how come my rat licks my finger?

Question

i dont have anything on my hands, and what are some signs of affection do rats show toward their owners? kind of like when a dog sits on their owner's lap, that sort of deal. and how can i get my rat to just chill out on my hand or lap. i hate just keeping her in the cage or in the rat ball, but she's a little too jumpy to just keep out.

Answer 1

Human sweat contains salt and the rats find this attractive.
It does not mean that the rat is deficient in any minerals, they just like it. They also have a sweet tooth and will love you for sugar coated treats such as breakfast cereals, use it only as a treat and not as regular food.
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Answer 2

She's giving you little rat kisses. Most of our rats do this, some more than others. Other signs of affection include jumping onto you when they have the opportunity, showing more interest in you then in the food you're giving them @ feeding time & grinding their teeth together when you talk to them. In general, girl rats are a lot more hyper & nosey than boys are, although one of our girls is a cuddly lap rat. However, if you keep working with her & she learns to associate chillin' with spending time with you, she could settle down a bit. Also, you might try letting her hang out on your shoulder instead of you lap or hand. Please consider getting another female to keep her company.

Answer 3

Rats need sodium. He is getting this from your sweat. Get him a salt lick at the local pet store. Licking of the skin is a sign that means your rat needs more sodium. As a sign of affection, some rats will nibble thier owners skin or clothing.

Answer 4

my rat licks me and i think she loves me
it could be that she likes the way you taste
if you have a female she will be way more active than a male
you just have to let her run around a bit - i usually do this on my bed where i can watch her - and then she will calm down and come to get some scratching and loving
this may take a while if she is young
male rats will just sit and let you pet them provided they are not too young
young rats love to play with humans
invent some games together - once you have your rat out on the bed you'll be able to see that she will run around and you can just figure out some hide and seek games or chase your hand etc.

Answer 5

Rats get most of the sodium the need from their diet. There is no need to get a salt wheel for them, unless their food doesn't contain enough of it. My rats lick my hands also, they like to drink drops of water from them if my hands are wet. It is considered a sign of affection. They also click and grind their teeth to "talk" to you. It's used as a form of communication to other rats and to keep their teeth filed.

Most females are more active than males. I suggest you take her into a room where you can close the door and there aren't too many places she can go under to hide or get lost. I take my rats in the bathroom and let them run around. They climb on me and run behind the sink then run back to me. Fun game!

Answer 6

Either your rat wants some salt, which you can buy at the pet store. Just ask for rat salt. Do not use table salt! Or, your rat wants water, and if she can't use the bottle thing, then get her a small, deep dish and fill it halfway with water.

Answer 7

my rat does the same thing and i dont know why either
must b a way of showing affection. mine is jumpy too but i have to deal with it if i want to play with her.....dunno what els to do.
have a nice day

Answer 8

Does he have a salt spool in his cage? They cost about 50 cents at the pet store. Most mammals need some sodium to survive. If you dont' provide him with it he has to get it where he can find it - on your hands =)

Answer 9

He might of liked the saltyness on them! Hehe! :D my hamster licks my finger!

Answer 10

they are licking the salt off of your finger