# Tail bone



## Ratbag (Nov 30, 2013)

How common is it to have a tiny, tiny bit of bone poking out at the end of the tail?

I think I read somewhere (but I don't remember where) that it is normal to some degree. Can anyone verify that? And if so, how common is it?

All three of my boys have the tiniest bit of bone protruding, Squiggy actually has two tiny bits (forked).

The rest of their tails appear normal.


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## shelld (Mar 13, 2014)

I've never heard of that before. Odd. I had 38 rats at one point and none of them had any of their bone sticking out of the end of their tail. I do have one boy that has that, but that's because the end of his tail was bit off by another rat.


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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

A forked tail? He doesn't have little horns on his head does he, lol


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## Ratbag (Nov 30, 2013)

DustyRat said:


> A forked tail? He doesn't have little horns on his head does he, lol


Lol! Well he does have red eyes, but fortunately he is one of the sweetest, friendliest animals I've ever had the pleasure of knowing 

I've tried to take pictures of their tails but the portion of bone is so tiny - and I have a really hard time finding a moment when the rats are still enough to photograph - that I haven't been successful yet. If I do get a shot I'll post it. Maybe it's a genetic thing with my boys as they're all of the same litter. It doesn't look like they've suffered an actual degloving or anything, looks like they're just naturally growing that way.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Until you get pictures, I'm going with not normal. 
Here's pictures that feature tails of mine: http://i.imgur.com/W6uyjEn.jpg http://i.imgur.com/lQeDZXc.jpg http://i.imgur.com/SHmTNrA.jpg http://i.imgur.com/aD1iCP8.jpg


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

11 rats, all related in those photos. Iris, unrelated, also doesn't have it.


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## Ratbag (Nov 30, 2013)

nanashi7 said:


> Until you get pictures, I'm going with not normal.
> Here's pictures that feature tails of mine: http://i.imgur.com/W6uyjEn.jpg http://i.imgur.com/lQeDZXc.jpg http://i.imgur.com/SHmTNrA.jpg http://i.imgur.com/aD1iCP8.jpg


Your rats are so cute - the little baby dumbo in the third picture is just adorable! ;D

I have tried to get some shots, but again they're not good...and you have to look really, really closely at the boys' tails to even notice the bone as it is such a tiny portion.

I have altered the photos contrast to try and make it easier to see, but still the pics are bad and I only managed to get pics of two of the three boys:

This first one is George, the colours don't show well on the pic so it's hard to see but that pointed bit on the end is in fact a tiny bit of bone poking through:








and this is Squiggy's tail which has the forked bit of bone, again it is hard to see one of the 'prongs' - and the tail looks a bit weirdly blunt on this pic - it's not, unless you look really closely it looks like a regular rat tail:








I read a while ago on a site accompanied by photos that it can be normal, even the forked varient - and indeed, none of my boys have had any accidents or ever had their tails pulled in any way. I have searched all over for the site but can't remember what it's called. 

I guess it's just a quirk my boys have!


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## LeStan82 (Dec 31, 2013)

Nanashi7. You have the most adorable ratties!


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Unfortunately, those white dumbos were adopted out from my oops litter. But thanks 

I see the tips, I'm not sure though. No baby injuries?


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## Ratbag (Nov 30, 2013)

Nope, no injuries whatsoever.

I thought it was pretty common judging by what I read at that other website (wish I could remember where I read it), but wondered how common. Now I'm under the impression it's not common at all....


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

It's called a tail nail. It's not uncommon.


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## relken0608 (Jul 11, 2013)

Mine has it too though his is a little more noticeable. Its maybe like 3 millimeters long? I'd been meaning to play and ask what it was, so I'm glad its not some disease-linked defect! Its never seemed to bother him--or hurt if I poke at it gently. 

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## relken0608 (Jul 11, 2013)

Post. I'd been meaning to post.

Stupid phone.

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## Ratbag (Nov 30, 2013)

cagedbirdsinging said:


> It's called a tail nail. It's not uncommon.


Thanks for the verification - I was starting to think my boys had something potentially wrong with them! Glad to know they're not the only ones!


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## relken0608 (Jul 11, 2013)

Just took a closer look at Marley's, and it's actually forked. There are two separate "nails" or "bones" or whatnot, one a couple millimeters longer than the other. Very strange.


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## alisonia333 (Dec 6, 2013)

Ratbag said:


> Nope, no injuries whatsoever.
> 
> I thought it was pretty common judging by what I read at that other website (wish I could remember where I read it), but wondered how common. Now I'm under the impression it's not common at all....


My boys both had those "Tail Nails," that was what we called them. They looked more like a little nail than bone to me. I highly doubt there is bone. I'll try to find a pic of my Ranger's tail nail (it actually got longer and fell off eventually), but maybe a search for tail nail will bring something up.


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## shelbygrace97 (Oct 2, 2013)

My boy Moose has it  Marcel doesn't. I thought it wasn't normal either! Glad I stumbled upon this. At least other rats have it xDD


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## Luke1984 (Mar 16, 2021)

Ratbag said:


> How common is it to have a tiny, tiny bit of bone poking out at the end of the tail?
> 
> I think I read somewhere (but I don't remember where) that it is normal to some degree. Can anyone verify that? And if so, how common is it?
> 
> ...


I have also never seen this until recently. I have recently discovered that one of my rats has no bone near the end if his tail. About a cm of the end.


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## MinkShadow (Mar 5, 2021)

Ratbag said:


> How common is it to have a tiny, tiny bit of bone poking out at the end of the tail?
> 
> I think I read somewhere (but I don't remember where) that it is normal to some degree. Can anyone verify that? And if so, how common is it?
> 
> ...


I don't know about it in rats, but two of the lambs our sheep had last year had a little bit of bone poking out of the tip of their tails too!


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