IMAMONKEY! Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 I have noticed that a lot of people have a nervous habit of chewing on their nails... a bit of an odd habit if you ask me, but then, a lot of habits are odd. Well, one day i was sitting in my living room chewing on my nails when i look over and see my dog doing the same thing, although his nail biting has the effect of making his claws (my family calls em talons they r so big:hihi: ) sharper rather than shorter. What does this mean? maybe nothinig... i dont know. i just find it interesting that dogs and humans have the same habit albeit doesnt yeild the same effect. Could our direct evolutional ancestors have had claws? i mean... i dont think anyones ever mentioned something like that before. or at least, ive never heard it.:hihi: Just a thought, IMAMONKEY!:hihi: Racoon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racoon Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 I've heard and read that Nail-Biting is a sign of "Unresolved Conflict"And from those who I've witnessed doing said such behavior, its not completely off base. Dogs may experience this perhaps, or maybe its something biological. Psychology is fascinating,Racoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes Benzene Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Well, I must admit: I have the disgusting habit of biting my nails. I'm not sure why I do it. I don't do it at any specific time, which rules out the idea that nail-biting is based on stress or a state of nervousness. I just... do it. I imagine that I started when I was a little kid (just because little kids do stupid things) and it just... stuck...I'm not sure what it is, but I don't think it has anything to do with a common ancestry. I just think your dog is telling you that he wants you to trim his nails.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loricybin Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 i bite my nails, too. in fact, i've bitten my nails as long as i can remember, and when i was around six or seven i started actually swallowing the bitten off bits of nail. i was finally able to drop that habit by the time i was . . . erm . . . 11 or 12? anyway, i've noticed that there are times when i'm nervous that i start to bite my nails, and there are also times when i just look down and think to myself, "too long, time to bite them." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InfiniteNow Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Well, I must admit: I have the disgusting habit of biting my nails. I'm not sure why I do it. I don't do it at any specific time, which rules out the idea that nail-biting is based on stress or a state of nervousness. I just... do it. Two reasons: You haven't cut them back with clippers recently enough, and uncouscious repetitive motion due to rumination of thought (think something like Rainman). :hihi: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockydude Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 HAHA interesting. I do bite my nails all the time. Its more of a habit, a conditioned reflex action. Incorrgible for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
God's servant Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 Thats a good idea you have there. Maybe if it did relate to one or some of our evolutionary ancestors it had something to do with them trying to sharpen their claws (or talons) to be able to protect themselves from this impending attack on them... i mean if i was about to get attacked i would be pretty nervous and would try to prepare myself... maybe... or maybe i'm just way off base here... just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMAMONKEY! Posted March 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 Thats a good idea you have there. Maybe if it did relate to one or some of our evolutionary ancestors it had something to do with them trying to sharpen their claws (or talons) to be able to protect themselves from this impending attack on them... i mean if i was about to get attacked i would be pretty nervous and would try to prepare myself... maybe... or maybe i'm just way off base here... just a thought. makes sense to me. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monomer Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 I used to bite my nails when I was a kid. When I turned 16 I decided that I was going to stop and I haven't bitten my nails since. I'm glad I did because long-term nail biting can interfere with nail growth and cause deformed nails, and there is an increased risk of infection in the nail and in the mouth. I make sure that I always carry a nail file around with me, because if I was ever going to bite my nails it would be when they're jaggard. I'm not sure that nail biting would sharpen claws because my cats don't bite their nails, but sharpen their claws usually on trees. Sometimes it looks like they're biting their nails http://www.metacafe.com/watch/248555/nail_biting_cat/, but they're just cleaning them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boerseun Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 Your nail-biting and your dog's nailbiting is an expression of the same thing: You're bored and want something to chew. The closest thing to chew is your nails. So there you go - you chew your nails. This masticatory enterprise soon becomes habitual, and before you know it, you chew your nails without even realising it. When you're stressed, it might happen more often, seeing as you're subconsciously looking for some kind of diversion. But the act of nail-biting is not exlusively related to stress or anything else. With your dog its the same thing. Dogs randomly chew stuff (especially puppies - who have the same teething problems human have), and if their nails are nice and long because its owner won't clip them, well, then, they will be chewed. They're there. Both you and your dog chewing your nails don't point to a common ancestry. But there are loads and loads of more compelling proof of common ancestry if you need some: You're both mammals,You both have the same general skeletal layout,You both sport hair, the mammalian hallmark,Dental layout points to common ancestry, albeit a bit removed,They physical layout and chemistry of organs and nervous network,Reproductive organs work in the same way,etc., etc., etc. The list goes on. And all of them point to your common ancestry! I think worrying whether nail-biting points towards it is a bit moot, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HydrogenBond Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 The profession with the least nail biters are plumbers. It is actually in their unwritten trade code. "1) Payday is on Friday; 2) crap flows down hill; and 3) don't bite your finger nails due to rule number 2. ". Nail biting is a form of recycling, where protein is recycled. Most people don't recycle their protein, but rather throw this protein into landfills and waste treatment facilities adding stress to the environment and increasing the cost for all. Bacteria eat it adding to global warming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boerseun Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 ...I don't think there's too much protein in keratin. I think nailil-biting starts out easily enough because of comfort (either too-long nails or boredom) and ends up being habitual. There's no profit in eating something indigestible, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monomer Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 ...I don't think there's too much protein in keratin. I think nailil-biting starts out easily enough because of comfort (either too-long nails or boredom) and ends up being habitual. There's no profit in eating something indigestible, though. It would just be a bit of roughage, but there's much tastier roughage out there to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boerseun Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 It would just be a bit of roughage, but there's much tastier roughage out there to eat.Tasty?!?! I take it you've never tried toe-jam! :eek2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somebody Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 this is the answer to the original question: Sometimes when i am bored, i observe these kinds of things too. I think, there might be a connection but its more related to psychology and your unresolved issue (like many people already have mentioned). btw i dont chew too often Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monomer Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 Tasty?!?! I take it you've never tried toe-jam! :rolleyes: I have not! I was thinking I'd just stick to fibre, unless I'm really missing out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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