Swimming
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I only leave the water in there with my healthy young adult/adult rats. Also, my rats enjoy just swimming - even if there are no peas. I usually wont put veggies in the water unless I am going to be there to take it out right away because the water gets nasty. :? I use the smooth glass pebble things that you can put in fish tanks at the bottom of the swimming pool. They love to play with them, stash them, steal them from each other...rattikins said:
Yeah! Well, not really in their cage, but they have constant access to it. My rats have their cage and a long play table 24 hours a day...
I bought the biggest, deepest paint roller pan I could find at Lowes and fill it to the top with fresh water daily.
As far as the pebbles go - they have become a very coveted form of currency with my rats. They would rather me hand them a pebble than a yogie... they're weird. They will all take turns diving to the bottom of the pool, hunt for the perfect pebble, and stash it. :-D
I bought the biggest, deepest paint roller pan I could find at Lowes and fill it to the top with fresh water daily.
As far as the pebbles go - they have become a very coveted form of currency with my rats. They would rather me hand them a pebble than a yogie... they're weird. They will all take turns diving to the bottom of the pool, hunt for the perfect pebble, and stash it. :-D
So I've started the pea fishing with the girls and they LOVE it! Don't mind the water at all. I think I'm going to simply gradually use a larger and larger bowl until they can dive for the peas and see if they like to swim.
One question I'm left with however before I begin - isn't it bad for them to be wet after they go swimming? Do you towel dry them all the way when you're done? How long does it take for them to dry?
I worry because #1 it's summer and I have the AC on, and #2 in Minnesota the winter can get rather harshly cold.
Thanks guys!
One question I'm left with however before I begin - isn't it bad for them to be wet after they go swimming? Do you towel dry them all the way when you're done? How long does it take for them to dry?
I worry because #1 it's summer and I have the AC on, and #2 in Minnesota the winter can get rather harshly cold.
Thanks guys!
Well, I live in a very hot climate - it never gets colder than 55 degrees in the dead of winter - so mine usually need it to cool off. They dry quickly and I would assume, unless they were dealing with a weak immune system or recovering from some illness, that drying off naturally should be fine. My rats are always dry before the table is. :-D
I'd probably watch it in the winter. Maybe... warm water in the pool and a good towel dry?
I'd probably watch it in the winter. Maybe... warm water in the pool and a good towel dry?
Boo (my first, best, favorite rat) loooooved swimming. one day she even went in the pool (my little brother's idea...) My current rats hate it, though. i fill up the bathtub at the begingina nd eend of their baths, and they jump out and become very annoyed.
It may be because their only exposure to water was on your terms. Mine deal with bath time, but love to use their pool because they can go at their own pace and can swim when they feel like it.Krickette said:
For example: Little kids will fight you when it is bath time, but will beg to go swimming.
This may be a very stupid question, but why do so many people bathe their rats? My girls are always so clean and they give themselves so many baths. Should I be bathing them? I did my research and it does not say to do so on a regular basis anywhere that I looked.
Some people bathe them to help with allergies, others have rats that get themselves very messy (some male rats and a female here and there like to lay in the litter box and soak up the smell of poo and pee) and others have rats that don't clean themselves very well...
Again, I think it makes a huge difference how water is introduced, but anyway...
I only bathe mine when they need it, which is not too common, especially with the swimming. Keep in mind, though, that the little buggers also have a sand box...
Sand+Water=Bath.
I only bathe mine when they need it, which is not too common, especially with the swimming. Keep in mind, though, that the little buggers also have a sand box...
Sand+Water=Bath.
They really are liking water so far. I'm so glad I did the pea fishing to get them used to water gently and on their terms, thank you so much for the advice!!!
They are so fun to watch while they play in the water, and to see them getting better and better at grabbing the peas!!
They are so fun to watch while they play in the water, and to see them getting better and better at grabbing the peas!!
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when is too soon to introduce the concept of water/swimming? is 3 weeks old too young?
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