Do you bath your rats?

I last bathed my rats about 6 months ago. Did the whole putting them in the bath, shampooing them and towel drying about once a fortnight for months. But no matter how 'used to it' they got, it got them so upset and distressed each time I stopped. They groom constantly, but I have to admit I'd love to get Blanche in particular fluffy and clean again.

Do you bath your rats?

I've bathed most of mine once or twice. I tend not to put them in the bath, but I get one basin with tepid water and some rat-friendly shampoo mixed in and another with just tepid water. I dip them in the shampoo water, give a quick scrub and then dip in the plain water, then dry them a little & make sure they're kept warm until they're totally dry.
I haven't done it in a good few months, but I was actually thinking during freerange today that some of them could do with a bath, they stink!
One of mine doesn't really mind it too much, she just sort sits in my hand as I lift her about. The rest don't enjoy it, but they're pretty good about it.

If mine get particularly dirty then I'll give them all a bath. Just get it over and done with as quickly as possible and it's fine. It also helps if you don't just put them all in the bath together; just put each one in, get them wet, shampoo them, rinse them and then take them out and towel them off, then move on to the next rat.

I also usually bath mine a week before a show so that they have no porphyrin on their due and have clean tails.

Oh i never have,mine dont really get dirty...and spend ages everyday cleaning themselves religiously

I do if I have to just before a show (well a few days to a week) - but to be honest, I never need to too much - and I haven't done for a long time. They don't need it really.

xx

I bathed Cleo before she passed away because she had lost the use of her hind legs and found it very difficult to clean herself properly and she had a lot of mites. I used to use the Johnsons small animal shampoo with a tiny bit of mite spray. I'd have to wash her every month or so but she loved it. she was so relaxed and sat there boggling the whole time she was being washed, then I'd keep her in the sitting room with me until she was dry and then put her into her freshly cleaned cage.