# Rat picking MY nose



## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

I just had a new one happen to me today.

Parsley, my big lap rat, was climbing on my chest when he leans over at my face and started to lick me, which is normal, but this time he started to 'groom' me. I was amused at first, but then he did something strange - he stuck his nose near my nostrils and pulled out snot (getting over a cold) - and ate it! 

Is this normal behaviour for rats that like to groom, or should I be shooing him away from grooming completely ?


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Haha my girl will go for anything and everything that looks like it needs a grooming - ears, nose, mouth, eyes. I try to communicate that those locations are not okay but it doesn't work -- I don't want to stop her grooming all together. I now just have to try and keep my face away from her -- she'll "help" if I'm sick, tired, or otherwise acting like an unruly rat in the grooming department according to her standards.


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## Xerneas (Aug 6, 2013)

Nope that's definitely normal. Gross, of course, but normal! My rats try to open my mouth and clean my teeth...


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## mcbride4227 (Aug 13, 2013)

My rats do the same thing, I think it's cute but while I'm trying to take a nap it's very inconvenient! They do get in both of our mouths, half the time it's an indication they are thirsty and other times its to groom or they just really want our attention. But I want to know why they like to dig at our sides. No one has been able to give me an answer 


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## ratclaws (Nov 11, 2012)

My girlfriend's rat does this all the time haha, she loves the taste of snot! It's her favourite afternoon snack.


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## Voltage (May 15, 2013)

"You can pick your nose and you can pick your friends but you can't pick your friend's nose." 
- The grim adventures of billy and mandy

Ewwww he ate your boogers
My girl Arya likes to lick the inside of my nose and the inside of my mouth (I try not to let her do that one)


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## mcbride4227 (Aug 13, 2013)

My oldest one licks my boyfriends eye balls, I've experienced it once and it felt really weird. 


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## Blessed_Yarrow (Aug 17, 2013)

Normal! He's just being affectionate and trying to keep you clean while you're sick.


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## KelseyShea (Jan 20, 2013)

I have a cold too, and Athena went crazy for my used tissues. Every time I used one, she'd hop up and try to grab it from me. She also went directly to the source- my runny nose. >.<


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## Laylicorn (Aug 14, 2013)

Aw, that's hilarious. n.n


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## PaigeRose (Apr 12, 2013)

My one girl hates when we wear mascara, she'll groom it all off!

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## PurpleGirl (Oct 12, 2012)

My recently passed girl Freyja would sometimes lick inside my nostril, she never tried to eat out of it though, haha.


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## roaringsnail (Aug 1, 2013)

Sounds funny! You should feel honored to be groomed in such an intimate way. It might seem gross to you, but it means you are accepted into the rat clan.


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