Should I be helping Devil bathe?

[ratlets]

Yep.. that's right... a Devil post! My big guy is healthy as can be, but he has had a run of icky lumps on his tail from not being able to reach to groom- at least this is what my vet and I suspect. Should I try giving him a bath now and then? Or just do spot treatments like just bathing his tail?

Just curious about what you guys would do. Devil has no idea I'm posting this

 

[Moon]

If he's fairly capable of cleaning himself and is only missing spots, I'd do wipedowns with unscented baby wipes

 

[SQ]

I would just wipe down his tail .... if it is really bad, you could soak his tail/butt in a basin of warm water

 

[ryelle]

When cleaning tails you gota remember to wipe the tail from the base to the tip, NOT from the tip to the tail base. Rat tails remind me of armadillo's plated skin. If you clean the tail from the tip to the base, dirt can be pushed under the skin, causing more problems than its worth. I'm still yet to try baby wipes (i forget everytime i go to the store ><) but a lot of people recommend them

 

[jorats]

I would do what is less stressful for him.

 

[ratlets]

Thanks, guys!

Got back from a couple days away, and Devil's got bumps on his tail again. I'll try the wipes!

 

[pinkies_mama]

if the "scales" for lack of a better word on his tail are getting crusty and/or yellow, its probably from urine, and it sure wouldn't hurt him to have you go at it with a soft toothbrush and some warm (antibacterial) soapy water. I've had to do it for my girls before, and sometimes to really get it off (since its basically dead skin) you have to go at it sideways and even up towards the butt unfortunately.

 

[Rodentist]

A couple of years ago, we had a rattie, Octavian, who had to have a toe amputation. Follow up care was soaking the foot for 5 minutes in warm water with nolvasan in it, twice a day. Seeing as getting just the one foot soaked proved impossible, we used a flat tupperware container, and soaked both feet, and the tail was involved. Octavian quickly went from having a VERY grubby man-rat tail to an extremely clean tail.

Since then, when a rat has a grubby tail, we give him a soak and gently, using an extra soft toothbrush (which everyone should use, by the way, free advice from a dentist) brush the loosened debris off, don't scrub. If it isn't clean, and it will be cleanER, try again in a few days. We had to do this recently with Valentine...he got a full bath though, he was so full of mites and filth.

 

[Fidget]

Why can't he clean himself? Is he too fat or does he have mobility problems?

 

[ratlets]

Thanks, guys!

Fidget, he's just a fat and lazy boy. The bumps on his tail look like clogged hair follicles/zits. He's got gunky ears I've been cleaning the outsides of, too. Don't wanna go poking around in there

 

[mercurydust]

They are alsp make wipes for small animals that are just like baby wipes....I think they are called Clean Critter. My sister in law uses those for her hamster-believe me they work because that little turd stanks! LoL

 

[Fidget]

(just sending a little love to your hunkyman Devil)