# Rat cleaning the inside of my mouth?



## SwampWitch666 (May 9, 2016)

I have a rat, Lestat, who used to be a bitey poorly socialized rat, now is very social and sweet. But he's started doing this weird thing where he is insistent (like, actively insists) on opening my mouth and wants to lick my teeth? It's really weird and I don't really know what to make of it. He's really gentle about it and I don't want to hurt his little feelings by rejecting him, but it's definitely strange for me.


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## raindear (Mar 3, 2015)

It's called Rodentistry and is normal rat behavior. Some people have no problem with it, others...ewww!


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## SwampWitch666 (May 9, 2016)

Does it mean anything in particular? Or is it just like a social grooming thing?


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## RosesAndRats (May 7, 2015)

It basically means that he loves you, and that he's accepted you into his mischief. Just be careful; some rats are quite tenacious, and their nails hurt.


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## Grotesque (Mar 19, 2014)

Ginger started off being really gentle about it so I let her do it. I thought it was cute. Now she violently claws at my mouth to get me to open. I created a monster.


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## SwampWitch666 (May 9, 2016)

*glances sideways at him* Your customs are strange to me. But I love you and I shall allow it. 
<_____<


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## rottengirl (Mar 16, 2016)

SwampWitch666 said:


> *glances sideways at him* Your customs are strange to me. But I love you and I shall allow it.
> <_____<


Lol, I know dis feel.


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## Fraido (Oct 1, 2014)

My boys do it for my spit, no matter what, they could have the freshest clean water in their bottles but my spit? SO MUCH BETTER.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

I've heard that some rats will even clean the teeth of dogs and other animals... This may be some kind of symbiotic behavior that developed eons ago when rats lived with larger animals for protection. There are lots of examples in nature where one fish cleans other fish and birds pick bugs off rhinos. 

It might be a strange thought, but rats have been on this earth a very long time.... Maybe long ago rats survived the ice age by cleaning the teeth of saber tooth cats or some other huge animal nothing would otherwise mess with.


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## Fraido (Oct 1, 2014)

Rat Daddy said:


> I've heard that some rats will even clean the teeth of dogs and other animals... This may be some kind of symbiotic behavior that developed eons ago when rats lived with larger animals for protection. There are lots of examples in nature where one fish cleans other fish and birds pick bugs off rhinos.
> 
> It might be a strange thought, but rats have been on this earth a very long time.... Maybe long ago rats survived the ice age by cleaning the teeth of saber tooth cats or some other huge animal nothing would otherwise mess with.


My one rat will do this to my cat, it's quite comical.


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## Prince (Jun 17, 2016)

When my girl was a baby, she had a fascination with my nose.
When she got too big to stick her head in my nostril, she moved onto rodentistry. Now she's a professional!
Sometimes you can spot these things early. My advice; keep your rats front claws trimmed. They'll yank on your lips if you don't open up.


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