Yucky tail...

[Scythe]

I've noticed one of my rats has a particularly yucky tail. I don't know if it's just dirt, or if his scales are peeling, or if theres something wrong with it...

In the pictures(Excuse the bad quality, my actual camera's been dead and I keep forgetting to charge..), the 'yellow' is raised, if you can't tell from the photo.

My first thought was dirt, but I've never had a rat let his tail get so dirty before. :giggle: I tried picking it off when he was sleeping and he let this really quiet protest out but didnt move, so I just left it alone.

 

[lilspaz68]

Yep they don't like it peeled off (I have had some very dirty rats there)...because it pulls on teh attached hairs below. Sound like you are about to learn tail scrubbing.

Items on hand: towel nearby, old toothbrush and good dish soap.
Wear: long sleeve shirt

Fill up your bathroom or kitchen sink or tub if you really prefer (but there's so much more space there to escape from your ministrations) with warm water. Convince your Dirty Rat to sit in the water so the tail soaks for at least a minute, hopefully more.

Then take the soap in between your fingers and rub it into tail with a sideways and downwards motion from the base to the tail tip. Catch the rat that is now flying around the counter. Using the soft toothbrush, brush in short strokes down the tail...chasing the rat around the counter all the while :cheeky: Then once you have done that, you can rinse it off. For a really nasty tail like that, it might take a few scrubs but it will be healthier for the rat in the end.

 

[Scythe]

Yep they don't like it peeled off (I have had some very dirty rats there)...because it pulls on teh attached hairs below. Sound like you are about to learn tail scrubbing.

Items on hand: towel nearby, old toothbrush and good dish soap.
Wear: long sleeve shirt

Fill up your bathroom or kitchen sink or tub if you really prefer (but there's so much more space there to escape from your ministrations) with warm water. Convince your Dirty Rat to sit in the water so the tail soaks for at least a minute, hopefully more.

Then take the soap in between your fingers and rub it into tail with a sideways and downwards motion from the base to the tail tip. Catch the rat that is now flying around the counter. Using the soft toothbrush, brush in short strokes down the tail...chasing the rat around the counter all the while :cheeky: Then once you have done that, you can rinse it off. For a really nasty tail like that, it might take a few scrubs but it will be healthier for the rat in the end.

LOL Good thing my aunt will be here tomorrow and is already gonna help with my rat footprint adventure.

Is there anything I could put in the water while he soaks to help with the scabbydirtyness? I imaging sea salts wouldnt do much other than dry it out but thats all that comes to mind.

 

[Scythe]

I gave it a good scrubbing, and he was mostly good(aside from the pitiful cries of protest everytime i so much as *looked* at him in the sink...). There are still a few patches of scabby-yellowness, but for the most part his tail is now pink!

:joy:

 

[lilspaz68]

Yay for clean healthier tails!!! :joy: