Wiggling tail

[Argent]

Hi all, I've just been reading up on mouse behaviour as I've become a little obsessed with mousies and have just read that when a mouse wiggles or vibrates its tail, that means it's annoyed...
Now I know rats and mice are different species, but whenever Hugo comes to me for a scritch, the end of his tail goes crazy, literally like it has a life of its own when I get the right spot on his neck. He stayed perfectly still for as long as he wants me to scritch and then moves away when he's done, so that can't be annoyance too, right? It's so weird, he's the only rat I've ever seen do that! I'll have to get a vid of it sometime.

 

[froxen]

I've seen my rats wiggle their tails only twice -- the first time it happened, my boy Rocky had accidently dipped his tail in a water bowl and he wiggled the end of it to shake all the water off. The second time was in the middle of a serious fight, and they were sort of staring each other down and shaking the ends of their tails. So I think they can do it for a number of different reasons, sort of like bruxxing -- where they're either really happy or really stressed.

 

[blytherue]

i haven't seen my ratties do it yet, but my cat used to do it sometimes if she was annoyed. She would just wiggle the tip of her tail in this quick jerky movement. I termed it "rattlesnaking". I would tell her to quit rattlesnaking her tail at me! lol she never listened...

 

[Joanne]

My ferrets used to wiggle their tails when they were playing and pouncing on each other! It was so cute!

 

[Argent]

That's just adorable haha, and rattlesnaking is actually a good way to put the movement, that's what it looks like. But if he was annoyed with me scritching him, surely he'd move away, right? Must be like a dog's leg twitching when you hit the right spot! XD

 

[Lina]

I have seen some of my rats wiggle their tail. usually when they have been excited or upset over something

 

[ryelle]

Ive only ever seen the 'tail wiggle' when i was introducing Patrick and Sid. Sid's tail moved like a snake and it was really scary. Ive read that its a sign of fear, defence and that the rat is about to bite lol. never heard anything good about the snake tail... wierd that yours does it while you are scratching him oO

 

[jorats]

I've seen it so many times and at all different times, when scared, excited, annoyed... It really is cute.

 

[blytherue]

omg adorable! my new boy rattlesnakes his tail! so far i've only seen him do it when he is sitting on my lap watching the other two boys.

 

[lindsayfawn]

I've seen our kids wiggle their tails when they're getting picked on when they getting annoyed. But our Griffin is the only one who will wiggle his tail when he's really taking in some good scritches and pats lol

 

[JenD]

I've seen our older boys do it, as well - once when I was petting one of them (who didn't move away so I assumed it was a positive wiggle) and then I've seen them do it on several occassions when they are free playing in the bathroom with each other. They're brothers so I can only assume it's a loving gesture over the excitement of their wrestling. They are 6 months now, so we'll soon find out if it's a good thing or not as their hormones come down. (kinda nervous about that as a first timer...). I haven't seen the 4 month old brothers doing it, but will keep an eye out for it.

 

[Argent]

Awh don't worry too much - the hormone surge generally doesn't tend to be THAT noticable or sudden really