Oh my god!!! I was hysterical and had tears running down my face after it happened. I still feel queasy....

I thought it was perfectly fine to pick rats up by the tail! One of my females is completely evil and will bite you if you even get close to her. Even if she's out of the cage running around the rat/snake room she'll come right up to you and bite your feet! So I've just always picked her up by the tail when I transport her during cage cleanings. Well tonight she started going crazy and spinning, I stopped her and then she started spinning and fell to the floor....but I was still holding something! It was about 2 inches of TAIL SKIN! My little sister was here, 13 year old, and was laughing at me for being so upset and looked up information on it. Apparently it's some sort of defense mechanism and it's called de-gloving. Oh my god. It was horrible! I was hysterical, screaming and crying. I feel so bad, it's so gross, and I still feel sick.....


Please tell me other people pick their rats up by the tail!!!