Grooming

[Riana]

I was just reminded of a question that I wanted to ask a while back.

I bathed the boys a while back (it was an adventure, let me tell youz!) but I don't think they're particularly stinky, beyond the (I assume) normal male smell, but they have a little bit of what I assume is buck grease. It's a bit orange and it looks like little specks of greasy dirt. They don't have much, but it's just enough that you can feel it a bit when you pet them.

What do you people do to keep the buck grease down? I know it's just a normal part of having intact males, but If I could keep it under control, I'd like to. I've heard some people giving their rats 'bran baths' (actually a friend and I did this to her two cats last night, much easier than tackling them with water)... would that be a good start?

I also want to clean their tails, they're all orange and yucky again >_< It's hard to keep up on it!

 

[jorats]

I don't bathe my rats. A while ago, with my first crew, I allowed them to play in water.
I've never had a problem with sebum, until the males get old and don't clean themselves as much but even then, it never became bad enough for me to have to do something.
I do know that bathing rats too much is not good, as well as there are many products out there that will dry out the skin too much so have to be careful with that.

 

[lilspaz68]

try the olive oil on a bit of crust once a week, this supposedly controls the buck grease over time.

I usually let my icky tailed rats sit in a sink of warm water for a minute and try to let the icky tail soak.
then I drain the water, and take a bit of liquid dish detergent and scrub down the tail, scrub in sideways and down so you don't hurt the scales of the tail, working to the tailtip (Imagine me at this point chasing a rat around the sink/counter trying to scrub the tail as they explore or try to avoid me...:lol.
then I take a soft toothbrush and with little strokes toward the tail I brush it gently, (think of brushing a horse...small strokes) then I rinse the tail afterwards. Its usually much improved. Wear long sleeves and have everything you need right beside you!!!

 

[starfoot]

Yeh, just as the others say.. I don't wash my rats unless they're filthy... Just bathed Jiggy this morning if you look at the Jiggy the Bad post in Pic n Tails.

So providing they dont' have some unknown substance on their fur, I leave them dry. But girlies aren't as greasy at menrats, so I guess it's easier. With their tails I tend to run a tap warm and hold them above the tap with their tails in the flow... if you give them a treat they'll usually sit still for a few seconds! Then I use a soft sponge and grab the tail and firmly but gently and slowly, pull the sponge to the tip, always towards the tip because it won't be nice for rattie if you go against the hairs n scales.

If it's stubborn muck though I get out a little tooth brush like shelagh says. God you need a whole utility belt and restraints for cleaning ratties!!