Rat Room: Real or fake?

[dshaunt]

Looking to have a small plexiglass bridge with rats beneath peoples feet. I saw something similar done with real rats years ago. Does anyone know the liability issues or problems this could cause other than feeding and care. I would like to use fake one and put them on a movement system but cant find realistic looking rats in bulk. Not trying to pay $8 a piece.

[terrormasue]

I have seen it where they have the area large enough to put a person in laying on their back screaming and kicking to get out. A real great scare. I love it. More effective than a few rats running around. You might hear from PETA Ha! but they would not give a care about a human laying underneath a piece of plexiglass. It was a good scare.

Sue

[hauntedkimmy]

I was in a haunt once that had a table set up to look like a wedding table with rotting cake and bride and groom skeletons. It was plexiglassed in and they had a few real rats running around as well as a few fake ones. It was incredibly cool!!!!

I think as long as they were from a pet store and kept humanely caged in whatever, you should be fine. It wouldn't seem to me to be any different from looking at rats in a museum/zoo that way.

[Mad Wax Sculptor]

FYI Rats stink !!! I love the little buggers but they stink. The effect would be better to use fake rats on the floor and live ones crawling around on corpses behind plexi in the walls. Rats in the walls may be easier to take care of and feed

[damon carson]

How bout making a video of rats running around. I think you could go to a local pet store. Talk to the owner. Film them in whatever background you want. That your customer would be looking down at. There you go! No feeding no mess no peta. Just mount tv under bridge use plexiglass to protect it.
Damon
Frightmasters

[Badger]

I used to work with an actor who had trained rats that would cling to her body while she walked around. Occasionally she would go to the cemetery where another girl would lie in a coffin and she would let the rats crawl over her while she put cheerios and jello around the body. It really creeped a lot of people out.

I know one haunt that kept rats under plexiglass and had little trouble with the local PETA chapter. Those rats were traeted better than a lot of the actors..

[jakprintsHAUNT]

As long as the plexi was safety thick, there would be no problem having live ones underneath as long as you took care of them, you could build a cage that can be accessed from the side and just have the clear top in which the customers would walk or crawl on. As long as it wasnt too cold for them in the enviroment I dont see PETA having an issue as long as they were fed and taken care of. They might incur a bit of stress from people screaming...but again if its thick plexi it shouldnt be much of an issue either.

Mike "Pogo" Hach

[terrormasue]

I was actually kidding about PETA..........LOL!

[OblivionHauntedHouse]

Damons idea is awesome! Super easy!

[Allen H]

DS, do you have time to make your rats if I did a tutorial? I make a mean looking fake rat. Cheap and easy to.
Allen H

[dshaunt]

DS, do you have time to make your rats if I did a tutorial? I make a mean looking fake rat. Cheap and easy to.
Allen H

Yes I would love to see that!

[hauntedkimmy]

Damon is on to something!! What about filiming the rats and using a projector? Here's a youtube link that features spiders and snakes in that manner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taZdCwGtHws

[DDJR]

I done this for the last 3 years yes it is a good scare. the actual box we use is about 36'' by 96" we use either half inch plex or 5/8 we had to use 1/4 inch by 1" steel braces to re-enforce the plex from bowing. We use approx 20 to 25 rats per session the only problem we have incountered are the rats terrible actors. while we are preparing to open the little buggers run around like crazy but once we open up they go to sleep. duriing the day we keep a light on them in order to make them sleep becase the are naucternal. we put black lights in the box it makes them look creeper this is a great effect. By the way it may sound crual but feed them dog food its cheeap and it good for them. if you want pics of what we have done i will try to dig some up Happy haunting.....

[Marr Branch]

I'm thinking about putting anyone in PETA under plexiglass with steaks,ribs,and bacon, for my patrons to walk over.

[damon carson]

How bout making a video of rats running around. I think you could go to a local pet store. Talk to the owner. Film them in whatever background you want. That your customer would be looking down at. There you go! No feeding no mess no peta. Just mount tv under bridge use plexiglass to protect it.
Damon
Frightmasters