I've had my rat for 3 weeks now and although he's very affectionate he seems to have a liking for lippy! How do i stop him from drawing blood, he cant seem to resist having a bit of a chew when he gets too close, he also likes to have a nibble on the back of my legs. Any suggestions wld be much appreciated.
2007-01-25 09:53:08 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Wow! So many insults and abuse directed at someone who knows what the best rodent pet is by far.
There are good reasons why your ratty is nipping your lips.
Your rat is performing his duties as a professional "Rodentist". Not all rats like to get in our mouth and check out our teeth, but some do. It would be nicer if he would just use his little paws and pry your lips open, but if the first nip made you open your mouth then he succeeded and will continue this habit.
Rats are insatiable groomers and as far as he is concerned your lips are something that stick out from your face and he wants to smooth them down. By the same token rats will smooth eyebrows, eyelashes, moles, warts, and those hairs on the back of your legs.
It could very well be that he smells food on your breath and it's by smelling his own mother's breath that he learned what foods were safe to eat. He smells something safe to eat on your breath and he wants some of it. A nip will make you open your mouth.
So now you know the reasons you need to break the habit.
Can you "EEEEK!!!!" really loud when he comes near your mouth? This piercing scream will sound like another hurt rat and it will startle him enough to make him back off.
When he backs off give him a treat with your hand. This will only take a few times.
If it doesn't work, you'll have to decide that he can't be anywhere near your face :(
spazrats
http://spazrats.tripod.com
Rat Slave at 38
Specializing/Educating Others in the care of pet rats for 10 years
2007-01-25 17:08:16 · answer #1 · answered by spazrats 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Keep it away from your face. He sees your lip as a snack most likely. So keeping him away from your face will stop him from eating you up. As for your legs, keep him on a leash. I know it sounds ridiculous, but you can get a ferret harness, and leash. Rats are incredibly smart creatures. Believe it or not, they are. Over in Africa, they're teaching rats to find old land mines. They say they can smell some sort of metal they're made of, and they're not heavy enough to set off the mine.
So you'd be able to train him, by using a clicker and lost of tasty treats. I'd invest in a better cage, or better toys, and definately the harness and leash.
Most small critters are attracted to things that they can put their mouth on, and shiny things. So get some shiny things and have them on the floor, to keep his mind off your legs.
And can I just say, eww. I hate rats. LOL But they are, after all someone's pet. Some people don't like dogs, cats or birds, but I love them, so I can't really say much, now can I??
Good luck to you!!
2007-01-25 10:27:05 · answer #2 · answered by Pluto 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Perhaps he can smell food on your breath, try cleaning your teeth and using some mouthwash before you hold him or at least before you hold him close to your face.
I also believe putting him straight back in his cage every time he bites can help him learn it's not allowed.
And ignore the bubonic plague comment, there's a lot of uneducated prejudice about rats.
2007-01-25 10:11:38 · answer #3 · answered by Kate 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
why do people bother to answer if all they are going to do is say "don't put it near your face" or put you down for loving these creatures..... PLEASE!
rats are an intelligent rodent and may i say very affectionate and clean, i had 12 of them when i was younger and i loved them but i must say none of them ever tried to bite my lips in fact i was never nibbled or bitten at all so I'm baffled???
the only thing that i would possibly try if i were in that situation is quite simply putting something harmless yet foul tasting on my lips just before handling him. maybe then he will quickly realise that they are not as tasty as he once thought and stop trying.
good luck anyway and ignore everyone else they are so obviously not animal lovers of any kind.
2007-01-25 10:13:38 · answer #4 · answered by itsbimby 1 · 3⤊ 2⤋
I don't know much about rats, but maybe he thinks he's affectionate. Maybe another rat would help him act out his inappropriate nipping tendencies. Like, they could nip each other and leave you alone.
Rats aren't the only things that bite! Kitties and birdies like to nip, too, as do dogs when they're playing around. Puppies and kittens are notorious nippers. Maybe make a loud noise when he nips you, as a deterrent. I wouldn't go with the foul-tasting substance...on your lips? Huh? They're your LIPS. They'll taste bad to you, too!
2007-01-25 10:56:21 · answer #5 · answered by SlowClap 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
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2016-04-24 22:42:22 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i am so sorry that these people don't have the decency to answer your question. i hate it when you ask a rat-related question, and you get the ewws, grosses, and bubonic plagues.
my advice would be to wash off your lips. he is probably just smelling food on you. if he does do it again, just look at him, give him a stern "No", and place him away from you, so he gets the message.
hope this helps, and im really sorry for all the anti-rat rodent negativity here on YA. they keep their stupid hamsters, but can't appreciate the intelligence of a rat.
BY THE WAY, FLEAS AND LICE SPREAD THE BUBONIC PLAQUE. AND ALL YOU DUMB PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT AT THAT TIME, WILD RATS LIVED IN CLEANER CONDITIONS THEN HUMANS, SO....
2007-01-25 10:15:58 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 3⤋
try not to eat anything for a while b4 handling
my rattys were just the same at first
try giving them a treat b4 getting them out too
2007-01-25 10:05:33 · answer #8 · answered by crunchymonkey 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Keep it in its cage! Rats will bite anything they think is edible, perhaps it smells food on your lip? Keep it away from your face, at least.
2007-01-25 09:59:51 · answer #9 · answered by Ahwell 7 · 2⤊ 4⤋
Honest love I dont really know but how sweet to have a pet rat. good luck babe. Just had one idea and I not being funny, play ben by mj to him, I love that.
2007-01-25 10:01:36 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋