Reddit Melts Down Over Mysterious ‘Ceiling Tail’ That Starts Moving

A bizarre photo posted to Reddit has sparked an internet firestorm, leaving thousands of users horrified, amused, and frantically theorizing. The culprit? A dark, stringy, and distinctly uninvited guest dangling from someone’s ceiling—one that moved.

On April 15, Reddit user Takuraiii_ posted an unsettling image to the popular subreddit r/Whatisthisthing, accompanied by the deceptively casual caption:
“Noticed this sticking out from my ceiling – what is it?”

The eerie object—hairless, tapered, and protruding from a narrow ceiling gap—instantly triggered a flood of speculation. Within hours, the post had amassed over 35,000 upvotes and thousands of comments ranging from expert guesses to wild jokes and horror-movie-level panic.

“It moves… so it’s probably not dead.”

Once the OP mentioned that the mystery appendage actually wriggled, Redditors went into full-blown investigation mode. Some analyzed the texture, shape, and behavior, while others opted for humor to mask their clear unease.

One user chimed in,

“Rat expert here (no official degree, but I’ve seen An American Tail at least six times)… This isn’t just any rodent. It’s a professional.”
Another added,

“Sir… that’s a rat’s tail. But not the cute Ratatouille kind. That’s a New York rat—he’ll fight you over your leftovers.”
One brave soul suggested,

“Lick it. If it looks like a rat and tastes like a rat…”
To which another wisely responded:
“Poke it with a stick… then lick the stick.”
Not everyone was sold on the rodent theory. Suggestions ranged from an opossum tail to an armadillo appendage—or even a “giant wall lizard.”

“Push it. Pull it. Tickle it.”

As theories got more outlandish, so did the solutions. One user offered this calm (if questionable) advice:

“Just a shadow. Nothing to be alarmed by.”
Another said,
“Push it up. Forget it exists.”
And a third asked,
“Have you tried tickling it? Maybe it’ll go away if you tickle it.”
Several users were dead set on one course of action: pull it.

“How could you not pull it?” someone asked.
OP quickly replied,
“It’s got those little hairs sticking out—no way I’m touching it with my bare hands.”
“Burn the house down.”

For many, there was only one logical next step: total evacuation.

“I would simply burn the house down,” one user deadpanned.
“List and sell the place before the stench hits,” another warned, convinced the mystery object was part of a decomposing rodent.
The plot thickened when OP returned with a chilling update:

“It’s gone now.”
Cue the collective gasp.

“It’s not gone. It’s just waiting,” someone warned.
“OP, how are you not freaking out? I have the heebie-jeebies for you,” another said.
The Truth Revealed

Within 24 hours, the OP delivered the final twist:
After ruling out rats, lizards, opossums—and even a tampon string (yes, someone guessed that)—Reddit got its answer. The strange, wiggly ceiling intruder had finally been identified.

Mystery solved… sort of.

Redditor Confirms Ceiling Mystery Was a Rat: “God, I Hope There Aren’t More”

After thousands of Reddit users weighed in with guesses ranging from hilarious to horrifying, the mystery was finally solved:
“After a heck-ton of comments saying that it’s a rat’s tail, I can now confirm that it is a rat’s tail,” the original poster wrote.
“I’ll be calling an exterminator soon to properly deal with the situation. Thank you everyone!”

One comment struck a nerve:

“When there’s one, there’s a hundred you can’t see.”
The OP replied,
“God, I hope not.”
Unfortunately, hope might not be enough.

Unwanted Roommates: Rodents in the Walls

While the post delivered laughs and viral fame, it also highlighted a grim reality for many homeowners: hidden rodent infestations. Rats and mice are social animals that often live in groups, according to PBS Nature. That means where there’s one tail… there could be many more.

Rodents often occupy dark, hidden parts of a home—crawlspaces, attics, wall voids—leaving little evidence until something gives them away. In this case, a dangling tail was the first clue.

The CDC warns that rodents aren’t just a nuisance—they can be dangerous. They’re known carriers of several diseases, including hantavirus, a rare but serious illness that recently made headlines after the February 2025 death of Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa.

Signs You Might Not Be Alone at Home

According to the EPA, even a severe infestation can remain hidden unless you know what to look for. Key signs include:

Rodent droppings
Nesting materials (shredded paper or fabric)
Chewed packaging or wires
Holes gnawed through walls or floors
Persistent, musty odors
From Meme to Wake-Up Call

What began as a strange photo and a few thousand laughs ended up being a sobering reminder: it pays to keep an eye on your ceilings, your walls—and maybe invest in a good exterminator. Because sometimes, it only takes one tail to uncover a whole hidden colony.

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