# Boy rat scratching my lips. is this normal?



## Yulrica (Oct 18, 2013)

(all are 1 month 3 weeks old)so my rats in general are peaceful since I've had them and they've never tried biting at all. And I always let them roam my room (supervised) and let them climb on me, lick me to explore. But one my boys, when he goes up to my lips he scratched it. But I don't think it's to harm me. It seems more like he's doing it to clean or climb. Is this behavior ok? Cause sometimes it hurts alittle. And I've read that rat dentists do this. (ones that like to clean the mouth)


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

He wants you to open your mouth, so he can clean your teeth


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## Yulrica (Oct 18, 2013)

Well the first week I did open my mouth to let him groom, because I read about. And he did groom my teeth the first week. But now when I do it, it seems like he scratching. Maybe I'm not lifting him up enough so he can reach? Idk. But it does hurt a little and left tiny scratch marks


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Yes, it hurts. That's usually when I tell them no, bop their nose, and set them on the floor. That's usually them trying to get "deeper".


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## Yulrica (Oct 18, 2013)

Yeah, I don't mind it. But I don't need that deep a cleanse. I'll bop him and tell him no if he tries it more


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

They don't understand that; I'm quite certain they'd go almost to my throat if I let them!


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## ratsaremylife (Nov 5, 2013)

I've heard human saliva is dangerous to rats? My girl does this to and I have heard it's dangerous...?


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Never heard that. Birds can be allergic to it or catch nasty illnesses from us. However, all of my 11 rats have cleaned my braces and I love the bonding. No deaths or illnesses to report. 


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## ratsaremylife (Nov 5, 2013)

Phew! That's reassuring. I wasn't letting her do it even though I don't mind.


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## evander (Jun 30, 2013)

Some of my girls tend to do this too - I always figured it was because they liked whatever I had just eaten! lol


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## Hitmanthe3rd (Jul 16, 2013)

I let Dagon every day. He seems to really like it. If I scare him, or he gets mad, he aggressively will groom my teeth. But it has never hurt. I think it's his way of saying hello and Sorry. Like if he thinks I'm mad at him or something.


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## Devyn (Oct 30, 2013)

You could try squealing loudly when he does it, it might help discourage him.

I had a girl who did this, I have no idea why. We made a game out of it though, I would roll on the ground covering my face and she would chase me around trying to pry my hands apart to get at my mouth. It's amazing how rats respond to laughter.


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## PurpleGirl (Oct 12, 2012)

I have one rat who will claw my lips trying to get at my teeth, it does hurt sometimes and should be deterred if it's bothering you, gently bop his nose and say NO loudly when he tries, and always pull him away immediately to show him you don't like it. Don't hurt him of course but this behaviour can result in cuts and bleeding on your lips, which is unpleasant, so he has to learn that you don't want him to do it. Don't 'squeak' in pain, rats do that when they're submitting to each other, you don't want him thinking you're submitting to him or he'll never stop this behaviour.


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## luvmy4rats (Nov 29, 2013)

My late rat used to scratch my lips to open my mouth wider, she'd also pull at my lips with her teeth which hurt. One of my three ratties tries to pry my mouth open too and has scratched the inside of my lips and it could be partly due to his faster growing nails...!


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