How to Bathe Your Fancy Rat

Fancy rats are domesticated rats primarily kept as pets. Despite the common perception of rats as being dirty and disease-ridden, domesticated rats are much more healthy and docile than their wild counterparts and are very clean and friendly animals that make loving pets. Like many other household pets, a rat will occasionally get into something dirty or simply need some assistance with its hygiene. In these cases, a quick bath in the kitchen or bathroom sink will have your rat looking as good as new.

Things You'll Need

  • Sink or wash pan
  • Kitten shampoo
  • Towel
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fill your sink or a plastic wash pan with enough water to cover the rat's body but not go over its head. The water should feel lukewarm when tested on the inside of your wrist.

    • 2

      Hold the rat firmly around the middle, making sure your fingers are far enough away from its mouth that you won't be bitten if the rat is scared. Talk to the rat in a soothing tone of voice to help it calm down before you begin the bath.

    • 3

      Dip the rat into the water to wet its coat, keeping its head completely above the water line. If you would rather, you can wet the rat's coat by pouring water over it with a cup rather than dipping it in the sink.

    • 4

      Place 4 to 5 drops of a gentle shampoo on the rat's coat. Shampoos formulated for kittens work well for rats. While holding the rat with one hand, use your other hand to massage the soap into the coat. If the rat's coat is particularly dirty or oily, use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub the fur and skin. Do not get any soap near the rat's ears or eyes.

    • 5

      Rinse the rat by pouring water over it with a cup or by holding it under the faucet while running lukewarm water. Be sure all of the soap has been thoroughly rinsed off so it doesn't dry and irritate the rat's skin.

    • 6

      Put the rat onto a clean, absorbent towel and gently rub down the coat. The drying process can be sped up by using a blow dryer on the lowest setting, as long as the dryer is held away from the rat and is not too hot. Once the rat is dry, give it a treat to help it view bathing as a positive experience.