How to Bathe a Rat's Kittens With Shampoo
Pet rats normally keep themselves clean and groom their litter or cage mates. If your pet rat has given birth to a litter, referred to as kittens, you may wish to give the little ones a bath to wash away debris or mother's milk from their skin and coats. Wait at least two to three weeks after birth before bathing the baby rats, as young rats cannot regulate their own body temperature, easily becoming chilled. Keep baths quick, bathing each rat separately, and positively reinforce the experience with a food reward.
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Instructions
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Place a towel next to your kitchen sink. Fill the sink with a few inches of lukewarm water.
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Gently dip the baby rat into the water, only up to its neck, to wet its body, then place the wet rat on the towel next to the sink.
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Place a few drops of cat or kitten shampoo on the baby rat's back. Gently rub the soap into a lather on the rat's body, working it into the skin with your fingertips, down to the tail.
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Brush the rat gently with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush, from the base of the tail to the tip, if necessary, to remove any caked-on dirt or debris.
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Dip the rat back into the warm water to rinse the soap from its fur, avoiding its head. You can also run a very small stream of lukewarm water from the faucet over the rat to rinse its fur, if it will allow you to do this.
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Place the rat on a fresh, dry towel to completely dry its fur, gently dabbing at the skin to remove any moisture. Give the rat a food reward to positively reinforce the experience of bathing. Put the rat back into its nesting box with its mother and repeat the bathing process on all of the kittens in the litter.
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Tips & Warnings
Hold the rat around its middle with your thumb and ring finger, restraining its head with your index and middle fingers, while bathing.
Baby male rats, usually around 5 to 6 weeks old may develop an orange residue on their backs, upon sexual maturity. You can wash this away during the bath with your fingertips or gentle brushing with the soft-bristled toothbrush.
Never pick a rat up by the back of the neck. Rats respond violently to this type of holding.
Do not get water or soap onto a baby rat's face.
References
- Photo Credit China Photos/Getty Images News/Getty Images
