Musophobia is a widespread fear all over the world, few could bear to have a rat as a pet. For most people, it’s pretty scary and unacceptable when rats accidentally crawl on their legs or creepily move things around.
If you’re scared of a single rat, we can only imagine what would become of you if you encountered a mass of rats tied by their tails and crawling for comfort or food. As gross as that sounds, you still want to know more about this rat phenomenon, right? Well, here’s your treat! This article contains everything you should know about the Rat King. We bet you’ll keep reading until your curiosity is satisfied.
Rat King: What exactly are they?
With the term Rat King, your instinct may be play a quick one at you. Don’t fall for the trick, as far as we can tell rats really don’t have kings or colonels. The term refers only to a collection of rats whose tails are bound together due to one or more possible mechanisms ranging from sticky substance to tangles.
The first point at which these mysterious creatures were noticed in Germany. They were obviously supported with many examples proving their existence. From what has been observed so far, a collection of rat kings varies and the highest has been recorded as a collection of 32 rats.
Interestingly, the formation of these clusters is not unique to rats, but has also been observed in squirrel and wood mice. Many interpretations have been given in attempts to explain such creatures. Some say they are signs of bad omen, while others believe there is nothing apocalyptic about them.
According to records, the earliest encounter of the Rat King was reported in 1564. Subsequently, it was observed that the phenomenon is common in the black rats. Meanwhile, evidence of the Rat King was kept in various museums. The Mauritianum Museum in Thuringia houses the tallest mummified rat king, made up of 32 rats, found in 1828.
How are they formed?
Several scenarios explain the formation of a rat king. However, the main assumption is that they are most likely to be formed wherever there is a mass of rodents. This allows their tails to become glued together by some sticky substance they are dealing with or tangling with while trying to avoid danger.
Once knotted together they begin to struggle to free themselves, but in this quest they tend to tie a stronger knot that will bind them forever. It has been proven that once the rodents are formed, they tend to live short lives.
Although there is ample evidence, recent research suggests that the occurrence of a rat king is nearly impossible. In fact, many have stated that the appearance of a rat king is mythical, claiming that people who claim to have seen them merely grabbed several rats and tied them together.
Despite the doubts, 58 different rat colonies were recorded, six of which were kept as evidence of their existence. As previously mentioned, the occurrence of these colonies in black rats is common. This is because their tails are said to be semi-traceable. Black rats have also been observed converging to stay warm in cold weather. They ended up unintentionally intertwining their cocks.
Considering the fact that rat kings are not common, and the claims that they never existed, one can understand the sense of uncertainty and lack of conviction surrounding the creatures. Uncomfortable to jump straight into one side of the debate, we’ll leave you to your own conclusions.