A cheery subject. Whilst we were in Goa in November a couple we know were just finishing their meal in Nirvana Restaurant at the bottom of Holiday St. in Calangute, one of our favourites. They were among the last customers and it was pretty late. He felt something at his foot and when he instinctivley moved, he got bitten on the point of his big toe, by a very large rat. The toe bled copiously and he needed a course of injections. He was told it was a "bandicoot rat". I'd never come across this term, ratwise, but when I looked it up in Wilkipedia there it was, "Lesset Bandicoot Rat" a pest in India, can be as much as 40cm. in length, including tail !! I dont blame the Nirvana as it backs on to the beach and rats are everywhere in Goa, we,ve eaten in there since (the Butter Chicken is tops ) but never very late and always with feet kept very imobile !!.
Alan
I saw two very large rats a year back in November. I thought they were just very large, but maybe they were bandicoot rats as well? I am not sure. One was in Baga and one in Calangute. One during the day and one very late at night.
They just looked very fat and I would say the one in Calangute must have been about 12 inches
They just looked very fat and I would say the one in Calangute must have been about 12 inches
We were in zecos bar ...sp at the Osbourne hotel and one cheeky bugger Rat just walked in and run round everyones feet was there for ages not only once it did it over the 3 weeks we were there many times .... to the day I die i will never go in there again ...colleen
to the day I die i will never go in there again ...colleen
Two rats ran over my wife's feet in Bob's Inn a couple of years ago. She was not impressed and we've not been there since!
They're all over the place though. Last year we saw them walking along the telephone wires along Holiday Road.
Don't like the sound of Bandicoots, though....40cms - you could put a saddle on that!
They're all over the place though. Last year we saw them walking along the telephone wires along Holiday Road.
Don't like the sound of Bandicoots, though....40cms - you could put a saddle on that!
I thought you were not going their again roma? 
Don't get hung up on the name Bandicoot - these are Rats and not related in any way to Bandicoots.
A Bandicoot is a marsupial, whereas a Rat is a rodent.
These rats are the ones that are eaten in many parts of Asia.
How to prepare a rat for eating.
A Bandicoot is a marsupial, whereas a Rat is a rodent.
These rats are the ones that are eaten in many parts of Asia.
How to prepare a rat for eating.
Cut off it's tail and feet, then make a cut through the skin around the neck behind the ears. Grasp the rat by the head and pull the skin entirely off.
Cut off the head and discard.
Slit the belly being careful not to cut so deep you cut the innards. Now pull out all the innards, except the heart and liver are often left in.
At this point larger rats are simply marinated with seasonings and roasted over hot coals until well done. Smaller rats may be roasted until just done, then made into ground rat.
Health & Nutrition
The main risk involved with eating bandicoot rats is from programs to poison them. Make sure your rats come from an area where no poisoning is being done. This is not a problem in North America because there are no bandicoot rats there.
Shudder!!! That's me having nightmares tonight - eurgh!
Me too !!!
after the monsoon finished i had wars with the bandicoots ,i used to plant plants in my garden,and they would come each night and dig dig dig,must have liked the newly turned soil,this went on for around 3 weeks but the ratol must have got them in the end,the cats wont tackle them as in a lot of cases they are bigger than cats
In Mapusa Market , Rats ( prepared ) as above , have been on sale for years . Perfectly edible , tastes similar to chicken breast and with the same texture , and at only 15rps/kg is very popular .
Anyone who has ever eaten Thai food has almost certainly eaten Rat ( In Thailand ) or anywhere in South East Asia.
Anyone who has ever eaten Thai food has almost certainly eaten Rat ( In Thailand ) or anywhere in South East Asia.
Gramps
Spent loads of time in Nirvana this year but never really moved away from the bar so didnt see anything like that just as well as my wife wouldnt have gone in again
Spent loads of time in Nirvana this year but never really moved away from the bar so didnt see anything like that just as well as my wife wouldnt have gone in again
just back after 4 weeks in Goa and never saw a rat anywhere ....colleen
we see the bandicoots all the times at night where we live!!!!!!!!! Gross!!!!!!!!!!! and quite hard to get rid of, amd this year we seem to have a influx of what look like rag rats...flat and fat and shimmy along the ground we put out some nioce cake for them every night!!!! Rat cake its called!! 
chilly
we put out some nioce cake for them every night!!!! Rat cake its called!! chilly
Our dog, caught in the garden and killed 4 in a week this year, but sure they will be back during the monsoon ,there at least twice the size of a normal rat 
ha ha Chilly, please dont give the rat cake to your guests by mistake. 
no no not the rat cake
The only rat I saw was (thankfully) dead (in the road near Henry's Place and Arabian Retreat). If I saw a live one I'd have kicked up my flip flops and done a 3 minute mile
Fizz
Fizz
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