# Rat biting at nail polish



## ponderosa (Oct 13, 2014)

So sometimes I like to polish my nails, and/or grow them out. A few nights ago, I did my nails for the first time since getting Samantha. Ever since then, most of the times I've held her, she has tried to gnaw at my nails! I'm really not comfortable with her spending the holding session trying to bite my nails. So far, I haven't let her really get her teeth on my nails, but she's been trying and I'm not sure how far she'd go or whether she'd actually bite hard. She will also occasionally try to gnaw on fingernails if they're long, but the polish, it seems, has really gotten her attention. Is this a common thing for rats? Is there a good way to discourage this (like the gentle bopping that we have used to try to discourage our others from nipping), or will I just have to give up the fancy nails or get used to this?


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## mimsy (Jun 8, 2014)

I've always had that issue with quite a few rats. If they are like mine, they don't bite down hard, but they scrap with their teeth, which is uncomfortable for me...and they eat the polish, which I doubt is healthy for them. If my nails are long they nibble the edges, but I haven't had them really go to town with them ever. I can't figure out why they feel mine should be so short, but they don't trim their own..cause those are scratchy.


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## ponderosa (Oct 13, 2014)

Maybe they think that the polish is "dirt" and needs to be groomed off. This is gel polish and she would have a heck of a time scraping it off (and I certainly don't want her eating it!) I wish they would do more about their own nails, too. My hands always have scratches on them these days from holding squirming rats! Even our cats would chew their claws.


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## new_rattie_mommy (Aug 24, 2014)

Yup my nail polish seems to get one of my rat's attention especially. He won't bite down hard but I discourage by either gently pushing him off of it, and it usually just changes his focus, otherwise you could bop her gently cuz you wouldn't really want her eating it. And I always worry he will accidentally bite too hard cuz sometimes he has hit a certain spot and it hurts. I think the colors draws the attention though and makes them want to play with it and check it out or something.


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## MOA (Sep 7, 2014)

Mine do it too, it's kind of their way of grooming us I think..


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