[mysteryperson123]

I was told by someone who had once owned rats that you could bathe your rats. I put my rat Lady Schloer in the water for about 20 seconds to let her get the feel. I dried her off and put her in her cage. She has a sloppy bit of poo on her bum. I was wondering, is she ill or is it maybe the fact that she was in water that made the poo sloppy? I am new to rat keeping. Please help.

[templelane]

Generally you don't need to wash rats as they are clean animals that groom themselves. If they are looking dirty it means you need to change their bedding more frequently/ wash their hammocks. That being said I don't think it can do them much harm (unlike hamsters which can get pnemonia).

What have you been feeding her lately? Has it been a lot of green veg?

I'm not really sure how to tell if the washing and the soft faeces are connected other than to watch and see if it gets worse/ happens again without washing.

That being said here is a page to cheer you up:-

How to properly launder your rats (joke)

[mysteryperson123]

Thanks, I have not ever fed her green vegetables or fruit. The only thing I have given her since I got her is rat food.

I am just going to check on her. Thanks for that rat laundry page, it was very funny and it cheered me up.

[templelane]

Hmm

Is she showing any signs of discomfot or distress? Is she eating and drinking normally?
Why did you wash her was she looking dirty? - This could be a sign she isn't caring for herself properly due to illness.

Did she seem stressed by the bathing, stress can cause diarrhea.

If she seems healthy just keep an eye on her, it could have just been the water like you suggested.

[mysteryperson123]

It's gone, Lady Schloer is okay. I will keep a look out in case it happens again without her having a bath. Just to be safe, what would anyone recommend if she gets this again without having a bath/wash.

[mysteryperson123]

She is being her normal self and her sister who had a bath shortly after her is fine too. Lady Schloer is the braver, more tame of the two. I did not bath her because she was dirty, I just did. I know they are clean animals, I just wanted to bath them to sort of get the experience, if you know what I mean, just in case one day I might need to bath her. She seems perfectly healthy to me, in fact when I went in their she was climbing up the bars of the cage. She did not seem too stressed, she scampered round a bit and after about 20 seconds she began trying to climb out, when she began trying to climb out I took her straight out.

[mysteryperson123]

She is eating and drinking perfectly normal.

[mysteryperson123]

Please answer, is she okay?

[templelane]

Sorry been working!

I wasn't telling you off for bathing her. I just wanted to know if that was the reason (dirtiness), which would have suggested perhaps something is wrong. If she is behaving normally she is most probably fine. I can't say for certain as I can't see her and I'm not a vet ;)

If she gets it again and her condition worsens try and get her to a vet but if it is just a one off don't worry.

[mysteryperson123]

Nothing has happened to her since. She is very clean. I will send a few pics in later.