Questions regarding Bathing rats

[missnikki]

I would like to bathe my rats but not sure what product to use and how to do it ...

Explanations (and pics!) appreciated, please !!!

:bow:

 

[handmeafish]

I gave ron a bath once.. I used gentle puppy shampoo...
He hated it, and it did me no good...

I gave old man a bath because he wasn't grooming him self... I used Dawn to help get some of the buck grease off... He screamed like I was killing him... made me sad. It helped get the buck grease off, but I felt so bad about traumatizing him.
I bathed them both in the bathtub... I filled it with about 2 inches of water, and used a cup to get them wet. They pooped all over everything.

I don't recommend bathing... they keep them selfs pretty clean and bathing males too often will cause them to produce more grease, which smells IMO

 

[crumbilina]

I bathe my ratties when one poops on the other, or when they just seem dull/dirty. This usually only happens once a year or so. Less now as the younger rats I have keep themselves clean.

I put a white wash basin in my sink and fill it about 2-3 inches full of water - enough that if a rat was in there, their head would still be above water when thy are on all 4's, I cant measure well, just eyeball it. I keep a towel very close by and a cage just in case (keep the cage out of eye/nose shot so that they don't know it is there or they will run). I use very dilute ferret shampoo from living world. I usually make it very watery in a cup and pour it on them and massage it in. Then rinse and dry and shower with treats!
Sorry I dont have pictures.

I guess most of my rats just really like water. Actually I have never bathed most of the rats I have here now. My older girls like their baths when they happen...

 

[Roo]

I never found any need to bathe my female ratties, they always kept themselves clean on their own.

I would suggest, if you need to bathe them for some reason, to get them used to water first so it's less scary. (some rats don't like water, others love it and will even swim)

I've never introduced a ratty to water either, but I found this video a while ago and thought if I ever decided to do it this might be a pretty good way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7end071b3zA

 

[xxchelle]

With the hundreds of rats that have gone through my doors, I've never needed to bathe a rat that wasn't very ill. Sometimes, a very sick rat will need help cleaning themselves, but even then I've only ever given them a good scrub down with a baby wipe.

Baths are usually scary and stressful for rats. Even if they seem to like the bath, it really dries out their skin, and can make them itchy and flakey. When it comes to males, bathing actually increases buck grease production, and increases smell.

For rats, grooming is a very social thing. I've read that rats groom themselves and cagemates from nose to tail 10-15 times per day. That's a huge amount of their day. Grooming is used as a way of keeping social hierarchy. Rats are very clean animals on their own, there's no need for us to intervene. I've had rats who marinade (pee and then sleep in their hammocks) and even they clean up within 10 minutes of waking up.

 

[sausage4ever]

I used to bathe my rats all once a month. I still always bathe new additions.
I find it keeps their coats whiter and makes them look cleaner.

They hate it at first usually but if done often and young enough they eventually get used to it. I used puppy shampoo, but now I have a waterless spray, that I prefer to use on the rats and cats!

 

[Roo]

Oh - forgot to add that you'll want to make sure you dry them off pretty well because I *heard* that they can catch cold after a bath if not dried off properly. And after getting a cold, it can quickly escalate into something much more serious which could cause death.

 

[xxchelle]

The stress alone can cause a URI in some.

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

In all the time I have had males (all unaltered but 1) I have never needed to bathe mine. I tried letting them play in water once and they hated it so I figured why stress them with something so unnecessary. I feel that rats are like cats in that they don't need/want our help cleaning themselves they are perfectly content grooming themselves and each other. And personally I don't see any benefit to bathing your rats (except for a few extenuating circumstances)

 

[Rachael]

I don't bath my rats either unless it's lice/sickness/old related. Your girls are both young and healthy so shouldn't need bathed. If they get dirty baby wipes are fine to wipe them with.

 

[missnikki]

I don't plan on bathing them daily or anything - one of my girls smells of pee and has for about 3 days now, despite grooming eachother constantly. Think I will try some diluted ferret or puppy shampoo on her and take all your advice into consideration. =)

 

[xxchelle]

As far as I know, all the puppy/ferret/etc. shampoos are not good for bathing rats, the only thing that should be used is Dawn dish soap.

 

[sausage4ever]

The Rat Guide (someone correct me if I'm wrong) says that puppy shampoo or tearless baby shampoo is just fine.

Also I don't see why we have to convince anyone that washing their rats is a bad thing...most of us on here care about our rats a great deal more than the general public and if you get your kids used to it they're fine with baths; it's actually the same in cats. Good persian breeders are sure to acclimate their kittens to regular bathing which is actually needed in the breed considering their long long hair that can get very greasy or poopy.

I think if you feel that bathing you rat here in there will help them out than go for it, also do some searches online (particularly afrma.org about what's best to be used for bathing)

 

[Rachael]

I think kitten shampoo is okay for them. I use a rat/ferret one if I ever bathe them.

The smell probably isn't bothering your girl though, so I don't think that she really 'needs' a bath

 

[jorats]

Nobody is trying to convince anyone anything. But as this is a rat CARE forum, we wouldn't be doing our members justice if we didn't warn against the consequences of bathing your rats.
Almost ALL shampoos are too harsh for rats. Mild rabbit shampoo or Dawn detergent soap would be fine, anything else must be diluted.
Bathing often WILL dry out their skin and may cause dermal issues.
Bathing when the rats are very scared WILL cause them stress and possibly a myco flare up.

These are facts.

Also I don't see why we have to convince anyone that washing their rats is a bad thing...most of us on here care about our rats a great deal more than the general public and if you get your kids used to it they're fine with baths; it's actually the same in cats. Good persian breeders are sure to acclimate their kittens to regular bathing which is actually needed in the breed considering their long long hair that can get very greasy or poopy.

I think if you feel that bathing you rat here in there will help them out than go for it, also do some searches online (particularly afrma.org about what's best to be used for bathing)

 

[xxchelle]

I was beginning to think I was crazy, Jo. Thank you for posting that. My vet has often warned against bathing rats due to the possibility of causing URIs, myco flareups, and ear infections. Not to mention dermal issues.

 

[sausage4ever]

I just got the feeling that she was being told that she shouldn't even think of bathing her rats if they're smelled...that's how it came across to me.

 

[missnikki]

Sooo the girls had their first bath time yesterday!! I used very gentle puppy shampoo diluted with water...they mostly seemed to enjoy when I massaged the soap into their backs, and the feel of the warm water. Didn't get any pics tho. Now they smell nice. Woo!

 

[xxchelle]

Be aware that they might start to marinade (sleep in their pee) to cover themselves in the smell of their own urine again, as it's very stressful to rats to not smell like "themselves".

 

[lilangel]

The Rat Guide (someone correct me if I'm wrong) says that puppy shampoo or tearless baby shampoo is just fine.

Also I don't see why we have to convince anyone that washing their rats is a bad thing...most of us on here care about our rats a great deal more than the general public and if you get your kids used to it they're fine with baths; it's actually the same in cats. Good persian breeders are sure to acclimate their kittens to regular bathing which is actually needed in the breed considering their long long hair that can get very greasy or poopy.

I think if you feel that bathing you rat here in there will help them out than go for it, also do some searches online (particularly afrma.org about what's best to be used for bathing)

If ever i needed to bath a rat i also read and used baby shampoo and then made sure to dry of course but this was maybe only a couple of times i ever had to bath a rat in my care.

I find only if really super needed to bath(ie like rescues coming in that are very very dirty or ill rats but then with ill rats most times i use a warm wash cloth and just wipe down)