Patrick the Kangaroo Rat: The Tail

Tail Updates

here you will see the growth, importance, and facts about the Kangaroo Rat's Tail

The tail begins to grow on day 11 of the mother rat's pregnancy, also known as stage 18
This is when it becomes recognizable as a ligament of the rat's body
By day 15, the tail has grown from a minuscule bud to about 2 mm long
The tail is important because it serves as a heat-loss organ which is especially important when living in a biome that constantly reaches 90+ degrees (F)
The Kangaroo Rat controls the temperature of its body through it's tail, usually dipping in the water or sand to cool it down
It helps stabilize balance as well, which helps rats climb
The tail is an extension of the spine, which does not grow back, and can even sometimes lead to problems with paralysis if it damaged the bottom of the spine
There are rats born with a "stumpy tail" mutation, and can live perfectly without a tail
By day 22, or stage 35, the tail is at its full grown length of 10mm
When the Kangaroo Rat is born, the tail will help it glide when the newborn is attempting to take it's first steps