How to bathe a rat at home?

The presence of pets in the apartment is a certain difficulty, because it is necessary to properly care for them. The more a pet, the more worries with it, the less - the more careful you need to behave with it. If an adult or a child started a rat at home, then it is necessary to know not only where to keep it and what to feed it, but also how to bathe and properly dry it so that the rodent has lived for a long time, causing only positive emotions from its owner.

Not all rodents love water and normally tolerate the bathing process, because, when starting a pet, you should learn more about it. If we talk about rats, they normally relate to water procedures, but often use other methods that partially or completely exclude contact with the aquatic environment. If the question arises whether ornamental rats can be bathed, then it can be answered positively, the main thing in this case is to carry out the procedure correctly.

If there is no experience of rodents, then it is important to get all the necessary knowledge about how they live in nature, what they eat, how they take care of themselves and each other. Rats are considered clean animals that care for themselves on their own, using sand or the help of relatives. At home, the need to bathe the animal can only occur if the cage is rarely removed and the pet simply has nowhere to find a clean place to live. Sometimes there are individuals who are unable or unwilling to bathe themselves, because this mission is automatically assigned to a person.

In order not to harm the rat and help it to always be clean and tidy, it is important to know that you can not bathe it often, the optimal interval will be a period of two weeks.

It is necessary to wash the rat at home properly, it is from this that its well-being depends. Before embarking on water procedures, it is worth examining the specific situations in which these measures are necessary:

• soiling in waste that was not removed in time from the cage;
• the appearance of any parasites on the skin or coat of the animal;
• if the pet does not burn with the desire to independently care for the coat;
• a few days before the show.

So that the bathing process is safe, it is worth being fully prepared for the procedure. When you need to have a container that will be suitable for swimming, shampoo for rats or rodents and towels for drying. Household or regular soap, simple or baby shampoos should not be used, since the composition there is much more aggressive than in specialized products.

If only the tail got dirty in a rat, then you shouldn’t bathe it completely; it will be enough to wipe only the tail part using a moist sponge and children's cream. When planning a water treatment for a pet, you should know that It is impossible to put it under running water, since contact with the water environment will be unexpected and extremely unpleasant for the pet, which will provoke stress and fear of such procedures.

Another danger of such bathing is the ingress of moisture into the ears, which the pet simply does not have time to fold properly to protect itself, as it happens in nature.

So that the bathing procedure does not cause panic and fear in the domestic rat, it is necessary to gradually accustom it to the procedure. The first step is to choose the right bath in which the pet will bathe. The depth and width of it should be such that the rat feels confident, could get out of the tank, if such a desire arises. To bathing did not cause fear, initially it is better to accustom the pet to the bath, dropping it there for a few minutes, and when the animal has mastered, you can gradually add water to it.

It is important not to pour a lot of water in the bath, the rat should be on its paws while swimming and calmly move around in any direction. If you pour all the water at once, then there is the risk of a frightened pet, in which he will begin to scratch and may injure both himself and the owner.

In addition to the correct amount of water, you need to monitor its temperature. This is important for the comfort of the animal while swimming, and for its subsequent health. With incorrect indicators, the rat can get stressed during the procedure and get sick after it is completed. The best indicator for swimming will be a temperature range of 36-37 degrees.

Two tanks should not be harvested to redeem a pet, because the water in them will have a different temperature, which will adversely affect the state of the animal. In order not to make too much water in the bath, it is better to use a small amount of shampoo during soaping so that it can be quickly and efficiently washed off.

It is not necessary to wash the muzzle of a rat, because they themselves constantly wipe it during the day. Having chosen the right container, having accustomed the animal to it and having correctly set the temperature mode, it is possible to redeem the rodent qualitatively and provide him with appropriate care. Rats-girls can be bathed once a month. Rats-boys should be subjected to this process twice or weekly to carry out additional wiping with hypoallergenic wet wipes.

Properly chosen bath and the right water temperature are very important criteria for the procedure of bathing, but the accessories and tools for it also have a significant value. The body of the rodent is covered with thin skin, which can be easily injured if you apply too much effort. In addition, like many other similar animals, the skin has a protective layer that helps in a variety of situations and maintains the normal health of the rat. If you use the wrong shampoos and washcloths, then there is a risk of damaging the protective layer, and in the worst case - the skin itself.

It is best to bathe the rat with a small and very soft washcloth and brush. With their help, it is possible to reach all hard-to-reach places and wash them thoroughly. Of the means, it is worth using exclusively specialized shampoo for rodents, which is designed to take into account all the characteristics of the fur of these animals and skin.

To properly carry out the procedure of bathing, you must have:

• bath;
• shampoo;
• towel.

All components are prepared in advance and checked for suitability and convenience for a rodent. If possible, the water should be checked with a thermometer or lower the elbow into it. The optimal mode will be 30-35 degrees with a thermometer or a sensation of warm water, in the case of independent determination of its temperature. About 5 cm of water is poured into the bath, and then a rat is placed there.

The bathing procedure is as follows:

1. Pet's hair must be moistened carefully, ensuring that the muzzle and ears remain dry;
2. shampoo is foamed on a sponge or with the help of fingers, and gently applied to the hair, gently massaging it;
3. Using a washcloth, gently wash the shampoo with water from the bath.

After bathing, it is imperative to wipe the rodent until the hair is completely dry. If a rat is afraid of water, then you can not bathe it with force, it will only increase its fear. It is important to carry out preparatory activities that will allow the animal to get used to the aquatic environment and be calm in it. The owner must pour some water in a saucer or other spacious low capacity so that the animal can run a lot in such conditions.

The drying process is no less important than bathing itself, because it is how the pet's health depends on it. If you do not dry out the coat or wipe the rat badly, it can catch a cold. When planning water procedures, it is important to check the premises for the presence of drafts and, if possible, eliminate them in order to protect the animal. When preparing for bathing, you should have at least two paper towels and one soft cloth.

With the help of paper products it is possible to quickly remove the bulk of the water that remained on the wool after bathing. Once the excess has been removed, you need to wrap the animal in a cloth towel and keep it there until it dries completely. It is not necessary to rub the wool, it will be unpleasant to the rodent and may harm its skin or protective cover.

If a rat appeared at home, and there is still no experience in caring for it, then you should prepare for certain difficulties that can be expected at certain stages. The most exciting moment will be bathing your pet, especially for the first time. To protect yourself, you should wear something with a long sleeve, in case the animal is not in the mood or not ready for contact with water. If there is an opportunity, it is better to ask a qualified person to show exactly how it is worth to swim, to tell about all the nuances.

Precautions should be taken not only in relation to the owner, but also for the pet. If the rat is still small, and she did not have the opportunity to get acquainted with the water, it is necessary to create optimal conditions for this, evoking positive emotions from the new element. If you ignore these recommendations, in the future it can be very difficult to clean the domestic animal, especially if it really needs it.

Although water procedures are carried out infrequently, you need to know about those situations when they do not need to be applied, otherwise there will be much more harm than good. It is difficult for a non-specialist to notice any minor health problems of a pet, which is why situations that are dangerous to his life arise.

Among the factors that do not speak in favor of swimming, two main categories are worth highlighting.

Factors bearing a low degree of risk to the pet's health:

• the risk of respiratory diseases in the case of improper bathing or drying;
• Undried hair, hypothermia in water leads to colds;
• water in the ears and eyes leads to diseases of these organs;
• too frequent bathing and the use of inappropriate detergents causes a change in the protective layer, dry skin and its irritation.

There are factors that are more dangerous:

• the presence of scratches and wounds on the body, which evaporate, if water slowly falls on them, and this leads to itching and inflammation of the skin;
• the presence of a cold or post-cold state, at such a moment it is better to do without bathing, otherwise the risk of complications after the illness increases several times, and the healing procedure is delayed for several weeks.

Thus, it can be judged that bathing is a safe and acceptable procedure for rats, if carried out according to the rules, without abusing the frequency of bathing and using only the necessary means.

In case of any deviations from the norms, it is worthwhile to sort out the reasons in detail and resolve them, postponing any water procedures for a while. If the pet is completely healthy, tolerates well being in the water and is active after bathing, then there is no cause for concern.otherwise, it is necessary to assess the need for using water, and sometimes eliminate it altogether by switching to wet wiping with napkins and sponges.

Learn more about how to bathe a rat at home, you will learn from the following video.