do rats like baths?

Answer 1

Rats are scrupulously clean animals.
Whether they would consider that being dumped in water and washed with soap is "cleaning themselves" though, is a decision that the individual rat will make for himself.

Answer 2

Most rats don't, but I've had a few that loved being bathed. The one that I had that loved being bathed the most was Shenzi. She loved getting her bath and if I allowed the tub to fill a bit, she'd swim around and kinda play in the bathtub. She also loved the drying off. She'd cuddle in her towel.

Shenzi seemed to always have fun getting her bath. The others I've had over the years, well, they'd struggle as soon as they saw the water but got their baths anyway. For them I just used the sink. Easier to get the job done fast.

As for the comment on rats loving smelly stuff, Rats are VERY clean! They're cleaner, and they're better pets than a hamster.

Hamsters are nasty! I've been bitten many times over by hamsters, but over the years I've only been bitten once by a rat and that was because she was an unhandled feeder rat we rescued and she had a litter she was protecting.

Answer 3

Most rats don't. I have 15, and they don't get baths unless they absolutely have to have one, which is rare. Most of the times, these animals keep themselves pretty clean, unless their cages are not cleaned often enough, but every once in a while they get too stinky for us humans, so if you have to wash your critter, use animal or baby shampoo and warm water. Plug the sink and put in about an inch or two of warm water (rats have a body temp slightly higher than ours, so use a temp that you would be comfortable with for your own bath), then lower the animal in so it's standing in the water, use your hands and wet its back, but stay away from its head/ears/eyes. I use ferret shampoo on my rats. I put long socks over my hands and up my arms so they won't scratch me when they try to run up my arms to get away from the water. Make sure you have towels ready to dry the critter off, then give it a treat and lots of love. Do not try to use a blow dryer on it.

Answer 4

My rat loved his baths. He figured out how to get out of his cage and he would tell me he needed a bath by perching himself ontop of the sink faucet. He did not like the drying off part so i starting to train him to sit underneath a hair dryer that was on low and held about a foot above him until he dried himself. I think that rats are just like most other pets. There are some dogs that require a five point harness to get them to take a bath and then there are others that love it. So I think that if you approach it correctly you rat will enjoy bathtime.

Answer 5

some domestic rats do like to run around in the bath with warm shallow water, place a suitable object in the bath for them to climb on should they so wish, introduce your rat to water at a young age, making sure the water is very very shallow.

Answer 6

Not usually, but some like to swim a shallow bowl of luke warm water. If you have to bathe your rat, use a very mild baby or puppy shampoo, and be gentle. : )

Answer 7

You could bath it, but when you have been scratched half to death, you will never fall for your rats 'i am so lovely i could do no harm' look again!

Answer 8

NO

but you could leave a shallow bowl of water just incase they come over all wanting to be pampered (go easy on the bubble bath)

Answer 9

They do like to swim. Make sure the water is warm though. Put some stuff in there for it to explore, and take the opportunity to give it a good shampoo.

Answer 10

Some do and some don't. I friend of mine loved to let his rats swim together, where as mine hated it. They used to jump of the water.