# My rats tail is turning off white at the tip?



## kali mabel (Sep 30, 2015)

At first I thought eh maybe she made a lot of dead skin or something. And then I considered degloving (I believe that is the right term) but it doesn't look like bone, there was never blood and she isn't bothered by it even when I touch it. Is it one of those or something else?


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

It almost looks transparent sort of on the picture. How old is your rat?


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

Let me caution you that I'm new to the world of rats, so check this info with someone else. 

It's hard to see clearly, but it looks like it might be ring tail. 

Check out this link from Rat Guide

http://ratguide.com/health/integumentary_skin/ringtail.php

Look at the pictures


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## kali mabel (Sep 30, 2015)

I can take another picture soon to see if I can get my phone to focus on it more clearly. I'm not sure the place I got her from never said but that was last summer and she was young so maybe about a year to a year and a half I'm guessing.


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## kali mabel (Sep 30, 2015)

catty-ratty said:


> Let me caution you that I'm new to the world of rats, so check this info with someone else.
> 
> It's hard to see clearly, but it looks like it might be ring tail.
> 
> ...


 I'm also new to the wonderful world of rats, but I don't think that is it. It was never dark and never looked like a ring. It looks sort of like a cap


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## kali mabel (Sep 30, 2015)

Here is another picture. Now again I am thinking it is degloving but I'm not sure


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## cookiebear<3 (Aug 2, 2013)

Looks like dry skin cells that didn't get sloughed off. Some rats don't really get around to cleaning their tails and it creates a build up into a little cap-like shape of dead cells. Wash and gently rub with a toothbrush to help remove the cells and put a nice odorless baby moisturizer on it


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

Is this a rat that you've had for a while? If so, I feel like you'd notice if it had been degloved even if it's such a small area since it'd cause redness and scabbing at the very least. This looks like the skin hardened for some reason. I feel like I've heard of something called tail nail which seems to fit the bill here, but I can't really find much info on it. I would personally mark the affected area with a sharpie and make sure it doesn't spread to more of her tail. If it stays the same, doesn't bother her, doesn't smell rancid, or anything that might indicate an infection or necrosis then you can probably just leave it alone. I would keep an eye on it regardless though, just in case she decides to do something like chew off that area.


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## thyme (May 25, 2009)

One of my guys had something like this years back. It didn't bother him and I'm pretty sure it fell off or was groomed off eventually.

I've never heard the term "tail nail" before, but that sounds pretty accurate to what my guy had at least. It looked just like a nail, enough that I remember being a little weirded out by the resemblance.


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## kali mabel (Sep 30, 2015)

cookiebear<3 said:


> Looks like dry skin cells that didn't get sloughed off. Some rats don't really get around to cleaning their tails and it creates a build up into a little cap-like shape of dead cells. Wash and gently rub with a toothbrush to help remove the cells and put a nice odorless baby moisturizer on it


 i will do that, it seems harmless to her right now she doesn't pick at it or wince when i touch it so I doubt it is her bone at all, thank you!


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## kali mabel (Sep 30, 2015)

kksrats said:


> Is this a rat that you've had for a while? If so, I feel like you'd notice if it had been degloved even if it's such a small area since it'd cause redness and scabbing at the very least. This looks like the skin hardened for some reason. I feel like I've heard of something called tail nail which seems to fit the bill here, but I can't really find much info on it. I would personally mark the affected area with a sharpie and make sure it doesn't spread to more of her tail. If it stays the same, doesn't bother her, doesn't smell rancid, or anything that might indicate an infection or necrosis then you can probably just leave it alone. I would keep an eye on it regardless though, just in case she decides to do something like chew off that area.


 I've had her for awhile I thought the same exact thing, I would have probably noticed redness or bleeding or some kind of effort of her body trying to heal it like scabs, but there was none. I'm really relieved that it is most likely dead skin. I'll def keep watch like you said to make sure it isn't an infection before I try to see if it will come off (without me trying too hard to make it come off, I don't want to hurt her)


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Yeah looks like a harmless nail tail. A bit of cartilage that sticks out the end of the tail on some rats. Perfectly normal. Some stay all their lives, others fall off.


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## kali mabel (Sep 30, 2015)

Thank god, I was so worried I would have to take her in, she doesn't like other people that much and is just now warming up to me I wouldn't want her to have to go to the vet unless needed


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## kali mabel (Sep 30, 2015)

lilspaz68 said:


> Yeah looks like a harmless nail tail. A bit of cartilage that sticks out the end of the tail on some rats. Perfectly normal. Some stay all their lives, others fall off.


 ah ok ! I"ll just wait it out and see if it stays or goes


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