Giving baths to your rats may be the worst nightmare for you and your rats. Most rats are not use to water, hence it is better if you teach your rats to get use to water as young as possible. Here's a trick you can try to help your rats get use to water. Place a big clay bowl enough for them to sit and stand inside in the cage. Fill the bowl with lukewarm water (not too hot). Remember to remove the bedding and replace them with a dry newspaper. Let them hangout in the cage with the bowl of about 15 minutes. They will probably drink it, but the point is to get them use to the water body.
After getting them out of the cage, bring them to the bathroom and close the door. They tend to freak-out and will try to run away. So communication is very important. Tell them what you are about to do and pet them softly. Have a few towels and a bucket of lukewarm water prepared with you before you begin. For the first few times, or for baby rats, it is not advisable to put your rats in any water. You can have it stand on your palm with a towel below, then wet your another hand with some water and apply on it slowly. It might get a bit jumpy so you'll have to keep talking to it. It is normal if your rat poop a little because of anxiety but do not let the condition last for too long. Continue wetting it until its fur is entirely wet. Apply several drops of small animal shampoo on it and rub on it. Be careful not to get any water or soap into your rat’s eyes or ears. When you feel the rat is clean, pour water on it gently and rinse until it's clean. Again, be careful not to get any water in the rat’s eyes or ears. Make sure that there is no shampoo residue on it as it might eat it is when grooming itself. After the bathing process is complete, transfer your rat to a dry and clean towel and pet it dry. Repeat the bathing process every week and your rat will get use to it. Till then you can try letting your rat swim in shallow water or just run it under gentle shower. Remember to give your rat a treat and a warm hug after each bath to show that it has done a good job.
