Question about curly tails?

[Brittany]

I'm curious about curly tails. I know that they're frowned upon in the show world. I think it's because they mess up the back of the chin? I've read that they're a common trait of dwarf chinchilas (true dwarfs, not just small chins), but they can also occur in normal sized animals.

What causes tails to curl? Is it genetic, skeletal, muscular?

One of my chins has a curly tail, that has gotten tighter with age. I think it makes him look extra cute, but it also makes him more difficult to grab ;-)

 

[Jaina_Organasolo]

I have a Chin with a curly tail, but he has the opposite thing happening; as he gets older, it gets less curly.

He was given to me as 'not for breeding' due to his curly tail. I think it's sweet. He's a normal size dark/extra dark ebony.

 

[mishellyshel]

one of my boys has a curly tail. i love it!! he is a normal sized violet and i think it makes him extra special cute. i noticed it is more defined as he has aged as well. i call him piggy tail.

 

[Riven]

It is frowned upon for pelting/showing because it presses on the fur on the back.

It is genetic, and obviously muscular/skeletal. Because it's genetic this is why a lot of people cull curly tails out, like the poster above's chin.

 

[arf2184]

I like curly tails.

Many people don't like them because they can mess up the fur on the backside, but it hasn't been much of an issue for me on the show table. Depending on how the tail curls, sometimes you can trim it so it doesn't touch the fur (not always). Good strong fur that bounces back like its supposed to helps too.

When deciding who to keep and who to sell, tail appearance is not a factor for me. Short, long, curly, straight...I like them all.