What kind of rat is edible?

Rat meat is the meat of various species of rat: medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. It is a food that, while taboo in some cultures, is a dietary staple in others. Taboos include fears of disease or religious prohibition, but in many places, the high number of rats has led to their incorporation into the local diets.

Who eats rat meat?

Many people in tropical Asia would agree. Rats are a popular source of protein in this part of the world, particularly among Vietnamese farming communities in both the north and south—though you can also find rat on the menu in some urban areas, including Ho Chi Minh City. (See five Vietnamese dishes you must try.)

Are house rats edible?

In fact, in some places around the world, rats are considered a delicious delicacy. The rat’s tail and feet are particularly appreciated for their taste, says Victor Benno Meyer-Rochow, at Oulu University, Finland, who interviewed several members of the Adi tribe for a recent study into rats as a food resource.

What happens if you eat a rat?

Most infected experience minor symptoms such as headaches, fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, while 1 in 10 infections can result in meningitis, liver failure, kidney damage, and, in some cases, even death. However, there are many more threats such as listeriosis, tularemia, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis.

What if I accidentally ate rat poop?

Salmonellosis is a bacterial infection that humans can contract after eating food contaminated by rat feces. Most infected experience minor symptoms such as headaches, fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, while 1 in 10 infections can result in meningitis, liver failure, kidney damage, and, in some cases, even death.

What if all rats died?

If all of the rats on the planet were to suddenly die, the ecological system in many places around the world would be thrown out of whack. In addition to disrupting the ecosystem food chain, if all rats on the planet died, flora or plants across the globe would be disrupted. Rats play a role in seed distribution.

Why do rats pee on their food?

They use pee as a way to mark trails and territories. Rats will urinate on top of scent trails to show dominance and on food to mark it as their own. A loose bladder isn’t everything; a mouse can leave 40 to 100 dropping per day.

Does rat meat taste like chicken?

Rat meat is a bit like pork, but very tender, like slowly cooked pork shoulder – Stefan Gates. According to Gates, these small rats were very tender and tasted much like a small chicken or quail.