# Scientists experimenting with gene splicing in hamsters turned them into vicious little monsters **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 6, 2022, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-experimenting-with-gene-splicing-in-hamsters-turned-them-into-vicious-little-monsters/965783 "2022-06-06T22:33:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-experimenting-with-gene-splicing-in-hamsters-turned-them-into-vicious-little-monsters/965783/21 "2022-06-07T00:11:36Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > On the other hand, if the secret C.I.A. lab working on creating a race of violent capybaras is successful, they could be deployed in Ukraine, causing a panicked stampede of Russian troops. If you think there was blowback from arming Afghanistan, just wait until you have superintelligent rage-filled rodents with access to grain stores and enough land to multiply like crazy. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-experimenting-with-gene-splicing-in-hamsters-turned-them-into-vicious-little-monsters/965783/22 "2022-06-07T01:56:23Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > On the other hand, if the secret C.I.A. lab working on creating a race of violent capybaras is successful, they could be deployed in Ukraine, causing a panicked stampede of Russian troops. The techniques have already been tested in Toronto: > **[Fugitive capybara captured in Toronto park 19 days after zoo escape](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/13/toronto-capybara-escape-capture-high-park-zoo)** > > One of two rodents, who became social media celebrities after escaping less than a day after they arrived at High Park zoo, was lured into a metal cage ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2022, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-experimenting-with-gene-splicing-in-hamsters-turned-them-into-vicious-little-monsters/965783/23 "2022-06-08T01:01:26Z")
@Stranger_On_A_Train Capybara, ugh! I wiki’d that varmint and saw they are pretty much confined to South America. Largest one ever found was a female, which weighed in at 201 pounds. Egad! Slightly less than half that size is the nutria, which are apparently destroying the wetlands of the Gulf coast. The nutria is also native to South America, but some irresponsible folks who were “fur farming” brought the nasty devils to the US. Some people trap and eat them. Apparently, they are not eating them fast enough. And since I’ve never heard of a nutria fur coat, the fur farming business was a bust. Those scientists don’t need to do gene manipulation! All they have to do is check out what is running around in South America! Does anybody else think that all these critters sort of resemble the beaver/woodchuck family? ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2022, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-experimenting-with-gene-splicing-in-hamsters-turned-them-into-vicious-little-monsters/965783/24 "2022-06-08T01:17:22Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > And since I’ve never heard of a nutria fur coat, the fur farming business was a bust. Not to worry. Some wiseguys brought North American beaver to Patagonia for the same reason, with the same result, so we’re even there. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2022, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-experimenting-with-gene-splicing-in-hamsters-turned-them-into-vicious-little-monsters/965783/25 "2022-06-08T04:08:09Z")
Just wait until the beavers and nutrias (or capybaras) start interbreeding. You ain’t seen shit yet! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-experimenting-with-gene-splicing-in-hamsters-turned-them-into-vicious-little-monsters/965783.md?page=1)