How To It's a good idea to take the stress out of bathing your pet.
Rats are usually clean and sanitary, but sometimes they get dirty and need to be cleaned.If your rat is not adjusted to water, having a bath can cause it to hurt itself or you.It is possible to take the stress out of bathing your pet rat by letting it get used to the water.If you want to avoid getting your rat wet, there are other ways to keep it clean.
Step 1: Purchase a cleaner that is designed for rodents.
If you want to give your pet rat a bath, you will need something to clean it with.The chemicals in soap made for humans can be harmful to your pet rat, so buy a rodent shampoo from your local pet store to clean your rat thoroughly and safely.As rats will clean themselves by licking their paws and brushing their fur, your rat may ingest small amounts of the shampoo after you wash it.Make sure the product you use for your rat is safe.If you can't find something in your local pet store that's safe for your rat, look online or at a specialty store.The bottle should last you a long time because you only need a small amount for each bath.
Step 2: Put around 1 in of warm water in the sink.
Put a plug in the sink and fill it with warm water around the rat's body temperature.Adding water to the sink will create a layer of water that your rat can comfortably sit in without needing to swim.To keep your rat comfortable, your water should be between 98.6 and 100.5 F.If you don't want to use the sink, you can fill a plastic container with water and make a small bath.The water should be warm to the touch so your rat doesn't get cold.
Step 3: There are 2 clean towels next to the sink.
It's important to dry your rat off as quickly as possible because keeping it wet for too long may make it sick.Put a clean towel on the bench beside the sink that your rat can sit on, and keep another nearby to dry it off once it is bathed.It is possible to close the door to the room that you are bathing the rat in to make sure it does not run off.
Step 4: Prepare a jug of warm water for rinsing your rat.
If you want to avoid rinsing your rat with the dirty bath water, fill a large, spouted jug with around 16 fluid ounces of water that is 100 F.It's a good idea to keep this next to the sink.If you want to rinse your rat, you could use the faucet on your sink, but this will give you less control over the water pressure and temperature.Make sure you use warm water to wash your rat.
Step 5: The rat's nails need to be trimmed.
As you try and bathe your rat, it may scratch you.Get someone else to hold your pet rat, and use a pair of baby nail clippers to trim the clear parts of their nails.To make sure you can see clearly and not hurt your rat, use a bright light or direct sun.Rats' claws have a pink vein that can bleed if you cut it.Don't trim the clear part of your rat's claws.If you nick the vein in the rats claw, dip the foot in a liquid.This will stop the bleeding.While you clip your rat's claws, give it a treat to distract it.Rats don't need to be trimmed to keep them from being too sharp because they wear down their claws naturally.
Step 6: Put a small amount of water in the rat's bath to help it get used to it.
Dunking your rat in too quickly will make it very stressed, as it won't be used to swimming in water or getting wet.Put your hands in the rat's mouth so it can adjust to being wet, and then slowly lower it into the warm water.It might be a good idea to wear gloves or long sleeves when bathing your rat.It might try and get out of the water if it starts to panic.As you begin to let your rat adjust to the water, talk to him in a calm, soothing voice.This will let it know that everything is okay.
Step 7: As much as possible, keep your rat's face dry.
The area around your rat's eyes, nose, ears, and mouth is very sensitive to water.When bathing your rat, only wet it's body so as to keep it calm.Don't put water on your rat's face.It will be more difficult to get water or soap out of your rat's eyes than it is to deal with soap getting in your own eyes.Your rat's face will be very sensitive if you get soap on it.If you want to clean your rat's genitals, you should never use a cleanser that will harm them.
Step 8: Put the rat in the water.
Once your rat has adjusted to the water and is sitting in it comfortably, begin covering its body with water.Holding it still with one hand, use the other to scoop a little water up from the basin and pour it over your rat.Once your rat gets into the water, give it a small treat.You can keep your rat happy by bathing it.
Step 9: You can massage the rat's fur.
Put a few drops on your hand when you open the rodent shampoo.When massaging your rat's body, avoid its face and genitals.Make sure you cover all areas by working slowly and rhythmically.If your rat is averse to water, you can remove it from the water and place it on one of the towels to begin massaging.
Step 10: To clean your rat's tail, Rub it in the direction of the scales.
To clean your rat's tail, use a little of the remaining shampoo on your fingers.Start at the base of its tail and move your fingers in the same direction as its scales.To clean the tail thoroughly, repeat this motion 4 or 5 times.If you rub your rat's tail in the other direction, it may hurt it.The scales should always be moved in the same direction.
Step 11: The rat should be washed with a jug of water.
With one hand, hold your rat over the sink so that it doesn't touch the water.Slowly pour the jug of water over your rat by using the other hand.It is a good idea to wash your rat's body with it.You can refill the jug from the faucet if you run out of water.If you want to cover your rat in dirty, soapy water, don't scoop bathwater out of the sink.It might be easier to get someone else to hold your rat while you wash it.
Step 12: Use the towels to dry your rat.
Lift your rat out of the sink and put it on a towel you have laid down.Rub the rat's body completely dry with the other towel.If you rub your rat's face with the towel, it may hurt them.Rats like being dried off or wrapped in towels, so drying it should be less nerve-racking than getting them wet.
Step 13: After bathing your rat, give it a treat.
Feed your rat a piece of food or a small treat when it's dry and sitting happily on the towel.This will help keep your rat happy and will make bathing it easier in the future.Cucumber, apple, carrots, and peas are great for rats.Use the one your rat likes the most as a treat.
Step 14: To comb out dirt, use a dry cleaning powder.
If you don't want your rat to get wet, or only want to clean a small section that's become dirty, you can use a cleaning powder.Put some powder over the dirty area and rub it on the rat's fur.Use a thick brush to remove the dirt from it.You can buy Rodent cleaning powder from your local pet store.If you want to harm your rat, don't put cleaning powder on his face or genitals.You could use a cleaning spray for your rat.Rub it into the rat's fur and wipe it away.Cleaning mousse can be found at your local pet store.
Step 15: Spot- clean your rat.
If you have a rat, wet wipes or baby wipes are an easy way to clean it.If you want to gently remove the dirt from your rat's body, you should use a single wipe.As with all other cleaning products, wipe your rat's face and genitals with baby wipes as they will be too harsh for sensitive areas.
Step 16: It happens once a week.
It is possible that you need to clean out your rat's cage more often.If you want the empty cage to stay clean, you need to spot clean it every day and scrub it with soapy water once a week.If you have more than one rat in a single cage, it may need to be cleaned more often.When the cage begins to look dirty, keep an eye on it.