Heya everyone, I've always heard that rats are generally supposed to love water play and swimming but I've had 5 rats over about 6 years and they've all absolutely hated having baths and won't even attempt to swim or enjoy water and I usually get covered in scratches. I put my current two ratties in a shallow bath last week and they just sat shivering on top of a plastic bowl I put in upside down as an island for them and wouldn't even be tempted in by treats. They just looked so miserable I eventually took pity and rescued them after I'd got them smelling a bit sweeter. But if I put a shallow tub of water in their cage and put some treats in it they will fish for them but they have to shake their paws and noses dry before they can eat the treats.... Anyway so yeah I was just wondering how other peoples ratties react to water.
Rats + water = ???
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My rats despise water, but it think it has to do with how I introduced them to it. Their first intro to water was me plopping them down in a tummy deep tub of water, thinking, oh, they'll swim and be happy! Instead I scared them. Add bathes to that and my boys assume all water that isn't in a water bottle or full of peas is their greatest foe.
Now, I have heard of people having luck leaving a 'swimming pool' in the cage so they can get used to it on their own time.
Now, I have heard of people having luck leaving a 'swimming pool' in the cage so they can get used to it on their own time.
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the four rats i have right now are the only ones i've ever had who liked water. i put down towels on the bed, then filled a shallow tub with maybe two inches of water. i gave them the option of going in the pool gradually, by putting in a ramp down into the water, and i threw in a handful of peas. at first, only clem was interested in wading, and she pulled out all the peas for everyone else, leaving them in a pile on the towel. however, after a while, everyone went in, and now they love it. now, whenever it's hot, i put the shallow tub right in their cage, and clementine will even lounge in it to keep cool.
overall i think it's a good idea to set it up, and let their natural curiousity and love of peas take over.
overall i think it's a good idea to set it up, and let their natural curiousity and love of peas take over.
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Betty is my first rat to actually like water! I just gave her a bath the other day for the first time and she didn't mind it. I just put her in while the tub was filling (half was still dry) and she just walked right into the water. She did poop and try to jump out once I started rubbing soap on her though.
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unless i move my hand around the water she wont like it. and she hates taking a bath. but since its been so hot here I wanted to make sure she was okay so I put her in a shallow bath. Sure it was **** bathing her but she ended up getting more used to it, but still doesnt like it
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