Friday night, as I was coming home from a late party, I nearly stepped on a dead rat.
Ewww.
Beside the queasiness that roadkill is prone to give me, I also felt a feeling of dread, as this rat was right outside my apartment building, and I knew, just knew, it was one of the Trash Rats. And judging by the size, I would say it was an adult. Which meant that the Trashlets had lost a parent. To lose a parent so young! But it is to be expected. Rats have a short lifespan as it is, and I've heard tell that the average life expenctancy of a city rat is about six months-- there are just too many hazards associated with life on the street.
The past few weeks I've only been seeing dead rats, and it's had me down. (Interestingly enough, all the kids at school know I like rats, and for some reason this compels them to tell me about dead rats. I must have heard about the same dead rat from at least four different people.) Determined to see one of the living, I spent a few nights sitting out in the courtyard with my camera and a flashlight, staring intently at the trash cans, jumping at the slightest rustle or squeak. No luck.
I was taking out my trash today when they caught me completely by surprise. I'd given up on rat spotting-- I went to the trash noisily and without stealth. I was chucking the bag into the trash can when I saw the first one, a big fat agouti, scramble across the lid of the neighboring can. I was delighted. "Ratties!" I crouched down, peeking around the cans, and saw forms scurrying to hide. Eagerly I waited for them to make an appearance. One little rat head poked out to look at me, then quickly retreated. I can just imagine these two rats thinking "What is with this crazy lady? Why won't she go away?" After a bit one rat made a mad dash for the mysterious hole. I followed and watched with admiration as he scrambled down the wall and dodged into a crack in the bricks. My camera, why didn't I have my camera? I hurried inside for it, but by the time I returned, they were gone. Such luck I have.
I've been trying to figure out basic patterns for rat sightings, but so far I have none. No specific time of day or time of week stands out in my mind. All I have to build off of is location. I predict a lot of fruitless sitting and waiting in my future. The things I do for rats..
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posted by Sophielynette @ 6:29 PM