Bachelorette Producers Reacted To The Rats In Jenn’s Premiere

There were lots of big personalities on Jenn Tran’s Bachelorette premiere — and a couple tiny ones, too.

When Season 21 debuted on July 8, most fans focused on the many limo arrivals, but some viewers noticed a pair of interlopers scurrying in the background. Two rats appeared during Sam Nejad’s introduction, and they’re particularly visible in a slowed-down clip posted on TikTok.

It was surprising to see The Bachelorette take the “rodent man” trend so literally — but after all, Night 1 did go on a long time.

So, Were Those Actually Rats?

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, show producers were happy to acknowledge the rodents. “You’ll notice there were two of them,” they said. “Everyone deserves to find love!”

Wild creatures are bound to show up every once in a while on the show. Jenn’s premiere filmed at a different spot than the go-to Bachelor Mansion, but both residences are nestled in the mountains of Southern California, which is the native environment for woodrats. The National Park Service describes them as “nocturnal animals who spend the daylight hours in their nest and forage for seeds and nesting material at night.”

In an interview with Bustle, Jenn said she listened to the Shrek soundtrack while filming the promo for her season. Shrek famously features the three blind mice, so maybe Jenn’s unplanned visitors were helping her embrace the film’s fairytale vibes.

Other Critters Have Crashed Bachelor Nation

This isn’t the first time creatures have crashed production. Last year, the women of The Golden Bachelor faced off against an enormous spider. And if you’re a fan of Bachelor in Paradise, you know that bugs are frequent guests on the sunny Mexican beaches.