Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum

General Topics => The Debating Chamber => Topic started by: pops on November 08, 2013, 18:39:06 PM

Title: Rats
Post by: pops on November 08, 2013, 18:39:06 PM
So what do you think of when you hear the word RAT?

Do you think of dirty sewer living creatures that carry disease? Something like these.....

(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z329/pops61/temple-of-rats.jpg) (http://s1184.photobucket.com/user/pops61/media/temple-of-rats.jpg.html)

Or do you think of family pets? Something like these.......

(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z329/pops61/Babies%2023-8-2011/089.jpg) (http://s1184.photobucket.com/user/pops61/media/Babies%2023-8-2011/089.jpg.html)

My wife shows pet rats and over the last few years I have been made aware of many misconceptions regarding these creatures. Although I would be still wary of a wild rat as they "may" be aggressive due to not being handled, I am now quite comfortable around pet rats.

They are very clean, very clever and extremely sociable creatures......but many people just "don't like them" without being able to explain why.

We were recently at a rat show.....and my wife and her girls did quite well. So a couple of pics of Her successes which may help to change one or two members minds.

(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z329/pops61/Show%20winners/015.jpg) (http://s1184.photobucket.com/user/pops61/media/Show%20winners/015.jpg.html)

(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z329/pops61/Show%20winners/022.jpg) (http://s1184.photobucket.com/user/pops61/media/Show%20winners/022.jpg.html)

(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z329/pops61/Show%20winners/009.jpg) (http://s1184.photobucket.com/user/pops61/media/Show%20winners/009.jpg.html)

(http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z329/pops61/Show%20winners/007.jpg) (http://s1184.photobucket.com/user/pops61/media/Show%20winners/007.jpg.html)

A bit of a strange way to introduce myself I must admit, but as I am going to Calis beach next year for the first time, I have very little to say about it yet. This however, may create some conversation. ;D

Your thoughts please on these much maligned creatures?
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: KKOB on November 08, 2013, 18:43:04 PM
You and the family will love it there. Plenty of chances to see working rats too. In bars, estate agents, markets etc etc.........  ;)
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: pops on November 08, 2013, 18:51:00 PM
Much the same as the Turkish resorts I "have" been to then. ;D
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Fran on November 08, 2013, 18:57:03 PM
The ones in the glass are very cute. It's their tails I can't stand, don't know why but they freak me out.
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: JohnF on November 08, 2013, 19:02:08 PM
Birthday present for them...


(http://s12.postimg.org/5hlmm0sc9/Mouse_Trap.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/5hlmm0sc9/)


JF


Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Jacqui Harvey on November 08, 2013, 20:08:10 PM
My daughter had a pet rat when she first came home from Uni and got her own flat.  I was a bit dubious at first, but have to say I got quite fond of him and he was so tame and friendly.  It banished my dislike of rats altogether. 
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Scunner on November 08, 2013, 20:13:44 PM
We spotted a huge rat on the bank of the canal as we were coming up to Calis on the water taxi. It was massive. About the size of a small truck. But enough about the water taxi.

In all my years there I never saw a rat anywhere near as big as that one.
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Jacqui Harvey on November 08, 2013, 20:40:00 PM
We live in the country with lots of farms around us  All the farms have cats and we where advised to get a cat when we moved here.  We see field mice outside in the steadings, but never seen a rat... thank goodness.
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: puma on November 08, 2013, 20:42:10 PM
beauty is in the eye of the beholder (but not mine):(
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Hamlet on November 08, 2013, 20:49:40 PM
We spotted a huge rat on the bank of the canal as we were coming up to Calis on the water taxi. It was massive. About the size of a small truck. But enough about the water taxi.

In all my years there I never saw a rat anywhere near as big as that one.

When I read the first line of this comment I thought you were talking about your friend Brian James again Scunner  :)
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Lotty on November 08, 2013, 21:06:37 PM
M had a go at fishing at the undeveloped end of the cordon last time we were there and was fascinated to see so many big rats running on the rocks. Eugh! Shudder shudder!
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: kevin3 on November 09, 2013, 00:06:03 AM
Last year I saw a plastic 4" sewer pipe that rats had chewed through to get out of
to get to food in a cafe.And another instance where rats had chewed through a
plasterboard ceiling and climbed down the brickwork to get to food stored in the room.
They are becoming almost unstoppable.
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Menthol on November 09, 2013, 03:49:17 AM
I am utterly rat phobic.

I also saw a very large rat on the canal bank walking from Kus Cenetti to the water taxis. It appeared to have a snake/eel in its mouth.

Ok. I am shuddering just thinking about it.

And Pops, welcome to CBF but I have to say that fur less rat in your photo looks like something out of a nightmare.
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: johntaylor49 on November 09, 2013, 12:14:47 PM
I was very amused when working in Germany to be offered an "activator" at work on a Friday afternoon (yes they drink at work so much for their dedication to work) from a brandy bottle labelled "Rats Reserve"! My German colleagues didn't see the joke and explained it was meant to be so good it was from the cellars of the Rathaus (German Town Hall) where the Politicians live!  -------------- and at first didn't get it while I thought that was even funnier -- suddenly they did   ---- "aahhhh ratten, sehr gut!" and much hilarity!

One of the reasons we have so many rats is not that they are dirty it is because we humans strew our waste hence encouraging them to breed! And of course for their own defence they have learned to live in inaccessible places where it is unhygienic and overcrowded!

Don't want one as a pet though, much as I don't want scorpions or tarantulas!



Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Piscoe on November 11, 2013, 13:53:15 PM
Yeah I have seen the rats by the canal. Bloody huge!!
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: jondo on November 12, 2013, 13:23:11 PM
Last year we saw a couple swimming across the water under the little bridge at one of the Fethiye harbour side restaurants - and they were heading in the direction of that restaurant!
Biggest I saw many years ago - a Bongoyo Rat from the island of Bongoyo 8 miles from the shore near Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania - and it was swimming back to the island after a visit to the mainland! It was as big as a fully grown cat! And, it swam under me  :o
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Colwyn on November 12, 2013, 13:35:01 PM
It's the tree rats I hate. Those bloody grey squirrels.
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Jacqui Harvey on November 12, 2013, 17:44:33 PM
Like the red ones though Colwyn. 
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Colwyn on November 12, 2013, 18:06:36 PM
I must have been about ten years old when I saw my last red squirrel in Bristol. They were well behaved. They didn't build a drey and set up home in the loft and make one hell of a racket! Nor even come and dig up the lawn.
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: susuz.1 on November 12, 2013, 18:52:49 PM
We had a rat that ate through a drain pipe under our living room floor and started chewing through our floorboards. It set up shop in our integral garage in the pit (that had never been used except for this rat!). The smell from this rat was truly horrendous - the noise at night as it chewed through the floor/skirting boards was deafening and sinister!  I cannot say I was sorry when the rat was eventually poisoned and feel sorry if anyone has these creatures invade their homes as they are incredibly destructive  :o
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: savoyboy on November 12, 2013, 19:02:41 PM
Sorry just  stand them,not my cup if tea and if you have any breathing complaint there not for you.
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: johntaylor49 on November 12, 2013, 21:02:13 PM
Roland is ok  :)
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: lance on November 12, 2013, 21:54:48 PM
You see all sizes of rats down on the walk way in fethiye from yakamoz  down to shaka and futher along ,something to look at now all the grockles have gone home  .
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: jondo on November 13, 2013, 11:57:59 AM
Lance, great word, Grockles. Haven't heard it since I was in Cornwall 35 years ago! But, they'll be back! Hopefully.
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: WordBird on November 13, 2013, 12:02:08 PM
Lance, great word, Grockles. Haven't heard it since I was in Cornwall 35 years ago! But, they'll be back! Hopefully.

The rats or the grockles?   ;)
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: jondo on November 14, 2013, 14:12:57 PM
Where there be Grockles there be more rats, aharr!