Tailless Rat

[Annageckos]

I had a tailless rat born to my male dumbo and I am assuming top ear female. It is a female and the first fully tailless rat I have had so far. I had a female born over a year ago with half a tail, but she was mean. This girl is skittish, but not nippy at all. I am thinking of trying to breed her back to her dad. I don't know who her mother is because I have four females in that tub, two dumbo girls and two top ear girls. I think it is probably one of the top ear girls because the tailless has top ears too. Anyone ever had a tailless rat? Know anything about their genetics? I don't have a photo, but I am going to try to get some soon.

[Mike41793]

Sounds different/cool but is it a morph or just a genetic defect lol?

[Annageckos]

I have done a bit of research on tailless rats, also called manx. It seems like there is not much known about it. Just wanted to know if anyone here has had a manx pop up in a litter.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

I had a completely tailless rat not too long ago. I kept her for months but she would not breed. Never became pregnant no matter who I put her with. She eventually had to go due to space restrictions.

I had hoped she would breed. I've also heard there are actual tailless rats but I'll never know if mine was, or was just a baby whose tail was bitten off.

When I looked very closely at her there was absolutely no nub so I believe she had to have been born that way.


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[satomi325]

There are tailless rats.
Like you said, they're called Manx (just like tailless Cats).

Try breeding your tailless rat w/ one of it's offspring to see if it's genetic.
Pedigree Manx rats are genetic.

[coolballsdave]

I'd bet it's not genetic but give it a try. I have rats that have had their tail accidentally eaten as mom was eating the sack upon giving birth. Not saying that's what it is but I wouldn't rule it out.

[Annageckos]

Thanks everyone. You can tell she was born with no tail. There is no nub, not even a little tiny bit of tail there. She actually has an intent where the tail should be. I hope she is able to breed, I read that some female manx rats can have trouble breeding and it is best to breed tailless males to tailed females. But I am going to give it a shot and see what happens. I will try to get some photos tomorrow.

[coolballsdave]

Thanks everyone. You can tell she was born with no tail. There is no nub, not even a little tiny bit of tail there. She actually has an intent where the tail should be. I hope she is able to breed, I read that some female manx rats can have trouble breeding and it is best to breed tailless males to tailed females. But I am going to give it a shot and see what happens. I will try to get some photos tomorrow.

Cool! Good luck.

[LotusCorvus]

Very cool, I've never seen much about tailless rats. I remember reading something about them possibly having a harder time controlling their body temperature? But in a climate-controlled house thats not even an issue lol. Post pictures!

[snakesRkewl]

Maybe I can help a little.

From my breedings Manx seems to be recessive with something else needing to also take place for the manx to be triggered.
My friends and I have produced a number of Manx rats but have had a miserable time getting a female to deliver live babies due to their hips and have lost both of the males that we produced at around 2 weeks old.

Blue Baldie Manx female



As a young adult...


Black eyed Siamese female, they start life off quite golden in color and soon turn to an off-white creamy color with dark points.


As a young adult



I know it's a recessive trait, beyond that I'm not exactly sure, but when we bred for them we never did make more than one or two per litter.