I'm not surprised by
THIS story at all. They're big, but, cute, they look like giant Rats. And Rats are cute, smart and make good pets. But, the Hutia is native to Cuba, which gives a bit of a twist on the so called odd story. The first Hutia the couple got was found 'languishing by the side of the road'. They don't say if it was full grown. See? That makes a difference to me. I love pet Rats, but, I admit the wild Rats we have here in Iowa make me nervous. They are smart and mean. And nearly everyone here has seen one in their house at one time or another. (It's Iowa, it's farmland, don't judge. Though I may be filthy and a bad housekeeper, who cares?) Wild Rats are destructive, hard to catch and destroy and they're a bit scary. So, would a Hutia be the same way? Beats me. I looked them up and it says they're primarily vegetarian. Primarily being the key word. Yeah, so are Rats. It means they can survive off almost anything and have been known to. From paper and book bindings to an old bar of soap..and human flesh. You can't tame a wild Rat. They're just wild. They can bite clear through your hand, down to the bone. So, if I saw an adult Hutia 'languishing by the road', I'd tend to step on the gas and get the hell out of Dodge or Cuba or wherever the hell that thing sat. On the other hand, how cute is that thing riding in the car?
So, looking at these pics and thinking, aww, how cute. But, only if you raised it from a baby. Since I've never met a Hutia, maybe I'm totally wrong. Anyone know?
9 comments:
No judgment here...once rats get a foothold somewhere, they can get into some pretty secure places. They will burrow right into your cellar, given the right circumstances. Infestation can happen to the cleanest of homes and catching those bastards is next to impossible.
I never had an infestation, but, in the country, living next to corn field, I had two Norwegians that moved into my house. I was scared shitless of them and they were sneaky and smart. Really smart. Huge too. I sat up with a gun to kill them and they evaded me. What they did..oh, I could write a book. It was horrible. They were like stalkers. I hated them.
ps, on the other hand, I have never had a better more well behaved pet than my Bee Bee LaRue. I still miss her. She was adorable.
I know someone that had them and they went undetected long enough to have a litter, which isn't long. It was horrifying for them and will probably give them nightmares for many years to come.
The great thing about keeping giant rats as pets is, if you're starving, you have fewer qualms about killing and eating them than you would say a dog.
Angie, eww. That would be a nightmare. Right now I have a large unidentified animal under my house. I have tried blocking it's entrance (a hole it dug under) and it keeps re-opening it. I even filled it with old weights I found in the shed. Didn't work. It's loud and it's trying to chew or dig it's way in the house. Everyone who'd heard it claims it's a coon. I know coons..this is not a coon. It makes the weirdest sounds I have ever heard. I am the only one to hear it 'speak'. It is not coon language. I am unfamiliar with these sounds and as you know, I have raised about every mammal around here. It is not the least bit afraid of me. I yell at it, I bang on the floor and walls and it ignores me. At this point, I'm just glad to be moving and I hope it doesn't get in before we are gone. It's gotten so bad now, that I keep my gun handy. I am half scared, but, mostly pissed. It makes it impossible to sleep or even watch movies sometimes. Besides being creepy. I don't know what it is, but, I hate it. It only comes sneaking in late, late..and it's cold now, so I can't sit out there and wait for it. Okay, I've blabbed enough, I'll just say a rat infestation would be one of the worst hells I can imagine. I think I would move.
Melvin, they say those things are good eating. I'd have no problem eating a rat if I was starving. It really wouldn't bother me.
Nope. Just like snakes. NOPE.
rox
We found one of our favorite snakes frozen in the driveway. I felt so bad. He hadn't made it to a safe place and got caught in the snow storm. RIP little friend.
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