Rodent Tropes

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Older Rat found cheese in a trap. He told Younger Rat he could have it as he was full. Young Rat sprang the trap and died. Older Rat got the prize.

— The Two Rats

This index is for tropes related to rodents (mice, rats, squirrels, beavers, etc.). Not to be confused with Country Mouse, City Mouse, or What Happened to the Mouse?.

Tropes

Dogs Hate Squirrels: Dogs chasing squirrels.
Eastern Zodiac: The rat is the first animal of the zodiac.
Eek, a Mouse!!: A fairly common reaction towards small rodents, particularly among women.
Elephants Are Scared of Mice: Elephants are irrationally afraid of mice, rats and similar small rodents.
Hamster-Wheel Power: Machinery that is powered by living beings that walk or run on a wheel.
Mouse Hole: A neat, arch-shaped hole cut into a wall at the floor, sometimes with a door.
Mouse Trap: A device that traps rodents.
Nice Mice: Mice depicted as friendly.
Pest Episode: When the main characters spend the episode trying to catch a pest.

Prickly Porcupine: Porcupines portrayed as either evil and villainous, or shy and lonely.
Rat King: Ruler of rat-kind, be they actual rats or a rat-like race.
Rat Men: Humanoid rodents.
Rat Stomp: Killing large or monstrous rats at the beginning of a game.
Reduced to Ratburgers: When a desperately starving character eats rats just to survive.
Resourceful Rodent: Rodents are depicted as resourceful and clever
Rodents of Unusual Size: Abnormally large rodents.
Screwball Squirrel: Squirrels depicted as hyperactive pranksters or just straight-up sadists.
Squirrels in My Pants: When an animal enters clothing, dance parties ensue.
Suicidal Lemmings: Lemmings off themselves by way of jumping off of cliffs
Swarm of Rats: A large group of rats added for scare factor.
Terrifying Pet Store Rat: Animals used as movie monsters end up looking obviously tame and domesticated.