Pass the Strawberry Yogurt, Please

In the spirit of K’Barbic’s last post, I would like to share a story. One day on the Internet, I found this picture and tweeted it. What is it of, you ask? A capybara crossing sign. (For those who don’t know, the capybara is a true Rodent Of Unusual Size—in fact, the largest species of rodent in the world.) If you do not know what a ROUS is, then it's time for you to watch The Princess Bride and learn about this most joyous acronym. (But do not worry, capybaras are much cuter and tamer than the bloodthirsty ROUS in The Princess Bride.) They also look wise, like Barack Obama in front of a teleprompter.

A few hours after I tweeted the picture, several people—no one I knew or followed—decided to re-tweet me. One went by the name “CaplinROUS.” I visited this person’s page only to find that it was not a person’s, but a capybara’s—a pet capybara’s. Who would welcome and pamper a massive rodent? A warm family in Austin, Texas, apparently. They keep this blog and tweet for him several times a day, often in response to other rodents. Some examples:

Strawberry yogurt for breakfast then my usual soak in the tub. Big day today. Book reading/capybara encounter at Kyle Library at 3 pm!

@MuffinGuineaPig Yes, I got treats after toenail trimming but it still wasn't worth it. I get treats all the time anyway.

I wonder what Aesop would think of this talking animal. ...