Lather your rat with flea shampoo out of the water so the shampoo isn’t washed away. Try putting your rat on a towel as you lather them so they don’t slip away or make a mess. Or simply hold your rat in your hand while you wait the allotted 10 mins as the shampoo treats your rat’s fleas. Don’t get shampoo in your rat’s eyes, ears, and mouth. The shampoo is strongly medicated and can be toxic when ingested by your rat. So keep a constant eye on them as you wait the allotted time for the shampoo to work. Be sure to clean your rat’s tail as well. Use a toothbrush and lightly lather the shampoo onto their tail. Be careful not to scrub too hard as a rat’s tail skin is easily damaged. Let your rat swim around in their bath to drown out the fleas.
This method may take a considerable amount of time before you are able to rid your rat of all fleas. This does not help with flea bite sensitivity and does not treat your rat for skin irritation problems. Flea shampoos not only kill fleas but also helps to sooth your rat’s skin. This method requires you to be able to handle your rat, especially if you don’t have a trained rat. You may need to restrain or keep you rat still while combing by making a claw-like gesture with your hand to keep your rat in place. Hold your rat by placing your thumb and ring finger around its body right under its front legs, while having your rat’s neck rest between your index finger and middle finger. Don’t squeeze too hard or you’ll restrict its airway. You can attempt the same holding method with your rat on its back. [2] X Research source
Never use flea treatment products without consulting your veterinarian first. Never let your rat ingest flea treatments.
Be sure to tell your vet you think your rat has fleas. Some vets may want you to take precautionary actions before bringing in a possibly flea-infested animal. Always talk with your vet first before treating your rat. [4] X Expert Source Brian StarrRat Specialist & Breeder Expert Interview. 27 April 2021.
Missing patches of fur or red scabs is a good indication that something is irritating your rat’s skin even if you don’t see them scratching. Fleas like to hide in densely covered areas of animals. If your rat is scratching its armpits and belly a lot more than normal or has irritation in these areas, it might be a sign of fleas or some other skin irritant. Your rat might jump or react violently out of the blue. This is a sign of hypersensitivity to flea bites.
Have a bowl of soapy water on hand to wash your comb of any fleas you might pull out. Flea feces and dirt can look quite similar, especially if you bring your rat outside to play. One way to tell the difference between the two is to wet any dirt-like specks with water and watch if the spots turn a reddish-brown colour. The red colour is the digested blood that the fleas have ingested which has been broken down by the water. Adult fleas account for about 5% of a flea colony or infestation. The other 95% consist of flea eggs, larvae, and pupae which are harder to see with the naked eye.
Use a diluted bleach or a detergent to clean the cage. Wipe the bars, any wheels or platforms, and the outside and inside of the cage’s pan. Rise thoroughly after. Soak toys in diluted bleach or detergent while you clean the cage. Rinse thoroughly after. Throw out and change the bedding and litter pan completely.
Purchase and use an adulticide which kills all adult insects and an insect growth regulator that disrupts the hormonal balance of insects and prevents them from reproducing and laying eggs. [7] X Trustworthy Source National Pesticide Information Center Organization run by Oregon State University providing objective, science-based information about pests and pesticides Go to source
Vacuum daily in high traffic areas and weekly in other areas. Vacuum carpets, furniture, drapes, and wherever your rat sleeps or hangs out. You will have to keep this up for a few weeks and may months, until you’re sure there are no longer fleas on your rat and in your home.
