't like to see any creature suffer, I have read that Lonnie about being so near to them,it's amazing really cos you don't often see them,but you must see hundreds in your work life Lonnie? I know Whitechapel station was alive with yhem when I used to catch the last train home, Take care all,i'm not a horrible old git honest, Ray

[Lonnie]

Hi Ray, I'm grateful to you, for your warnings, i'd actually forgotton about the diseases, (caught up in the thrill of it all), as i've said, i'm a driver on the Underground, and we have a driver, (not from my depot), currently in Hospital, on the critical list, with Weils Disease, he was on the Waterloo and City line, most of his internal organs have collapsed, so I think your warning was an excellent reminder of what can happen,

All the best, and take care.