# Kinked Tail



## Matt (Jun 14, 2007)

I am hand-Raising a few rats and one of them has gotton a kinked tail.
Is it a heath issue or is it not gonna matter? 
I think the Lady just wouldnt want her now cause of the looks of it.
But I think shes a cutie.

(shes a tan hooded, but the hood only covers the head/neck and everything else is white.)


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## ~AquaMerina~ (Mar 18, 2008)

Are you able to post a picture of her? I really have no idea if a kinked tail is a health issue. I'am sure someone here will know for sure but pictures always help. And we can see how cute she is


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## Matt (Jun 14, 2007)

Ok I will in a bit...


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## Matt (Jun 14, 2007)

My Fatties with the Baby: (Rokk)

















(Bear)


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## RoRo (Mar 10, 2008)

could be an old break I had a mouse like that.


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## Matt (Jun 14, 2007)

It wasnt like that Saturday though.
She may have gotton stepped on by the adults...IDK...


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

Doesn't look too bad. Could be a break (like RoRo says) or just an odd developmental hitch. I don't think it would cause any problems. How long's it been kinked for? There doesn't look like there's any colour change or circulation issues. If anything, I would worry about a damaged blood vessel which may effect the tip of the tail - but if it's been like this for a while I'm sure it's A Ok.

VERY cute btw

Edit: darn posting while I'm typing! LOL. If it still looks healthy (the tip) you'll probably be ok. Any issues with it (swelling, loss of circulation, problematic breaks) should have started showing by now. Keep an eye on it for changes, but they are amazingly good at healing at that age, and fast!


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## ~AquaMerina~ (Mar 18, 2008)

Here's a quote from this website. http://www.ratbehavior.org/RatTails.htm "Tal/tal heterozygoes vary widely: tail length ranges from zero to normal, and the number of kinks in the tail ranges from one to six per tail, and the kink severity ranges from barely perceptible to complete hooks and corkscrews." 
I think it's saying that if one of her parents carried the mutant gene that gives "tailess rats" then she probly inhereted it and her tail is kinked because of that.
I am not sure that it would cause any health problems, but I'am no expert so I could very well be wrong  

And, She is VERY cute by the way :lol:


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## ~AquaMerina~ (Mar 18, 2008)

Ok nevermind about the link. When I went to reply I didnt see you posted the it was new. She is still a cutie though


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## kenRakuu (Mar 29, 2008)

sometimes when a baby animal is born the tail gets wrapped over the shoulder and breaks on delivery. It's no harm to the animal and sometimes considered a good omen. You can fix it by re breaking the tail, but thats painful to the animal and there's really no need


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## kenRakuu (Mar 29, 2008)

Hope that helped.


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## Matt (Jun 14, 2007)

It has only been there for a little. 
Its a new break/kink whatever.

I dont think shes in pain and theres no discoloration at the tip.
I touch it and she doesnt mind at all.

I think I might just have to keep her if the lady is a butt and doesnt want her cause of it.


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## RoRo (Mar 10, 2008)

SHE'S SO CUTE, why not want her jus' cause of that. HMF she's not a real rat lover then. Kink or no, she's absolutly cute.


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## kenRakuu (Mar 29, 2008)

good luck with her and I'm happy to know it's not causing her any pain.


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## TheFuzzWhisperer (Mar 24, 2008)

If it isn't a genetic thing, it should be fine. It's not harmful to the rattie, however it could be a bad sign if it's a mutation. Weird kinks in tails are usuallythe first sign that there is something seriously wrong in the rat's line. Next it could be other, more serious things, so if you bred the rats yourself, you should be careful. thassalliknos


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## CaptainFlow (May 16, 2007)

I think that's totally adorable. And I LOVE the photo of the baby with Bear, it looks like he could just gobble that baby right up! Or sit on it, and you'd never know where it went...


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## Matt (Jun 14, 2007)

CaptainFlow said:


> I think that's totally adorable. And I LOVE the photo of the baby with Bear, it looks like he could just gobble that baby right up! Or sit on it, and you'd never know where it went...


Yeah, he kept picking her up and moving her around like it was his own kid lol


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