Tenrec baths and biting?

Hi, I've been reasearching tenrecs for a while now and have come across sites saying that they need dust/sand baths and also that they have a tendency to bite. I am wondering what your comments would be about each? Thanks
Connie

i gave mine a sand bath once and he showed no interest in it at all so havent tried since.

i have had him a good few months and he has only ever bitten me once, that was after holding my hedgehog, i washed my hands but not my arms and he bit the top of my arm, it hurt like hell and he dangled there for a while, left a bruise but didnt really break the skin.

I have a dish of chinchilla sand in with one group of my tenrecs and they potter through it but don't really use it much - was bit by my female but I was checking her over to see if she was pregnant, like Pammie, didn't break the skin but boy, can they hang on for dear life!

Thanks for the replies Pammie and Nellie. I was finding that although there doesn't seem to be a huge amt of info about tenrecs as pets, the info differs quite a bit depending on where you go to read it. It's the same with hedgehogs I find, different people have different experiences with them. I would rather read all the pros and cons about different animals in order to make an informed decision. thanks again,one more question, do they have much of a scent?

Yes, i only have a male and he has a real musky scent, its not very nice even when cleaned out regularly

Mine has chinchilla sand and used it when younger, not anymore. She bites, but never breakes skin, just shoves me out of her way and is smelly but i dont mind it :P

they do have a funny musky smell to them

mine have never bitten