# Face licking?



## CapnKennedy (Sep 30, 2012)

Can anyone tell me why my rat, Pumpkin insists on licking my face every time I pick her up? It's really cute but I have no idea why she does it. I don't understand..


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## Awaiting_Abyss (Jul 24, 2012)

She's grooming you.  My two young rats, Raiko and Raimei lick any piece of skin that's in front of them; whether its my face or my hand.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

They are grooming you. It helps in sure that you are part of their colony, and rats like everything to be clean.

Also in the wild rat's will smell each other's breath to locate food. They will send out a scout or two and they will come back for the others to smell so they don't have to spend time searching for food which would attract predators easily. That's another reason rats like to lick people's faces and mouths. They're smelling your breath for food.


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## CapnKennedy (Sep 30, 2012)

That is ridiculously cute and I feel so fuzzy and part of their little group. At the moment I'm having my nose licked clean and it has never felt so special


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## Cookie&Gible (Oct 26, 2012)

It is cute  my rat does it too, but then she sticks her nose UP my NOSE and I'm like ahhhh >_< haha


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## CrazyRatLady (Oct 20, 2012)

My rat Alaska -insists- on trying to open my mouth, I once made the mistake of opening my mouth and she tried to stick her head in lol so I don't do that anymore. but she likes to lick my face, ears, fingers or whatever she can get her little tongue on. Pretty much all of my 5 rats do this but Alaska is the most licky.  Even though i know they're grooming I like to think of it as showing affection, like a dog licking you.


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## RedFraggle (Jun 4, 2012)

Our pair stick their noses up our noses, in our ears and if you open your mouth they'll clean you teeth for you!


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## CapnKennedy (Sep 30, 2012)

I never have to wipe my nose anymore because Pumpkin is always there to clean it for me..which is gross in a way.  But yeah, she's tried to open my mouth before too XD Poppy normally sticks to my chin, cheeks, between my eyes, and ears


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## YellowSpork (Jul 7, 2012)

My girl Vivi will try and pry your mouth open if it comes near her. XD If she gets her way, she'll have half her body stuck in your mouth before you even realize it! And be licking your tongue and teeth!  My other two girls aren't very licky, but I'll get the occassional groom from them if they're in the mood. And my two boys adore licking my hands! XD Especially Ziggy if I'm petting him, he'll lick my other hand constantly while I scratch his head and cheek. :3


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## Awaiting_Abyss (Jul 24, 2012)

My Raimei will also pry open my mouth and lick my teeth and tongue lol. Raiko kind of settles for just licking my face and hands, but he will lick my lips sometimes or stick his head in my mouth if Raimei has managed to get it open (which I let her do sometimes to make her feel like she's accomplished something  ).


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## binkyhoo (Sep 28, 2008)

love love love you. Rattie kissies.


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## Cupcake&Candy (Jun 5, 2012)

Lol! These comments describe my ratties perfectly! Sometimes my Cupcake will start grooming inside my ears, and it tickles so much I laugh out loud _then she starts bruxing in response _! They sometimes rush to my mouth after work to find out if I still have food in there. It's so funny.


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## rattyandseekersmum (Sep 29, 2012)

mine LOVE cleaning teeth. only problem is, one has discovered that if you lick the saliva gland openings, it squirts out more, which gives me an incredibly odd feeling


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## PurpleGirl (Oct 12, 2012)

My rats all like to wash my fingers and hands, sometimes my arms; the most licky is little Freyja, she likes to stick her nose into ears and will obsessively try to lick my lips. The other day I'd just had a drink and my cinnamon girl Dione literally grabbed my face with her paws and furiously washed my lips, I couldn't pull away 'cause her claws would have totally scratched up my cheeks! It's weird to other people but my fella and I feel very loved when we're being groomed, haha.


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