I have two female rats that are... I'm guessing about 3 1/2 - 4 months old. I've had them for about 3 months. Anyway, the one loves to run on a wheel and has been ever since I've gotten them. So from running on the wheel all the time, her tail curls up over her back most of the time. I mean while she's walking around, not only when she's on the wheel. It's kinda cool. But I was just curious if anybody else's rats have tails that do that.
2007-05-29 05:34:30 · 5 answers · asked by Ashley 07 2 in Pets ➔ Rodents
LOL! It is so cute when their tails do that :)
In the Rat Fancy we have come to call this "Wheely Tail" or "Wheel Tail". It's because the rat spends so much time on the wheel that they have to hold their tails up over their backs to keep it out of the way. This work-out stretches the tendons and strengthens the muscles of the tail, just like what would happen to a body builder's arms. And usually "Wheely Tail" is a perminant fixture as they continue to carry their tails up and over their backs. This is not a deformity, just a rat obscessed with their wheel.
Take a look at Potter's "Wheely Tail". It goes in a complete circle. Third ratty from the top.
http://spazrats.tripod.com/shirelingsgirls.html
The function of the rat's tail
http://www.ratbehavior.org/RatTails.htm
More on wheels and rat tails:
http://search.yahoo.com/search?search=Wheel+Tail+in+rats&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ans&ico-yahoo-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAp7_QKgYQ7rOmm.EMgQzchUazKIX%2FSIG%3D11inmk27f%2FEXP%3D1180544394%2F*-http%253A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch&ico-wikipedia-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAva3B_YWzs7XPcdrPvh6iy8azKIX%2FSIG%3D121ojembs%2FEXP%3D1180544394%2F*-http%253A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSpecial%253aSearch&p=Wheel+Tail+in+rats
spazrats
"my life has gone to the rats"
2007-05-29 06:09:11 · answer #1 · answered by spazrats 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I've had rats do that; I now try to get a bigger wheel so my rats won't be deformed! Although, it didn't seem to bother them any.
I had one rat that was so obsessed with the wheel, and it wasn't big enough, that her back was curved down instead of up, besides her tail being curled over her back at all times. When she got more elderly, she didn't run the wheel as much and her shape returned to normal.
2007-05-29 17:22:46 · answer #2 · answered by The First Dragon 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
two of four my rats have tails that curl up too. they came from a pet store and used to run in a wheel all of the time. they still do and it's too funny because the other two rats look at them like they're crazy and/or stupid when the y do it.
2007-05-29 08:06:13 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Some rats like to hold their tails up, especially if they make a habit of using the wheel (they get used to holding their tails that way.)
Every rat I've owned, didn't hold their tail up, unless they were looking for balance.
Anyways, unless you raised these from a litter yourself, they cannot be 3-4 months old, if you've owned them for 3 months.
Most rats are around 2-3 months old, when they're sold in pet stores to new homes.
2007-05-29 05:39:00 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋
no. my 2 female rat don't like to run on a weal.
2007-05-29 10:04:26 · answer #5 · answered by Hick Chick<3! 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋