|
Bathing rats
You bathe rats when they need it. For some rats that might mean
once a month or so. For others it might mean never. Some rats only need their tails
washed, others need
a full out bath.
You use baby shampoo or kitten shampoo.
And here's one EASY method for doing it:
First of all, forget about filling the sink or tub. You are going to be showering your rats, rather than bathing
them.
Secondly, have everything ready ahead of time. You will need a towel and some shampoo (anything
safe for kittens should be OK). A face cloth and/or
toothbrush might be needed if the tail is extra dirty.
You might also want a hair dryer.
Third, clear off a space near your sink and put the towel there.
Turn the tap water on, not just warm but hot. OBVIOUSLY not hot enough to turn, just
comfortably hot.
Now pick up your rat and hold him in both hands. Quickly and gently put him under the running
water, getting him wet all over, including his belly but
DON'T get his face or ears wet. This should only
take a few seconds, hardly enough time for your rat to get upset.
Put the rat down on the towel. Add shampoo
and massage it in -- your rat should LIKE this part of the bath! He will feel secure because he is in
the towel, not being held in mid-air. This is when to use the face cloth or toothbrush.
Rinsing the
rat takes a little longer. Again hold him in BOTH hands and rinse him under the tap, taking extreme care
not to get soap in his face or
ears. (Hold your fingers over his ears.) Do this as quickly as you can but
be thorough.
Now plop him down on the towel again and enjoy rubbing or blowing him dry!
Depending
on how long you take to massage the shampoo in, this entire bath should take LESS than 2 minutes. Your rat
will have very little time to get
upset.
REMEMBER: you outweigh your rat at LEAST 100 times -- he
should NOT be able to get the best of you!
I tell you, this method WORKS!!
|
